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The governor of Maryland is the head of government of the U.S. state of Maryland and is commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[1] The governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and the constitutional powers of Maryland's governors make them among the most powerful governors in the United States.[2]
Since the American Revolution (1775–1783), Maryland has had four state constitutions that have specified different terms of office and methods of selection of its governors. Under the constitution of 1776, governors were appointed by the General Assembly legislature to one-year terms and could be reelected for two additional terms.[3] An 1838 constitutional amendment allowed the direct election of governors to 3-year terms,[3] although the governors came from rotating election districts of regions. The terms were lengthened to four years in the 1851 Constitution and election districts were abolished in the 1864 version.[1] Since then, under the current heavily amended Maryland Constitution of 1867 governors have been elected by the entire state of Maryland for a four-year term.[3]
Maryland governors are limited to two consecutive terms, making former two-term governors eligible to run after four years out of office.[1] Thomas Sim Lee, Daniel Martin, and Robert Bowie have served non-consecutive terms as Governor of Maryland. Albert C. Ritchie holds the record of Maryland's longest-serving governor with almost 15 years of service (1920–1935).[4] Maryland has never yet had a female governor although four have been nominated by their parties since 1974.[5] One woman, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, served as Lieutenant Governor under Parris Glendening from 1995 to 2003.[6]
The current governor is Republican Larry Hogan, who took office on January 21, 2015.[7]
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Federalist (8) Democratic-Republican (9) Anti-Jacksonian (3) Jacksonian (1) Whig (3) Democratic (28) Constitutional Union (1) Republican (9) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor[5] | Term in office[8] | Party | Term | Previous office[8] | Lieutenant governor[6][a] | |||||
| 1 | File:Thomas Johnson (governor).jpeg | Thomas Johnson November 4, 1732 – October 26, 1819 (Aged 86) |
March 21, 1777 – November 12, 1779 |
Independent | 1 (1777) |
Continental Congress (1774–1775) |
None | |||
| 2 (1778) | ||||||||||
| 2 | File:No image.svg | Thomas Sim Lee October 29, 1745 – November 9, 1819 (Aged 74) |
November 12, 1779 – November 22, 1782 |
Independent | 3 (1779) |
Governor's Executive Council (1777–1779) | ||||
| 4 (1780) | ||||||||||
| 5 (1781) | ||||||||||
| 3 | File:William paca.jpg | William Paca October 31, 1740 – October 13, 1799 (Aged 58) |
November 22, 1782 – November 26, 1785 |
Independent | 6 (1782) |
Maryland State Senator (1777–1779) | ||||
| 7 (1783) | ||||||||||
| 8 (1784) | ||||||||||
| 4 | File:General William Smallwood SC-000580.jpg | William Smallwood 1732 – February 14, 1792 (Aged 59–60) |
November 26, 1785 – November 24, 1788 |
Independent | 9 (1785) |
Major General Continental Army Maryland State Delegate | ||||
| 10 (1786) | ||||||||||
