List of Governors of Connecticut

Governor of Connecticut

Incumbent
Dannel Malloy

since January 5, 2011
Style His Excellency
Residence Connecticut Governor's Residence
Term length Four years
Inaugural holder Jonathan Trumbull
Deputy Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut
Salary $150,000 (2013)[1]
Website www.ct.gov/governor

The Governor of Connecticut is the elected head of the executive branch of Connecticut's state government, and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Connecticut General Assembly and to convene the legislature.[2] Unusual among U.S. governors, the Governor of Connecticut has no power to pardon.[3] The Governor of Connecticut is automatically a member of the state's Bonding Commission. He is an ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Connecticut and Yale University.

There have been 68 post-Revolution governors of the state, serving 72 distinct spans in office. The longest terms in office were in the state's early years, when four governors were elected to nine or more one-year terms. The longest was that of the first governor, Jonathan Trumbull, who served over 14 years, but 7 of those as colonial governor; the longest-serving state governor — with no other position included in the term — was his son, Jonathan Trumbull, Jr., who served over 11 years. The shortest term was that of Hiram Bingham III, who served only one day before resigning to take an elected seat in the U.S. Senate. Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., is noted for a rare third party win in American politics, having been elected to a term in 1990 representing A Connecticut Party.

The current governor is Dan Malloy, who took office on January 5, 2011.

List of Governors

For the period before independence, see the list of colonial governors of Connecticut.

Connecticut was one of the original Thirteen Colonies and was admitted as a state on January 9, 1788.[4] Before it declared its independence, Connecticut was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain. Like most early states, Connecticut had claims to western areas, but did not cede all of its claims during the formation of the country like the other states. It maintained its Western Reserve until 1800, at which time it was reassigned to the Northwest Territory.[5]

Connecticut did not create a state constitution for itself until several decades after it became a state; until 1818, the state operated under the provisions of its colonial charter. The charter called for the election of a governor every year, but not more than once every two years, with the term commencing on the second Thursday in May.[6]

The current Constitution of Connecticut, ratified in 1965, calls for a four-year term for the governor,[7] commencing on the Wednesday after the first Monday in the January following an election.[8] The previous constitution of 1818 originally had only a one-year term for governor; this was increased to two years in 1875,[9] and four years in 1948.[10] The 1875 amendment also set the start date of the term to its current date; before then, it was the first Wednesday in the May following an election.[11] The constitution provides for the election of a lieutenant governor for the same term as the governor. The two offices are elected on the same ticket; this provision was added in 1962.[12] In the event of a vacancy in the office of governor, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.[13] Before the adoption of the 1965 constitution, the lieutenant governor only acted as governor.[14] There is no limit of any kind on the number of terms one may serve.

#[lower-alpha 1] Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 3]
16   Jonathan Trumbull October 10, 1776

May 13, 1784
No party 1776
[lower-alpha 4]
  Matthew Griswold
1777
1778
1779
1780
1781
1782
1783
17 Matthew Griswold May 13, 1784

May 11, 1786
Federalist 1784 Samuel Huntington
1785
18 Samuel Huntington May 11, 1786

January 5, 1796
Federalist 1786 Oliver Wolcott
1787
1788
1789
1790
1791
1792
1793
1794
1795
[lower-alpha 5]
19 Oliver Wolcott January 5, 1796

December 1, 1797
Federalist Jonathan Trumbull, Jr.
1796
1797
[17]
20 Jonathan Trumbull Jr. December 1, 1797

August 7, 1809
Federalist John Treadwell
1798
1799
1800
1801
1802
1803
1804
1805
1806
1807
1808
1809
[lower-alpha 6]
21 John Treadwell August 7, 1809

May 9, 1811
Federalist Roger Griswold[lower-alpha 7]
1810
22 Roger Griswold May 9, 1811

October 25, 1812
Federalist 1811 John Cotton Smith
1812
[lower-alpha 8]
23 John Cotton Smith October 25, 1812

May 8, 1817
Federalist Chauncey Goodrich
(died August 18, 1815)
1813
1814
1815
Vacant
1816 Jonathan Ingersoll[lower-alpha 9]
(died January 12, 1823)
24 Oliver Wolcott Jr. May 8, 1817

May 2, 1827
Toleration
Republican
1817
1818
1819
1820
1821
1822
Vacant
1823 David Plant[lower-alpha 10]
1824
1825
1826
25 Gideon Tomlinson May 2, 1827

