The governor of Iowa is the head of government of the U.S. state of Iowa. The governor is the head of the executive branch of the state governmentIA Const. art. IV, § 1. and is charged with enforcing state laws.IA Const. art. IV, § 9. The officeholder has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Iowa General Assembly,IA Const. art III, § 16 to convene the legislature,IA Const. art. IV, § 11. as well as to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.IA Const., art. IV, § 16. The governor of Iowa is also the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.IA Const. art. IV, § 7. The governor has the ability to sign executive orders, these have ranged from topics including the establishment of councils, committees and task forces, and appropriation reductions to prevent a state budget deficit.

There have been 41 individuals who held the position of Iowa governor, with two of those serving multiple distinct terms, Samuel J. Kirkwood and Terry Branstad. The current governor, Kim Reynolds, is the first woman to hold the position and was sworn in on May 24, 2017. The longest-serving is Terry Branstad, who served from 1983 to 1999 and then again from 2011 to 2017. He is the longest-serving governor in U.S. history, surpassing the previous record of 21 years set by George Clinton of New York. The shortest-serving was Robert D. Fulton, who served 16 days.

List of governors Territory of Iowa

Iowa Territory was formed on July 4, 1838, from Wisconsin Territory. It had four governors appointed by the president of the United States, though the first resigned days after he was confirmed by the Senate and before ever reaching the territory.

+ Governors of the Territory of IowaGovernorTerm in officeAppointed by1Henry AtkinsonJune 13, 1838–July 7, 18382Robert LucasJuly 7, 1838–March 25, 18413John ChambersMarch 25, 1841–November 18, 18454James ClarkeNovember 8, 1845–December 3, 1846

State of Iowa

The southeast portion of Iowa Territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Iowa on December 28, 1846. The first Constitution of Iowa, adopted in 1846, created the office of governor with a four-year term,1846 Const. article V, § 2 with no specific start date. The 1857 constitution reduced this term to two years,IA Const. art. IV, § 2 but an amendment in 1972 increased this back to four years.IA Const. amendment 32 The 1857 constitution also set the start of the term to the second Monday in the January following the election,IA Const. art. IV, § 15 which was moved one day later by a 1988 amendment.IA Const. amendment 42

The office of lieutenant governor was created in the 1857 constitution, elected for the same term as the governor.IA Const. art. IV, § 3 An amendment in 1988 specified that the lieutenant governor would be elected on the same ticket as the governor.IA Const. amendment 41 If the office becomes vacant, it devolves upon the lieutenant governor for the remainder of the term or vacancy.IA Const. art. IV, § 17 Prior to 1857, if the office became vacant, the Secretary of State of Iowa would act as governor.1846 Const. art V, § 18 There is no term limit on the number of terms a governor may serve.