| 11 (1787) | ||||||||||
| 5 | File:Johneagerhoward.jpg | John Eager Howard June 4, 1752 – October 12, 1827 (Aged 75) |
November 24, 1788 – November 14, 1791 |
Federalist | 12 (1788) |
Colonel Continental Army Continental Congress | ||||
| 13 (1789) | ||||||||||
| 14 (1790) | ||||||||||
| 6 | File:George Plater portrait.jpg | George Plater November 8, 1735 – February 10, 1792 (Aged 56) |
November 14, 1791 – February 10, 1792 |
Federalist | 15 (1791) |
Maryland State Senator (1777–1790) | ||||
| File:Governor James Brice - Charles Willson Peale.jpg | James Brice August 26, 1746 – July 11, 1801 (Aged 55) |
February 10, 1792 – April 5, 1792[b] |
Federalist | Mayor of Annapolis
(1782–1783; 1787–1788) | ||||||
| 2 | File:No image.svg | Thomas Sim Lee October 29, 1745 – November 9, 1819 (Aged 74) |
April 5, 1792 – November 14, 1794 |
Federalist | 16 (1792) |
Governor of Maryland (1779–1782) Continental Congress | ||||
| 17 (1793) | ||||||||||
| 7 | File:Portrait of Governor John Hoskins Stone of Maryland by Rembrandt Peale.jpg | John Hoskins Stone 1750 – October 5, 1804 (Aged 53–54) |
November 14, 1794 – November 17, 1797 |
Federalist | 18 (1794) |
Maryland State Delegate (1790) | ||||
| 19 (1795) | ||||||||||
| 20 (1796) | ||||||||||
| 8 | John Henry November 1750 – December 16, 1798 (Aged 48) |
November 17, 1797 – November 14, 1798 |
Democratic-Republican | 21 (1797) |
U.S. Senator from Maryland (1789–1797) | |||||
| 9 | File:Benjamin Ogle I 1749-1809.jpg | Benjamin Ogle January 27, 1749 – July 7, 1809 (Aged 60) |
November 14, 1798 – November 10, 1801 |
Federalist | 22 (1798) |
None | ||||
| 23 (1799) | ||||||||||
| 24 (1800) | ||||||||||
| 10 | File:John Francis Mercer.jpg | John F. Mercer May 17, 1759 – July 30, 1821 (Aged 62) |
November 10, 1801 – November 13, 1803 |
Democratic-Republican | 25 (1801) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 2nd (1793–1794) | ||||
| 26 (1802) | ||||||||||
| 11 | File:Robert Bowie portrait.jpg | Robert Bowie March 1, 1750 – January 8, 1818 (Aged 67) |
November 15, 1803 – November 10, 1806 |
Democratic-Republican | 27 (1803) |
Maryland State Delegate (1801–1803) | ||||
| 28 (1804) | ||||||||||
| 29 (1805) | ||||||||||
| 12 | File:Robertwrightofmaryland.jpg | Robert Wright November 20, 1752 – September 7, 1826 (Aged 73) |
November 12, 1806 – June 9, 1809 |
Democratic-Republican | 30 (1806) |
U.S. Senator from Maryland (1801–1806) | ||||
| 31 (1807) | ||||||||||
| 32 (1808) | ||||||||||
| 13 | File:Edwardlloydofmaryland.jpg | Edward Lloyd V July 22, 1779 – June 2, 1834 (Aged 54) |
June 9, 1809 – November 16, 1811 |
Democratic-Republican | 33 (1809) |
Maryland State Delegate (1800–1805) | ||||
| 34 (1810) | ||||||||||
| 11 | File:Robert Bowie portrait.jpg | Robert Bowie March 1, 1750 – January 8, 1818 (Aged 67) |
November 16, 1811 – November 23, 1812 |
Democratic-Republican | 35 (1811) |
Governor of Maryland (1803–1806) | ||||
| 14 | File:Levin Winder, portrait by Florence Mackubin.jpg | Levin Winder September 4, 1757 – July 1, 1819 (Aged 61) |
November 25, 1812 – January 2, 1816 |
Federalist | 36 (1812) |
Maryland State Delegate (1806–1809) | ||||
| 37 (1813) | ||||||||||
| 38 (1814) | ||||||||||
