List of governors of North Dakota
Flag of the governor
The governor of North Dakota is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Dakota . The governor is the head of the executive branch of North Dakota's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws.
There have been 32 governors since North Dakota became a state, serving 33 distinct terms, with William Langer having been elected to multiple terms. The current officeholder is Republican Doug Burgum .
Governors
Dakota Territory was organized on March 2, 1861;[ 1] on November 2, 1889, it was split into the states of North Dakota and South Dakota .[ 2]
The Constitution of North Dakota originally provided for the election of a governor and lieutenant governor every two years, which was changed to four years in 1964.[ 3] A limit of two terms was added in 2023.[ 4] The governor and lieutenant governor are elected together on a ticket ,[ 5] and should the office of governor become vacant, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.[ 6] The term of office begins on the December 15 following the election.[ 7]
Governors of the State of North Dakota
No.
Governor
Term in office
Party
Election
Lt. Governor [ a]
1
John Miller (1843–1908) [ 9]
November 20, 1889 [ 10] – January 7, 1891(did not run)
Republican
1889
Alfred Dickey
2
Andrew H. Burke (1850–1918) [ 13]
January 7, 1891 [ 14] – January 4, 1893(lost election)
Republican
1890
Roger Allin
3
Eli C. D. Shortridge (1830–1908) [ 16]
January 4, 1893 [ b] – January 9, 1895(did not run)
Populist
1892
Elmer D. Wallace [ c]
4
Roger Allin (1848–1936) [ 21]
January 9, 1895 [ 22] – January 7, 1897(lost nomination) [ 23]
Republican
1894
John H. Worst
5
Frank A. Briggs (1858–1898) [ 25]
January 7, 1897 [ d] – August 9, 1898(died in office)
Republican
1896
Joseph M. Devine
6
Joseph M. Devine (1861–1938) [ 29]
August 9, 1898 [ 30] – January 3, 1899(did not run)
Republican
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
Vacant
7
Frederick B. Fancher (1852–1944) [ 32]
January 3, 1899 [ 33] – January 7, 1901(withdrew) [ e]
Republican
1898
Joseph M. Devine
8
Frank White (1856–1940) [ 36]
January 7, 1901 [ 37] – January 4, 1905(did not run)
Republican
1900
David Bartlett
1902
9
Elmore Y. Sarles (1859–1929) [ 39]
January 4, 1905 [ 40] – January 9, 1907(lost election)
Republican
1904
10
John Burke (1859–1937) [ 42]
January 9, 1907 [ 43] – January 8, 1913(did not run)
Democratic
1906
Robert S. Lewis
1908
1910
Usher L. Burdick
11
L. B. Hanna (1861–1948) [ 45]
January 8, 1913 [ 46] – January 3, 1917(did not run)
Republican
1912
Anton Kraabel
1914
John H. Fraine
12
Lynn Frazier (1874–1947) [ 48]
January 3, 1917 [ 49] – November 23, 1921(recalled) [ f]
Republican /Nonpartisan League
1916
Anton Kraabel
1918
Howard R. Wood
1920
13
Ragnvald Nestos (1877–1942) [ 51]
November 23, 1921 [ 52] – January 7, 1925(lost nomination)
Republican /Independent Voters
1921 (recall) [ f]
1922
Frank H. Hyland
14
Arthur G. Sorlie (1874–1928) [ 54]
January 7, 1925 [ 55] – August 28, 1928(died in office)
Republican /Nonpartisan League
1924
Walter Maddock
1926
15
Walter Maddock (1880–1951) [ 57]
August 28, 1928 [ 58] – January 9, 1929(lost election)
Republican /Nonpartisan League
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
Vacant
16
George F. Shafer (1888–1948) [ 60]
January 9, 1929 [ 61] – January 4, 1933(did not run) [ g]
Republican /Independent Voters
1928
John W. Carr
1930
17
William Langer (1886–1959) [ 63]
January 4, 1933 [ h] – July 19, 1934(removed) [ i]