+ Governors of the State of IowaGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor1 Ansel BriggsDecember 3, 1846Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1846 sess., 33, accessed August 20, 2023–December 4, 1850Democratic1846Office did not exist2Stephen P. HempsteadDecember 4, 1850Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1850 sess., 35, accessed August 20, 2023–December 9, 1854Democratic18503James W. GrimesDecember 9, 1854Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1854 sess., 42, accessed August 20, 2023–January 14, 1858Whig18544Ralph P. LoweJanuary 14, 1858Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1858 sess., 47, accessed August 20, 2023–January 11, 1860Republican1857 5Samuel J. KirkwoodJanuary 11, 1860Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1860 sess., 51, accessed August 20, 2023–January 14, 1864Republican185918616William M. StoneJanuary 14, 1864Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1864 sess., 42, accessed August 20, 2023–January 16, 1868Republican186318657Samuel MerrillJanuary 16, 1868Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1868 sess., 46, accessed August 20, 2023–January 11, 1872Republican18671869Vacant8Cyrus C. CarpenterJanuary 11, 1872Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1872 sess., 54, accessed August 20, 2023–January 13, 1876Republican187118739Samuel J. KirkwoodJanuary 13, 1876Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1876 sess., 25, accessed August 20, 2023–February 1, 1877Republican187510Joshua G. NewboldFebruary 1, 1877–January 17, 1878RepublicanVacant11John H. GearJanuary 17, 1878Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1878 sess., 24, accessed August 20, 2023–January 12, 1882Republican1877187912Buren R. ShermanJanuary 12, 1882Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1882 sess., 20, accessed August 20, 2023–January 14, 1886Republican1881188313William LarrabeeJanuary 14, 1886Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1886 sess., 33, accessed August 20, 2023–February 27, 1890Republican1885188714Horace BoiesFebruary 27, 1890–January 11, 1894Democratic1889189115Frank D. JacksonJanuary 11, 1894Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1894 sess., 29, accessed August 20, 2023–January 16, 1896Republican189316Francis M. DrakeJanuary 16, 1896Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1896 sess., 33, accessed August 20, 2023–January 13, 1898Republican189517L. M. ShawJanuary 13, 1898Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1898 sess., 102, accessed August 20, 2023–January 16, 1902Republican1897189918Albert B. CumminsJanuary 16, 1902Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1902 sess., 53, accessed August 20, 2023–November 24, 1908Republican19011903190619Warren GarstNovember 24, 1908–January 14, 1909RepublicanVacant20Beryl F. CarrollJanuary 14, 1909Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1909 sess., 49, accessed August 20, 2023–January 16, 1913Republican1908191021George W. ClarkeJanuary 16, 1913–January 11, 1917Republican1912191422William L. HardingJanuary 11, 1917Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1917 sess., 117, accessed August 20, 2023–January 13, 1921Republican1916191823Nathan E. KendallJanuary 13, 1921–January 15, 1925Republican1920192224John HammillJanuary 15, 1925Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1925 sess., 71, accessed August 20, 2023–January 15, 1931Republican19241926Vacant192825Dan W. TurnerJanuary 15, 1931Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1931 sess., 93, accessed August 20, 2023–January 12, 1933Republican193026Clyde L. HerringJanuary 12, 1933–January 14, 1937Democratic1932193427Nelson G. KraschelJanuary 14, 1937–January 12, 1939Democratic193628George A. WilsonJanuary 12, 1939Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1939 sess., 55, accessed August 20, 2023–January 14, 1943Republican1938194029Bourke B. HickenlooperJanuary 14, 1943Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1943 sess., 48, accessed August 20, 2023–January 11, 1945Republican194230Robert D. BlueJanuary 11, 1945Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1945 sess., 49, accessed August 20, 2023–January 13, 1949 Republican1944194631William S. BeardsleyJanuary 13, 1949–November 21, 1954Republican19481950195232Leo ElthonNovember 21, 1954–January 13, 1955RepublicanVacant33Leo HoeghJanuary 13, 1955Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1955 sess., 52, accessed August 20, 2023–January 17, 1957Republican195434Herschel C. LovelessJanuary 17, 1957Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1957 sess., 57, accessed August 20, 2023–January 12, 1961Democratic1956195835Norman A. ErbeJanuary 12, 1961Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1961 sess., 48, accessed August 20, 2023–January 17, 1963Republican196036Harold HughesJanuary 17, 1963Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1963 sess., 46, accessed August 20, 2023–January 1, 1969Democratic19621964196637Robert D. FultonJanuary 1, 1969–January 16, 1969DemocraticVacant38Robert D. RayJanuary 16, 1969Iowa General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1969 sess., 62, accessed August 20, 2023–January 14, 1983Republican1968197019721974197839Terry BranstadJanuary 14, 1983–January 15, 1999Republican198219861990199440Tom VilsackJanuary 15, 1999–January 12, 2007Democratic1998200241Chet CulverJanuary 12, 2007–January 14, 2011Democratic200642Terry BranstadJanuary 14, 2011–May 24, 2017Republican2010201443Kim ReynoldsMay 24, 2017–IncumbentRepublicanVacant20182022Vacant

Timeline Timeline of Iowa governors

See also Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Iowa

Notes

References

General

Constitutions

Specific

External links Office of the Governor of Iowa