| 15 | File:Thomas Sully, Charles Carnan Ridgely, 1820, NGA 32582.jpg | Charles Carnan Ridgely December 6, 1760 – July 17, 1829 (Aged 68) |
January 2, 1816 – January 8, 1819 |
Federalist | 39 (1816) |
Maryland State Senator (1796–1800) | ||||
| 40 (1817) | ||||||||||
| 41 (1818) | ||||||||||
| 16 | File:Charles Goldsborough, 1802 painting.jpg | Charles Goldsborough July 15, 1765 – December 13, 1834 (Aged 69) |
January 8, 1819 – December 20, 1819 |
Federalist | 42 (1819) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 8th (1805–1817) | ||||
| 17 | File:Samuel Sprigg.jpg | Samuel Sprigg 1783 – April 21, 1855 (Aged 71–72) |
December 20, 1819 – December 16, 1822 |
Democratic-Republican | 43 (1819) |
None | ||||
| 44 (1820) | ||||||||||
| 45 (1821) | ||||||||||
| 18 | File:Samuel Stevens, Jr. (Maryland Governor).jpg | Samuel Stevens Jr. July 13, 1778 – February 7, 1860 (Aged 81) |
December 16, 1822 – January 9, 1826 |
Democratic-Republican | 46 (1822) |
Maryland State Delegate (1819–1820) | ||||
| 47 (1823) | ||||||||||
| 48 (1824) | ||||||||||
| 19 | File:Joseph Kent of Maryland.jpg | Joseph Kent January 14, 1779 – November 24, 1837 (Aged 58) |
January 9, 1826 – January 15, 1829 |
Democratic-Republican | 49 (1826) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 2nd (1819–1826) | ||||
| 50 (1827) | ||||||||||
| 51 (1828) | ||||||||||
| 20 | File:No image.svg | Daniel Martin December 1780 – July 11, 1831 (Aged 50) |
January 15, 1829 – January 15, 1830 |
Anti-Jacksonian | 52 (1829) |
Maryland State Delegate (1819–1820) | ||||
| 21 | File:Thomas King Carroll (Maryland Governor).jpg | Thomas King Carroll April 29, 1793 – October 3, 1873 (Aged 80) |
January 15, 1830 – January 13, 1831 |
Jacksonian | 53 (1830) |
Maryland State Delegate (1816–1817) | ||||
| 20 | File:No image.svg | Daniel Martin December 1780 – July 11, 1831 (Aged 50) |
January 13, 1831 – July 11, 1831 |
Anti-Jacksonian | 54 (1831) |
Maryland State Delegate (1819–1820) | ||||
| 22 | File:George Howard (Maryland Governor).jpg | George Howard November 21, 1789 – August 2, 1846 (Aged 56) |
July 11, 1831 – January 17, 1833 |
Anti-Jacksonian | None | |||||
| 55 (1832) | ||||||||||
| 23 | File:James Thomas, Governor of Maryland.jpg | James Thomas March 11, 1785 – December 25, 1845 (Aged 60) |
January 17, 1833 – January 14, 1836 |
Whig | 56 (1833) |
Maryland State Senator (1826–1831) | ||||
| 57 (1834) | ||||||||||
| 58 (1835) | ||||||||||
| 24 | File:Thomas Veazey, 1836 painting.jpg | Thomas Veazey January 31, 1774 – July 1, 1842 (Aged 68) |
January 14, 1836 – January 7, 1839 |
Whig | 59 (1836) |
Maryland State Delegate (1811–1812) | ||||
| 60 (1837) | ||||||||||
| 61 (1838) | ||||||||||
| 25 | File:William Grason (Maryland Governor).jpg | William Grason March 11, 1788 – July 2, 1868 (Aged 80) |
January 7, 1839 – January 3, 1842 [c] |
Democratic | 62 (1838) |
Maryland State Delegate (1837) | ||||
| 26 | File:Francis Thomas of Maryland - photo portrait seated.jpg | Francis Thomas February 3, 1799 – January 22, 1876 (Aged 76) |
January 3, 1842 – January 6, 1845 |
Democratic | 63 (1841) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 6th (1835–1841) | ||||
| 27 | File:Thomas Pratt by Dieterich, 1904.jpg | Thomas Pratt February 18, 1804 – November 9, 1869 (Aged 65) |
