List of governors of Washington

The governor of Washington is the head of government of Washington and commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The officeholder has a duty to enforce state laws, the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Washington Legislature and line-item veto power to cancel specific provisions in spending bills. The Washington governor may also convene the legislature on "extraordinary occasions". The current governor is Democrat Bob Ferguson, who took office on January 15, 2025.

List of governors

Territory of Washington

Washington Territory was organized on March 2, 1853, from the northern half of Oregon Territory.

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+ Governors of the Territory of Washington

!scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"|Governor

!scope="col"|Term in office

!scope="col"|Appointing president

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|1

|data-sort-value="Stevens, Isaac"|75px

|Isaac Stevens

| – August 11, 1857

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|2

|data-sort-value="McMullen, Fayette"|75px

|Fayette McMullen

| – March 5, 1859 – February 14, 1861

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|—

|data-sort-value="Wallace, William"|75px

|William H. Wallace

| – July 8, 1861

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|4

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Pickering, William"|75px

|rowspan="2"|William Pickering

|rowspan="2"| – November 21, 1866

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|5

|data-sort-value="Cole, George"|75px

|George Edward Cole

| – March 4, 1867 – April 5, 1869 – March 14, 1870

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|8

|data-sort-value="Salomon, Edward"|75px

|Edward S. Salomon

| – April 26, 1872

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|9

|data-sort-value="Ferry, Elisha"|75px

|Elisha P. Ferry

| – April 26, 1880

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|10

|data-sort-value="Newell, William"|75px

|William A. Newell

| – July 2, 1884

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|11

|data-sort-value="Squire, Watson"|75px

|Watson C. Squire

| – April 9, 1887

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|12

|data-sort-value="Semple, Eugene"|75px

|Eugene Semple

| – March 23, 1889

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|13

|data-sort-value="Moore, Miles"|75px

|Miles Conway Moore

| – November 18, 1889

State of Washington

Washington was admitted to the Union on November 11, 1889. The term for governor is four years, If the office of governor is vacant or the governor is unable to discharge their duties, the lieutenant governor assumes the duties of governor, though still officially retains the office of lieutenant governor. If both the offices of governor and lieutenant governor are unable to fulfill their duties, the secretary of state is next in line, and then the treasurer. There is no limit to the number of terms a governor may serve. The office of lieutenant governor is not elected on the same ticket as the governor.

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible sticky-header-multi" style="text-align:center;"

|+ Governors of the State of Washington

!scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|

!scope="colgroup" colspan="3"|Governor

!scope="col"|Term in office

!scope="col"|Party

!scope="col"|Election

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"|Lt. Governor

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|1

|data-sort-value="Ferry, Elisha"|75px

|rowspan="2" style="background: ;"| 

|Elisha P. Ferry

| – January 11, 1893

|Republican

|1889

|rowspan="2"style="background: ;"| 

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|2

|data-sort-value="McGraw, John"|75px

|John McGraw

| – January 13, 1897

|Republican

|1892

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|3

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Rogers, John"|75px

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|John Rankin Rogers

|rowspan="2"| – December 26, 1901

|Populist

|1896

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|- style="height:2em;"

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|Democratic

|1900

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|4

|data-sort-value="McBride, Henry"|75px

|rowspan="4" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|Henry McBride

| – January 11, 1905

|Republican

|style="background:#EEEEEE;"|

|colspan="2" style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Vacant

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|5

|data-sort-value="Mead, Albert"|75px

|Albert E. Mead

| – January 27, 1909

|Republican

|1904

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|6

|data-sort-value="Cosgrove, Samuel"|75px

|Samuel G. Cosgrove

| – March 28, 1909

|Republican

|1908

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|7

|data-sort-value="Hay, Marion"|75px

|Marion E. Hay

| – January 15, 1913

|Republican

|style="background:#EEEEEE;"|

|colspan="2" style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Vacant

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|8

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Lister, Ernest"|75px

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|Ernest Lister

|rowspan="2"| – June 14, 1919

|rowspan="2"|Democratic

|1912

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|

|- style="height:2em;"

|1916

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|9

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Hart, Louis"|75px

|rowspan="4" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|Louis F. Hart

|rowspan="2"| – January 14, 1925

|rowspan="2"|Republican

|style="background:#EEEEEE;"|

|colspan="2" style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Vacant

|- style="height:2em;"

|1920

|rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|10

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Hartley, Roland"|75px

|rowspan="2"|Roland H. Hartley

|rowspan="2"| – January 11, 1933

|rowspan="2"|Republican

|1924

|- style="height:2em;"

|1928

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|11

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Martin, Clarence"|75px

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|Clarence D. Martin

|rowspan="2"| – January 15, 1941

|rowspan="2"|Democratic

|1932

|rowspan="5" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="5"|

|- style="height:2em;"

|1936

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|12

|data-sort-value="Langlie, Arthur"|75px

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|Arthur B. Langlie

| – January 10, 1945

|Republican

|1940

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|13

|data-sort-value="Wallgren, Monrad"|75px

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|Monrad Wallgren

| – January 12, 1949

|Democratic

|1944

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|14

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Langlie, Arthur"|75px

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|Arthur B. Langlie – January 16, 1957

|rowspan="2"|Republican

|1948

|- style="height:2em;"

|1952

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|15

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Rosellini, Albert"|75px

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|Albert Rosellini

|rowspan="2"| – January 13, 1965

|rowspan="2"|Democratic

|1956

|rowspan="8" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="8"|

|- style="height:2em;"

|1960

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="3" scope="rowgroup"|16

|rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Evans, Daniel"|75px

|rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="3"|Daniel J. Evans

|rowspan="3"| – January 12, 1977

|rowspan="3"|Republican

|1964

|- style="height:2em;"

|1968

|- style="height:2em;"

|1972

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|17

|data-sort-value="Ray, Dixy"|75px

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|Dixy Lee Ray

| – January 14, 1981

|Democratic

| – January 16, 1985

|Republican

|rowspan="2"| –

|rowspan="2"|Democratic

| –

|Democratic

|rowspan="2"| –

|rowspan="2"|Democratic

|rowspan="2"| –

|rowspan="2"|Democratic

|rowspan="3"| –

|rowspan="3"|Democratic

| – Incumbent

|Democratic