March 2, 1831
Democratic-
Republican
1827 John Samuel Peters[lower-alpha 10]
1828
1829
1830
[lower-alpha 11]
26 John Samuel Peters March 2, 1831

May 1, 1833
National
Republican
Thaddeus Betts
1831
1832
27 Henry W. Edwards May 1, 1833

May 7, 1834
Democratic 1833 Ebenezer Stoddard
28 Samuel A. Foot May 7, 1834

May 6, 1835
Whig 1834 Thaddeus Betts
29 Henry W. Edwards May 6, 1835

May 2, 1838
Democratic 1835 Ebenezer Stoddard
1836
1837
30 William W. Ellsworth May 2, 1838

May 4, 1842
Whig 1838 Charles Hawley
1839
1840
1841
31 Chauncey Fitch Cleveland May 4, 1842

May 1, 1844
Democratic 1842 William S. Holabird
1843
32 Roger Sherman Baldwin May 1, 1844

May 6, 1846
Whig 1844 Reuben Booth
1845
33 Isaac Toucey May 6, 1846

May 5, 1847
Democratic 1846
[lower-alpha 12]
Noyes Billings
34 Clark Bissell May 5, 1847

May 2, 1849
Whig 1847 Charles J. McCurdy
1848
35 Joseph Trumbull May 2, 1849

May 4, 1850
Whig 1849 Thomas Backus
36 Thomas H. Seymour May 4, 1850

October 13, 1853
Democratic 1850 Charles H. Pond
1851 Green Kendrick
1852 Charles H. Pond
1853
[20]
37 Charles H. Pond October 13, 1853

May 3, 1854
Democratic Vacant
38 Henry Dutton May 3, 1854

May 2, 1855
Whig 1854 Alexander H. Holley
39 William T. Minor May 2, 1855

May 6, 1857
American 1855 William Field
1856 Albert Day
40 Alexander H. Holley May 6, 1857

May 5, 1858
Republican 1857 Alfred A. Burnham
41 William A. Buckingham May 5, 1858

May 2, 1866
Republican 1858 Julius Catlin
1859
1860
1861 Benjamin Douglas
1862 Roger Averill
1863
1864
1865
42 Joseph R. Hawley May 2, 1866

May 1, 1867
Republican 1866 Oliver Winchester
43 James E. English May 1, 1867

May 5, 1869
Democratic 1867 Ephraim H. Hyde
1868
44 Marshall Jewell May 5, 1869

May 4, 1870
Republican 1869 Francis Wayland
45 James E. English May 4, 1870

May 16, 1871
Democratic 1870 Julius Hotchkiss
1871
[lower-alpha 13]
46 Marshall Jewell May 16, 1871

May 7, 1873
Republican Morris Tyler
1872
47 Charles R. Ingersoll May 7, 1873

January 3, 1877
Democratic 1873 George G. Sill
1874
1875
[lower-alpha 14]
48 Richard D. Hubbard January 3, 1877

January 9, 1879
Democratic 1876
[lower-alpha 15]
Francis Loomis
49 Charles B. Andrews January 9, 1879

January 5, 1881
Republican 1878 David Gallup
50 Hobart B. Bigelow January 5, 1881

January 3, 1883
Republican 1880 William H. Bulkeley
51 Thomas M. Waller January 3, 1883

January 8, 1885
Democratic 1882 George G. Sumner
52 Henry B. Harrison January 8, 1885

January 7, 1887
Republican 1884 Lorrin A. Cooke
53 Phineas C. Lounsbury January 7, 1887

January 10, 1889
Republican 1886 James L. Howard
54 Morgan G. Bulkeley January 10, 1889

January 4, 1893
Republican 1888 Samuel E. Merwin
1890
[lower-alpha 16]
55 Luzon B. Morris January 4, 1893

January 9, 1895
Democratic 1892 Ernest Cady
56 Owen Vincent Coffin January 9, 1895

January 6, 1897
Republican 1894 Lorrin A. Cooke
57 Lorrin A. Cooke January 6, 1897

January 4, 1899
Republican 1896 James D. Dewell
58 George E. Lounsbury January 4, 1899

January 9, 1901
Republican 1898 Lyman A. Mills
59 George P. McLean January 9, 1901

January 7, 1903
Republican 1900 Edwin O. Keeler
60 Abiram Chamberlain January 7, 1903

January 4, 1905
Republican 1902 Henry Roberts
61 Henry Roberts January 4, 1905

January 9, 1907
Republican 1904 Rollin S. Woodruff
62 Rollin S. Woodruff January 9, 1907