January 6, 1845 – January 3, 1848 |
Whig | 64 (1844) |
Maryland State Delegate (1832–1835) | ||||
| 28 | File:Philip Francis Thomas, sitting.jpg | Philip F. Thomas September 12, 1810 – October 2, 1890 (Aged 80) |
January 3, 1848 – January 6, 1851 |
Democratic | 65 (1847) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 1st (1839–1841) | ||||
| 29 | File:Enoch Louis Lowe.jpg | Enoch Lowe August 10, 1820 – August 23, 1892 (Aged 72) |
January 6, 1851 – January 11, 1854 |
Democratic | 66 (1850) |
Maryland State Delegate (1845) | ||||
| 30 | File:Thomas ligon maryland.jpg | Thomas Watkins Ligon May 10, 1810 – January 12, 1881 (Aged 70) |
January 11, 1854 – January 13, 1858 |
Democratic | 67 (1853) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 3rd (1845–1849) | ||||
| 31 | File:Thomas H. Hicks, Md - NARA - 525674.jpg | Thomas H. Hicks September 2, 1798 – February 14, 1865 (Aged 66) |
January 13, 1858 – January 8, 1862 |
American / Union | 68 (1857) |
Maryland State Delegate (1830–1836) | ||||
| 32 | File:Augustus Williamson Bradford - photo portrait standing.jpg | Augustus Bradford January 9, 1806 – March 1, 1881 (Aged 75) |
January 8, 1862 – January 10, 1866 |
Union | 69 (1861) |
Baltimore County Clerk of Courts (1845–1851) | ||||
| 33 | File:Thomas Swann of Maryland, sitting.jpg | Thomas Swann March 3, 1809 – July 24, 1883 (Aged 74) |
January 10, 1866 – January 13, 1869 |
Union / Democratic | 70 (1864) |
Mayor of Baltimore (1856–1860) |
Christopher C. Cox[d] | |||
| 34 | File:Governor oden bowie of maryland.jpg | Oden Bowie November 10, 1826 – December 4, 1894 (Aged 68) |
January 13, 1869 – January 10, 1872 |
Democratic | 71 (1867) |
Maryland State Senator (1867–1869) |
None | |||
| 35 | File:Williampinkneywhite.jpg | William Pinkney Whyte August 9, 1824 – March 17, 1908 (Aged 83) |
January 10, 1872 – March 4, 1874 |
Democratic | 72 (1871) |
U.S. Senator from Maryland (1868–1869) | ||||
| 36 | File:James Black Groome, sitting.jpg | James Black Groome April 4, 1838 – October 5, 1893 (Aged 55) |
March 4, 1874 – January 12, 1876 |
Democratic | Maryland State Delegate (1872–1874) | |||||
| 37 | File:John Lee Carroll (Maryland Governor).jpg | John Lee Carroll September 30, 1830 – February 27, 1911 (Aged 80) |
January 12, 1876 – January 14, 1880 |
Democratic | 73 (1875) |
Maryland State Senator (1867–1876) | ||||
| 38 | File:Williamthamilton.jpg | William T. Hamilton September 8, 1820 – October 26, 1888 (Aged 68) |
January 14, 1880 – January 9, 1884 |
Democratic | 74 (1879) |
U.S. Senator from Maryland (1869–1875) | ||||
| 39 | File:Governor robert mclane of maryland.jpg | Robert Milligan McLane June 23, 1815 – April 16, 1898 (Aged 82) |
January 9, 1884 – March 27, 1885 |
Democratic | 75 (1883) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 4th (1879–1883) | ||||
| 40 | File:Henry Lloyd (Maryland Governor).jpg | Henry Lloyd February 21, 1852 – December 20, 1920 (Aged 68) |
March 27, 1885 – January 11, 1888 |
Democratic | Maryland State Senator (1882–1885) | |||||
| 41 | File:Governor elihu emory jackson of maryland.jpg | Elihu Emory Jackson November 3, 1837 – December 27, 1907 (Aged 70) |
January 11, 1888 – January 13, 1892 |
Democratic | 76 (1887) |
Maryland State Senator (1884–1886) | ||||
