The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin and the commander-in-chief of the state's army and air forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, to convene the legislature,
Forty-four individuals have held the office of governor of Wisconsin since the state's admission to the Union in 1848, one of whom—Philip La Follette—served non-consecutive terms. Nelson Dewey, the first governor, took office on June 7, 1848. The longest-serving governor was Tommy Thompson, who took office on January 5, 1987, and resigned on February 1, 2001, a total of 14 years and 28 days. Arthur MacArthur Sr. had the shortest term: he was governor for a total of just 5 days—from March 21 to 25, 1856. On July 13, 1787, the Northwest Territory, including the area now called Wisconsin, was formed; Wisconsin remained part of the territory until 1800. The territorial governor during this period was Arthur St. Clair. As parts of the Northwest Territory were admitted to the Union as states, Wisconsin became part of first the Indiana Territory (1800–1809), then the Illinois Territory (1809–1818), and then the Michigan Territory (1818–1836); As the region no longer had an official governor, Territorial Secretary John Catlin acted as governor of the region.
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Governors of the Territory of Wisconsin
!scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|
!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"|Governor
!scope="col"|Term in office
!scope="col"|Appointing President
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|1
|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Dodge, Henry"|75px|alt=Portrait of a well-dressed nineteenth-century man
|rowspan="2"|Henry Dodge<br><br>
|rowspan="2"|<br />–<br />September 13, 1841<br>
|
|- style="height:2em;"
|
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|2
|data-sort-value="Doty, James"|75px|alt=Portrait of a well-dressed nineteenth-century man
|James Duane Doty<br><br>
|<br />–<br />June 15, 1844<br>
|
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|3
|data-sort-value="Tallmadge, Nathaniel"|75px|alt=Portrait of a well-dressed nineteenth-century man
|Nathaniel P. Tallmadge<br><br>
|<br />–<br />April 8, 1845<br>
|
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|4
|data-sort-value="Dodge, Henry"|75px|alt=Portrait of a well-dressed nineteenth-century man
|Henry Dodge<br><br>
|<br />–<br />June 23, 1848<br>
|
|}
State of Wisconsin
Wisconsin was admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848. Since then, it has had 45 governors, one of whom served non-consecutive terms. Governors of Wisconsin are not term limited.
Lucius Fairchild, Jeremiah McLain Rusk, Robert M. La Follette, Emanuel L. Philipp, John J. Blaine, Walter J. Kohler Jr., Warren P. Knowles and Tommy Thompson are one of eight Wisconsin governors to have served three terms. Thompson is the only person to have won four terms having been elected in 1986 and re-elected in 1990, 1994 and again in 1998 before resigning in February 2001.
The state constitution provides for the election of a lieutenant governor; originally, the governor and lieutenant governor were elected on different tickets, and thus were not necessarily of the same party. Since the 1967 amendment, however, the two have been nominated, and voted on, together. If any of these events occur while the office of lieutenant governor is vacant, the secretary of state becomes either governor or acting governor. Two Wisconsin governors have died while in office, one has died after being elected but before taking office, and four have resigned.
|rowspan="2"|<br />–<br />January 5, 1852<br>
|rowspan="2"|Democratic
|1848
|rowspan="3" style="background: ;"|
|
|- style="height:2em;"
|1849
|
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|2
|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Farwell, Leonard"|75px
|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="2"|Leonard J. Farwell<br><br>
|rowspan="2"|<br />–<br />January 2, 1854<br>
|rowspan="2"|Whig
|rowspan="2"|1851
|<br />
|- style="height:2em;"
|colspan="2" style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Vacant
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|3
|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Barstow, William"|75px
|rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="2"|William A. Barstow<br><br>
|rowspan="2"|<br />–<br />March 21, 1856<br>
|rowspan="2"|Democratic
|1853
|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|
|- style="height:2em;"
|rowspan="3"|1855
|rowspan="4" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|4
|data-sort-value="MacArthur, Arthur"|75px
|Arthur MacArthur Sr.<br><br>
|<br />–<br />March 25, 1856 <br>
|Democratic
|style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Acting as governor
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|5
|data-sort-value="Bashford, Coles"|75px
|rowspan="11" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|Coles Bashford<br><br>
|<br />–<br />January 4, 1858<br>
|Republican
|
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|6
|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Randall, Alexander"|75px
|rowspan="2"|Alexander Randall<br><br>