January 6, 1909
Republican 1906 Everett J. Lake
63 George L. Lilley January 6, 1909

April 21, 1909
Republican 1908
[lower-alpha 17]
Frank B. Weeks
64 Frank B. Weeks April 21, 1909

January 4, 1911
Republican Vacant
65 Simeon E. Baldwin January 4, 1911

January 6, 1915
Democratic 1910 Dennis A. Blakeslee[lower-alpha 18]
1912 Lyman T. Tingier
66 Marcus H. Holcomb January 6, 1915

January 5, 1921
Republican 1914 Clifford B. Wilson
1916
1918
67 Everett J. Lake January 5, 1921

January 3, 1923
Republican 1920 Charles A. Templeton
68 Charles A. Templeton January 3, 1923

January 7, 1925
Republican 1922 Hiram Bingham III
69 Hiram Bingham III January 7, 1925

January 8, 1925
Republican 1924
[lower-alpha 19]
John H. Trumbull
70 John H. Trumbull January 8, 1925

January 7, 1931
Republican J. Edwin Brainard[lower-alpha 20]
1926
1928 Ernest E. Rogers
71 Wilbur Lucius Cross January 7, 1931

January 4, 1939
Democratic 1930 Samuel R. Spencer[lower-alpha 18]
1932 Roy C. Wilcox[lower-alpha 18]
1934 T. Frank Hayes
1936
72 Raymond E. Baldwin January 4, 1939

January 8, 1941
Republican 1938 James L. McConaughy
73 Robert A. Hurley January 8, 1941

January 6, 1943
Democratic 1940 Odell Shepard
74 Raymond E. Baldwin January 6, 1943

December 27, 1946
Republican 1942 William L. Hadden
1944
[lower-alpha 21]
Charles W. Snow[lower-alpha 22]
75 Charles W. Snow December 27, 1946

January 8, 1947
Democratic Vacant
76 James L. McConaughy January 8, 1947

March 7, 1948
Republican 1946
[lower-alpha 23]
James C. Shannon
77 James C. Shannon March 7, 1948

January 5, 1949
Republican Robert E. Parsons[lower-alpha 20]
78 Chester Bowles January 5, 1949

January 3, 1951
Democratic 1948 William T. Carroll
79 John Davis Lodge January 3, 1951

January 5, 1955
Republican 1950
[lower-alpha 24]
Edward N. Allen
80 Abraham A. Ribicoff January 5, 1955

January 21, 1961
Democratic 1954 Charles W. Jewett
1958
[lower-alpha 25]
John N. Dempsey
81 John N. Dempsey January 21, 1961

January 6, 1971
Democratic Anthony J. Armentano[lower-alpha 20]
1962 Samuel J. Tedesco
(resigned January 15, 1966)
Fred J. Doocy[lower-alpha 26]
1966 Attilio R. Frassinelli
82 Thomas J. Meskill January 6, 1971

January 8, 1975
Republican 1970 T. Clark Hull
(resigned June 1, 1973)
Peter L. Cashman[lower-alpha 26]
83 Ella T. Grasso January 8, 1975

December 31, 1980
Democratic 1974 Robert K. Killian
1978
[lower-alpha 27]
William A. O'Neill
84 William A. O'Neill December 31, 1980

January 9, 1991
Democratic Joseph J. Fauliso[lower-alpha 26]
1982
1986
85 Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. January 9, 1991

January 4, 1995
A Connecticut Party 1990 Eunice Groark
86 John G. Rowland January 4, 1995

July 1, 2004
Republican 1994 Jodi Rell
1998
2002
[lower-alpha 28]
87 Jodi Rell July 1, 2004

January 5, 2011
Republican Kevin Sullivan[lower-alpha 22][lower-alpha 26]
2006 Michael Fedele
88 Dannel Malloy January 5, 2011

Present
Democratic 2010 Nancy Wyman
2014
[lower-alpha 29]

Living former governors

There are three living former governors of Connecticut, the oldest being Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. (served 1991–1995, born 1931). The most recent death of a former governor was that of William O'Neill (served 1980–1991, born 1930), who died on November 24, 2007.