| 42 | File:Frank Brown, Maryland governor, portrait.jpg | Frank Brown August 8, 1846 – February 3, 1920 (Aged 73) |
January 13, 1892 – January 8, 1896 |
Democratic | 77 (1891) |
Maryland State Delegate (1876–1878) | ||||
| 43 | File:Governor lloyd lowndes of maryland.jpg | Lloyd Lowndes Jr. February 21, 1845 – January 8, 1905 (Aged 59) |
January 8, 1896 – January 10, 1900 (lost election) |
Republican | 78 (1895) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 6th (1873–1875) | ||||
| 44 | File:John Walter Smith, photo portrait head and shoulders.jpg | John W. Smith February 5, 1845 – April 19, 1925 (Aged 80) |
January 10, 1900 – January 13, 1904 |
Democratic | 79 (1899) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 1st (1899–1900) | ||||
| 45 | File:Edwin Warfield of Maryland, sitting.jpg | Edwin Warfield May 7, 1848 – March 31, 1920 (Aged 71) |
January 13, 1904 – January 8, 1908 |
Democratic | 80 (1903) |
Maryland State Senator (1881–1887) | ||||
| 46 | File:Austin Lane Crothers, photograph of head with top hat.jpg | Austin Lane Crothers May 17, 1860 – May 25, 1912 (Aged 52) |
January 8, 1908 – January 10, 1912 |
Democratic | 81 (1907) |
Maryland State Delegate (1897–1900) | ||||
| 47 | File:Governor phillips goldborough of maryland.jpg | Phillips Lee Goldsborough August 6, 1865 – October 22, 1946 (Aged 81) |
January 10, 1912 – January 12, 1916 |
Republican | 82 (1911) |
Comptroller of Maryland (1898–1900) | ||||
| 48 | File:Emerson Harrington, Bachrach photo portrait, 1919.jpg | Emerson Harrington March 26, 1864 – December 15, 1945 (Aged 81) |
January 12, 1916 – January 14, 1920 |
Democratic | 83 (1915) |
Comptroller of Maryland (1912–1916) | ||||
| 49 | File:Albert Ritchie cph.3b33171.jpg | Albert Ritchie August 29, 1876 – February 24, 1936 (Aged 59) |
January 14, 1920 – January 9, 1935 (lost election) |
Democratic | 84 (1919) |
Attorney General of Maryland (1915–1919) | ||||
| 85 (1923) | ||||||||||
| 86 (1926) | ||||||||||
| 87 (1930) | ||||||||||
| 50 | File:Harry W. Nice circa 1918 (cropped).jpg | Harry Nice December 5, 1877 – February 25, 1941 (Aged 63) |
January 9, 1935 – January 11, 1939 (lost election) |
Republican | 88 (1934) |
Baltimore City Alderman (1903–1905) | ||||
| 51 | File:Herbert O'Conor (MD).png | Herbert O'Conor November 17, 1896 – March 4, 1960 (Aged 63) |
January 11, 1939 – January 3, 1947 (term limited) |
Democratic | 89 (1938) |
Attorney General of Maryland (1935–1939) | ||||
| 90 (1942) | ||||||||||
| 52 | File:William Preston Lane.jpg | William Preston Lane Jr. May 12, 1892 – February 7, 1967 (Aged 74) |
January 3, 1947 – January 10, 1951 (lost election) |
Democratic | 91 (1946) |
Attorney General of Maryland (1930–1934) | ||||
| 53 | File:MarylandGovnr (cropped).jpg | Theodore Roosevelt McKeldin November 20, 1900 – August 10, 1974 (Aged 73) |
January 10, 1951 – January 14, 1959 (term limited) |
Republican | 92 (1950) |
Mayor of Baltimore (1943–1947) | ||||
| 93 (1954) | ||||||||||
| 54 | File:J Millard Tawes.jpg | John Millard Tawes April 8, 1894 – June 25, 1979 (Aged 85) |
January 14, 1959 – January 25, 1967 (term limited) |
Democratic | 94 (1958) |
Comptroller of Maryland (1950–1959) | ||||
| 95 (1962) | ||||||||||