Republican /Nonpartisan League
1932
Ole H. Olson
18
Ole H. Olson (1872–1954) [ 69]
July 19, 1934 [ i] – January 7, 1935(did not run)
Republican /Nonpartisan League
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
Vacant
19
Thomas H. Moodie (1878–1948) [ 71]
January 7, 1935 [ 72] – February 2, 1935(removed) [ j]
Democratic
1934
Walter Welford
20
Walter Welford (1868–1952) [ 74]
February 2, 1935 [ 75] – January 6, 1937(lost election)
Republican /Nonpartisan League
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
Vacant
21
William Langer (1886–1959) [ 63]
January 6, 1937 [ 76] – January 2, 1939(did not run) [ k]
Independent
1936
Thorstein H. H. Thoresen
22
John Moses (1885–1945) [ 78]
January 2, 1939 [ 79] – January 2, 1945(did not run) [ l]
Democratic
1938
Jack A. Patterson
1940
Oscar W. Hagen
1942
Henry Holt
23
Fred G. Aandahl (1897–1966) [ 81]
January 2, 1945 [ 82] – January 3, 1951(did not run) [ m]
Republican
1944
Clarence P. Dahl
1946
1948
24
Norman Brunsdale (1891–1978) [ 84]
January 3, 1951 [ 85] – January 7, 1957(did not run)
Republican
1950
Ray Schnell
1952
Clarence P. Dahl
1954
25
John E. Davis (1913–1990) [ 87]
January 7, 1957 [ 88] – January 3, 1961(did not run) [ n]
Republican
1956
Francis Clyde Duffy
1958
Clarence P. Dahl
26
William L. Guy (1919–2013) [ 90]
January 3, 1961 [ 91] – January 2, 1973(did not run)
Democratic– Nonpartisan League
1960
Orville W. Hagen
1962
Frank A. Wenstrom
1964
Charles Tighe
1968
Richard F. Larsen
27
Arthur A. Link (1914–2010) [ 93]
January 2, 1973 [ 94] – January 6, 1981(lost election)
Democratic– Nonpartisan League
1972
Wayne Sanstead
1976
28
Allen I. Olson (b. 1938) [ 95]
January 6, 1981 [ 96] – December 31, 1984(lost election)
Republican [ 95]
1980
Ernest Sands
29
George A. Sinner (1928–2018) [ 97]
January 1, 1985 [ o] – December 15, 1992(did not run)
Democratic– Nonpartisan League [ 97]
1984
Ruth Meiers
1988
Lloyd Omdahl
30
Ed Schafer (b. 1946) [ 100]
December 15, 1992 [ 101] – December 15, 2000(did not run)
Republican [ 100]
1992
Rosemarie Myrdal
1996
31
John Hoeven (b. 1957) [ 102]
December 15, 2000 [ 103] – December 7, 2010(resigned) [ p]
Republican [ 102]
2000
Jack Dalrymple
2004
2008
32
Jack Dalrymple (b. 1948) [ 104]
December 7, 2010 [ 105] – December 15, 2016(did not run)
Republican [ 104]
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
Drew Wrigley
2012
33
Doug Burgum (b. 1956) [ 106]
December 15, 2016 [ 107] – Incumbent[ q]
Republican [ 106]
2016
Brent Sanford
2020
Tammy Miller
34
Kelly Armstrong (b. 1976)
Governor-elect takes officeDecember 15, 2024
Republican
2024
Michelle Strinden
See also
Notes
^ Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
^ Sources disagree on when Shortridge took office; Sobel says January 2, the State Historical Society says January 3,[ 17] one contemporary news source says Shortridge qualified on January 3,[ 18] and Shortridge delivered his inaugural address (dated January 3) to the legislature on January 4.[ 19]
^ Represented the Democratic-Independent Party
^ Sources disagree on when Briggs took office; Sobel says January 8, the State Historical Society says January 6,[ 26] and a contemporary news source says he was sworn in on January 7,[ 27] which notes that inaugural proceedings were delayed by the death of Briggs' daughter.
^ Fancher was nominated by the Republican Party, but withdrew from the election due to health concerns.[ 34]
^ a b Frazier was recalled and Nestos elected to replace him in a special election.