Governor Gubernatorial term Date of birth (and age)
Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. 1991–1995 May 16, 1931
John G. Rowland 1995–2004 May 24, 1957
M. Jodi Rell 2004–2011 June 16, 1946

Notes

  1. According to the Connecticut State Library, the official listing goes back to the first governor of Connecticut Colony in 1639, and did not include repeat governors serving non-consecutive terms in the colonial period; this makes Trumbull the 16th governor.[15] The official numbering since statehood includes repeat and acting governors.
  2. The office of Lieutenant Governor was known as Deputy-Governor under the colonial charter, but the name 'Lieutenant Governor' was predominantly used after independence.[6]
  3. Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
  4. The Connecticut General Assembly approved the United States Declaration of Independence on October 10, 1776, and resolved that the state's government would continue as established under the charter. So, as colonial governor, Jonathan Trumbull became state governor, serving roughly 14 years total.[16]
  5. Huntington died in office; as lieutenant governor, Wolcott acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  6. Trumbull died in office; as lieutenant governor, Treadwell acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  7. Appointed by the general assembly to fill the vacant Lieutenant Governor office.[18]
  8. Griswold died in office; as lieutenant governor, Smith acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  9. Represented the Democratic-Republican Party.
  10. 1 2 Represented the National Republican Party.
  11. Tomlinson resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; as lieutenant governor, Peters acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  12. Toucey lost the election, but was appointed governor by the state legislature.[19]
  13. James English won the popular vote, but a canvassing committee found the election was fraudulent, and named Jewell governor several days into the term.[21]
  14. The end date of this term was moved back to January 3, 1877, due to the adoption of the 26th amendment to the state constitution, lengthening the term by 7 months.
  15. Terms were lengthened from one to two years beginning with this term.
  16. Morgan Bulkeley did not run for re-election in 1890, but due to such a close contest and controversies, the results were not certified, and the legislature spent two years debating the issue; Bulkeley essentially served as governor by default.[22]
  17. Lilley died in office; as lieutenant governor, Weeks acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  18. 1 2 3 Represented the Republican Party.
  19. Bingham resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; as lieutenant governor, Trumbull acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  20. 1 2 3 As president pro tempore of the state senate, filled vacancy in office of lieutenant governor.[18]
  21. Baldwin resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; as lieutenant governor, Snow acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  22. 1 2 Represented the Democratic Party.
  23. McConaughy died in office; as lieutenant governor, Shannon acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  24. Terms were lengthened from two to four years beginning with this term.
  25. Ribicoff resigned to become U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare; as lieutenant governor, Dempsey acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  26. 1 2 3 4 As president pro tempore of the state senate, became lieutenant governor.[18]
  27. Grasso resigned due to ovarian cancer; as lieutenant governor, O'Neill succeeded her.
  28. Rowland resigned due to a federal corruption investigation;[23] he later pleaded guilty to corruption.[24] As lieutenant governor, Rell succeeded him.
  29. Governor Malloy's second term expires on January 9, 2019.

References

Specific
  1. "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  2. CT Const. art. IV
  3. "Pardons Power in Connecticut". Archived from the original on June 13, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2008.
  4. "Today in History: January 9". Library of Congress. Retrieved February 21, 2009.
  5. "Research Guide to Connecticut's "Western Lands" or "Western Reserve"". Connecticut State Library. Retrieved February 21, 2009.
  6. 1 2 1662 Charter
  7. CT Const. art. IV, § 1
  8. CT Const. art. IV, § 2
  9. 1818 Const. amendment XVI
  10. 1818 Const. amendment XLV
  11. 1818 Const. art. IV § 1
  12. 1818 Const. new amendment VII
  13. CT Const. art. IV § 19
  14. 1818 Const. art. IV § 14
  15. "Roster of Connecticut Governors". Connecticut State Library. Retrieved April 4, 2008.
  16. "Jonathan Trumbull". Connecticut State Library. Retrieved 2009-03-10.
  17. Wolcott died in office; as lieutenant governor, Trumbull acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  18. 1 2 3 "Brief Descriptions of Connecticut State Agencies: Lieutenant Governor". Connecticut State Library. Archived from the original on 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2009-03-10.
  19. "Toucey, Issac". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
  20. Seymour resigned to be U.S. Minister to Russia; as lieutenant governor, Pond acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
  21. "James Edward English". National Governors Association. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  22. "Morgan Gardner Bulkeley". National Governors Association. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  23. William Yardley; Stacey Stowe; Avi Salzman and Alison Leigh Cowan (June 22, 2004). "Connecticut's Governor Steps Down". The New York Times.
  24. Robert D. McFadden (December 24, 2004). "An Ex-Governor Says He's Guilty". The New York Times.
General
Constitutions

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