| 55 | File:Spiro Agnew (MD).png | Spiro Agnew November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996 (Aged 77) |
January 25, 1967 – January 7, 1969 (resigned) [e] |
Republican | 96 (1966) |
Baltimore County Executive (1962–1966) | ||||
| 56 | File:Marvin Mandel (MD).png | Marvin Mandel April 19, 1920 – August 30, 2015 (Aged 95) |
January 7, 1969 – January 17, 1979 (term limited) |
Democratic | 97 (1969)[f] |
Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates (1964–1969) |
Blair Lee III | |||
| 98 (1970) | ||||||||||
| 99 (1974) | ||||||||||
| File:Blair Lee III (Maryland governor).jpg | Blair Lee III May 19, 1916 – October 25, 1985 (Aged 69) |
June 4, 1977 – January 15, 1979 (acting governor) [g] |
Democratic | Lieutenant Governor of Maryland (1971–1979) |
Blair Lee III
(Continued to serve as Lieutenant Governor while Acting Governor) | |||||
| 57 | File:Maryland Governor Harry Hughes speaking at Fort Belvoir, Feb 16, 1988.jpg | Harry Hughes November 13, 1926 – March 13, 2019 (Aged 92) |
January 17, 1979 – January 20, 1987 (term limited) |
Democratic | 100 (1978) |
Maryland State Senator (1959–1971) |
Samuel Bogley | |||
| 101 (1982) |
J. Joseph Curran Jr. | |||||||||
| 58 | File:William Donald Schaefer.jpg | William Donald Schaefer November 2, 1921 – April 18, 2011 (Aged 89) |
January 20, 1987 – January 18, 1995 (term limited) |
Democratic | 102 (1986) |
Mayor of Baltimore (1971–1987) |
Melvin Steinberg | |||
| 103 (1990) | ||||||||||
| 59 | File:Parris Glendening speaking, September 2006 (cropped).jpg | Parris Glendening June 11, 1942 (Age 83) |
January 18, 1995 – January 15, 2003 (term limited) |
Democratic | 104 (1994) |
Prince George's County Executive (1983–1994) |
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend | |||
| 105 (1998) | ||||||||||
| 60 | File:Robert ehrlich speaking at healthierUS summit cropped.jpg | Bob Ehrlich November 25, 1957 (Age 68) |
January 15, 2003 – January 17, 2007 (lost election) |
Republican | 106 (2002) |
U.S. Representative from Maryland's 2nd (1995–2003) |
Michael Steele | |||
| 61 | File:Governor O'Malley Portrait.jpg | Martin O'Malley January 18, 1963 (Age 63) |
January 17, 2007 – January 21, 2015 (term limited) |
Democratic | 107 (2006) |
Mayor of Baltimore (1999–2007) |
Anthony G. Brown | |||
| 108 (2010) | ||||||||||
| 62 | File:Larry Hogan 2020.jpg | Larry Hogan May 25, 1956 (Age 69) |
January 21, 2015 – Incumbent [h] |
Republican | 109 (2014) |
Maryland Secretary of Appointments (2003–2007) |
Boyd Rutherford | |||
| 110 (2018) | ||||||||||
As of March 2019[update], three former U.S. governors of Maryland are currently living, the oldest being Parris Glendening (served 1995–2003, born 1942). The most recent U.S. governor of Maryland to die was Harry Hughes (served 1979–1987, born 1926), on March 13, 2019.[16] The most recently serving governor to die was William Donald Schaefer (served 1987–1995, born 1921) on April 18, 2011.[17]
| Governor | Gubernatorial term | Date of birth (and age) |
|---|---|---|
| Parris N. Glendening | 1995–2003 | June 11, 1942 |
| Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. | 2003–2007 | November 25, 1957 |
| Martin O'Malley | 2007–2015 | January 18, 1963 |
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