^ Shafer instead ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination to the United States Senate .
^ Sources disagree on when Langer took office; the State Historical Society says December 31, 1932,[ 64] but contemporary news indicates it was on January 4, 1933, the matter being complicated because Langer was ill and unable to attend..[ 65]
^ a b Langer was removed from office following his conviction of felony conspiracy to defraud the federal government; he was later cleared. He was convicted on June 17 and Lieutenant Governor Ole H. Olson immediately moved to take over, receiving the oath of office.[ 66] The Supreme Court ruled Langer was ineligible on July 17, and Olson formally took office on July 19.[ 67]
^ The Supreme Court ruled that Moodie did not meet residency requirements to run for governor, and so removed him.
^ Langer instead ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate .
^ Moses was instead elected to the United States Senate .
^ Aandahl was instead elected to the United States House of Representatives .
^ Davis instead ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate .
^ Sinner took the oath of office on December 31, so that he would become governor at midnight on January 1; Olson claimed that his term did not end until January 5, and refused to leave office. The Supreme Court ruled on January 4 that Sinner was governor, and had been since January 1.[ 98] [ 99]
^ Hoeven resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate .
^ Burgum's second term began December 15, 2020, and will expire on December 15, 2024.
References
General
"Former North Dakota Governors" . National Governors Association. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
Sobel, Robert (1978). Biographical directory of the governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. III . Meckler Books. ISBN 9780930466008 . Retrieved May 9, 2023 .
Kallenbach, Joseph Ernest (1977). American State Governors, 1776-1976 . Oceana Publications. ISBN 978-0-379-00665-0 . Retrieved September 23, 2023 .
Dubin, Michael J. (2014). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1861-1911: The Official Results by State and County . McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-5646-8 .
Glashan, Roy R. (1979). American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978 . Meckler Books. ISBN 978-0-930466-17-6 .
"Our Campaigns - Governor of North Dakota - History" . www.ourcampaigns.com . Retrieved July 25, 2023 .
Specific
^ 12 Stat. 239
^ 25 Stat. 676
^ "North Dakota State and County Official Term Lengths, Initiative 5 (1964)" . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "North Dakota Constitutional Measure 1, Term Limits for Governor and State Legislators Initiative (2022)" . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ ND Const. art. V, § 3
^ ND Const. art. V, § 11
^ ND Const. art. V, § 5
^ "John Miller" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "The Legislature" . Bismarck Weekly Tribune . November 22, 1889. p. 8. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Andrew Horace Burke" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ North Dakota Legislative Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives . 1891 sess., 34 , accessed May 30, 2023
^ "Eli C. D. Shortridge" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Eli C. D. Shortridge" . North Dakota Governors Online . State Historical Society of North Dakota. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "North Dakota Legislature Gets in Motion" . Chicago Tribune . January 4, 1893. p. 2. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ North Dakota Legislative Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives . 1893 sess., 33 , accessed May 30, 2023
^ "Roger Allin" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ North Dakota Legislative Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives . 1895 sess., 35 , accessed May 30, 2023
^ "Briggs the Man" . The Washburn Leader . July 25, 1896. p. 4. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Frank Arlington Briggs" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Frank A. Briggs" . North Dakota Governors Online . State Historical Society of North Dakota. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "The Legislature" . Courier Democrat . January 14, 1897. p. 2. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Joseph McMurray Devine" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Briggs Is Dead!" . The Hope Pioneer . August 11, 1898. p. 1. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Frederick Bartlett Fancher" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "North Dakota Officers Inaugurated" . The Bottineau Courant . January 7, 1899. p. 1. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Fancher Resigns" . Jamestown Weekly Alert . September 27, 1900. p. 1. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Frank White" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "The New Officers" . The Bismarck Tribune . January 7, 1901. p. 1. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Elmore Yocum Sarles" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "New Administration Is Nicely Launched" . The Bismarck Tribune . January 5, 1905. p. 1. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "John Burke" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Now Gov. Burke" . The Bismarck Tribune . January 10, 1907. p. 5. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Louis Benjamin Hanna" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "A Republican Administration" . The Bismarck Tribune . January 9, 1913. p. 4. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Lynn Joseph Frazier" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Intense Enthusiasm Marks New Regime at State Capitol" . The Bismarck Tribune . January 3, 1917. p. 1. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Ragnvold Anderson Nestos" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "New Governor Kindles Pride in State, Pledges Economy. Asks Strife Be Forgotten" . The Bismarck Tribune . November 23, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Arthur Gustav Sorlie" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Sorlie, Nestos Both Speak; New Governor Inaugurated Before Joint Session Today" . The Bismarck Tribune . January 7, 1925. p. 1. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Walter Maddock" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Governor Sorlie Dead from Fight with Heart Disease" . The Bismarck Tribune . August 28, 1928. p. 1. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "George Frederick Shafer" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Governor Shafer Takes Post" . The Bismarck Tribune . January 9, 1929. p. 1. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ a b "William Langer" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "William Langer" . North Dakota Governors Online . State Historical Society of North Dakota. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "New Officers Take Hold and Name Deputies" . Morning Pioneer . Associated Press. January 4, 1933. p. 1. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "New Rockford Man Moves to Assume Duties of Office" . The Bismarck Tribune . June 18, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Acting Governor Takes Control of Executive Office" . The Bismarck Tribune . July 19, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Ole H. Olson" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Thomas Hilliard Moodie" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Moodie Becomes N.D. Governor" . The Bismarck Tribune . January 7, 1935. p. 1. Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
^ "Walter Welford" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Supreme Court Holds Moodie Disqualified by Constitution" . The Bismarck Tribune . February 2, 1935. p. 9. Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
^ "Grand March Climaxes Inaugural" . The Bismarck Tribune . January 7, 1937. p. 1. Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
^ "John Moses" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Langer Ends His Regime" . Reno Gazette-Journal . Associated Press. January 2, 1939. p. 2. Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
^ "Fred George Aandahl" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Aandahl, Other New State Officers Begin Duties" . The Bismarck Tribune . January 2, 1945. p. 1. Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
^ "C. Norman Brunsdale" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Family, Friends of New Governor Attend Inaugural" . The Bismarck Tribune . January 3, 1951. p. 1. Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
^ "John Edward Davis" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "John Davis Is Sworn In at Capitol" . The Bismarck Tribune . January 9, 1957. p. 1. Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
^ "William Lewis Guy" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Guy Urges Austerity for N.D." The Bismarck Tribune . Associated Press. January 4, 1961. p. 1. Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
^ "Arthur Albert Link" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ "Link Takes Oath As State Head" . The Bismarck Tribune . Associated Press. January 3, 1973. p. 24. Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
^ a b "Allen Ingvar Olson" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ Baenen, Jeff (January 7, 1981). "Olson Begins Term" . The Bismarck Tribune . Associated Press. p. 3. Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
^ a b "George Albert Sinner" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ Sellnow, Greg (January 5, 1985). "Supreme Court Tells Olson to Pack It In" . The Bismarck Tribune . p. 1A. Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
^ Sellnow, Greg (January 5, 1985). "Justices Unanimously Support Sinner" . The Bismarck Tribune . p. 1A. Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
^ a b "Edward Thomas Schafer" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ Donatelle, Kristine (December 16, 1992). "Governor Fills Key Posts" . The Bismarck Tribune . p. 1A. Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
^ a b "John Hoeven" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ Wetzel, Dale (December 16, 2000). "Hoeven's First Day Full of Decisions" . The Bismarck Tribune . Associated Press. p. 1A. Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
^ a b "Jack Dalrymple" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ Beitsch, Rebecca (December 8, 2010). "It's Official, Governor" . The Bismarck Tribune . p. 1A. Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
^ a b "Doug Burgum" . National Governors Association . Retrieved May 30, 2023 .
^ Holgate, Julie (December 15, 2016). "Doug Burgum Takes Office As Nd Governor Today" . Valley News Live . Retrieved May 31, 2023 .
External links