|rowspan="2"|<br />–<br />January 6, 1862<br>
|rowspan="2"|Republican
|1857
|
|- style="height:2em;"
|1859
|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|7
|data-sort-value="Harvey, Louis"|75px
|Louis P. Harvey<br><br>
|<br />–<br />April 19, 1862<br>
|Republican
|1861
|
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|8
|data-sort-value="Salomon, Edward"|75px
|Edward Salomon<br><br>
|<br />–<br />January 4, 1864<br>
|Republican
|style="background:#EEEEEE"|
|colspan="2" style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Vacant
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|9
|data-sort-value="Lewis, James"|75px
|James T. Lewis<br><br>
|<br />–<br />January 1, 1866<br>
|Republican
|1863
|rowspan="5" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="3"|
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="3" scope="rowgroup"|10
|rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Fairchild, Lucius"|75px
|rowspan="3"|Lucius Fairchild<br><br>
|rowspan="3"|<br />–<br />January 1, 1872<br>
|rowspan="3"|Republican
|1865
|- style="height:2em;"
|1867
|- style="height:2em;"
|1869
|
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|11
|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Washburn, Cadwallader"|75px
|rowspan="2"|Cadwallader C. Washburn<br><br>
|rowspan="2"|<br />–<br />January 5, 1874<br>
|rowspan="2"|Republican
|rowspan="2"|1871
|<br />
|- style="height:2em;"
|colspan="2" style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Vacant
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|12
|data-sort-value="Taylor, William"|75px
|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|William Robert Taylor<br><br>
|<br />–<br />January 3, 1876<br>
|Reform
|1873
|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="2"|
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|13
|data-sort-value="Ludington, Harrison"|75px
|rowspan="7" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|Harrison Ludington<br><br>
|<br />–<br />January 7, 1878<br>
|Republican
|1875
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|14
|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Smith, William"|75px
|rowspan="2"|William E. Smith<br><br>
|rowspan="2"|<br />–<br />January 2, 1882<br>
|rowspan="2"|Republican
|1877
|rowspan="6" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="2"|
|- style="height:2em;"
|1879
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="3" scope="rowgroup"|15
|rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Rusk, Jeremiah"|75px
|rowspan="3"|Jeremiah McLain Rusk<br><br>
|rowspan="3"|<br />–<br />January 7, 1889<br>
|rowspan="3"|Republican
|1881
|rowspan="2"|
|- style="height:2em;"
|1884
|- style="height:2em;"
|1886
|rowspan="2"|
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|16
|data-sort-value="Hoard, William"|75px
|William D. Hoard<br><br>
|<br />–<br />January 5, 1891<br>
|Republican
|1888
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="3" scope="rowgroup"|17
|rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Peck, George"|75px
|rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="3"|George Wilbur Peck<br><br>
|rowspan="3"|<br />–<br />January 7, 1895<br>
|rowspan="3"|Democratic
|1890
|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="2"|<br>
|- style="height:2em;"
|rowspan="2"|1892
|- style="height:2em;"
|colspan="2" style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Vacant
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|18
|data-sort-value="Upham, William"|75px
|rowspan="21" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|William H. Upham<br><br>
|<br />–<br />January 4, 1897<br>
|Republican
|1894
|rowspan="4" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="2"|
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|19
|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Scofield, Edward"|75px
|rowspan="2"|Edward Scofield<br><br>
|rowspan="2"|<br />–<br />January 7, 1901<br>
|rowspan="2"|Republican
|1896
|- style="height:2em;"
|1898
|rowspan="2"|<br />
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="4" scope="rowgroup"|20
|rowspan="4" data-sort-value="La Follette, Robert"|75px
|rowspan="4"|Robert M. La Follette<br><br>
|rowspan="4"|<br />–<br />January 1, 1906<br>
|rowspan="4"|Republican
|rowspan="2"|1900
|- style="height:2em;"
|colspan="2" style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Vacant
|- style="height:2em;"
|1902
|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="2"|
|- style="height:2em;"
|1904
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="3" scope="rowgroup"|21
|rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Davidson, James"|75px
|rowspan="3"|James O. Davidson<br><br>
|rowspan="3"|<br />–<br />January 2, 1911<br>
|rowspan="3"|Republican
|style="background:#EEEEEE"|
|colspan="2" style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Vacant
|- style="height:2em;"
|1906
|rowspan="13" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|
|- style="height:2em;"
|1908
|
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|22
|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="McGovern, Francis"|75px
|rowspan="2"|Francis E. McGovern<br><br>
|rowspan="2"|<br />–<br />January 4, 1915<br>
|rowspan="2"|Republican
|1910
|rowspan="2"|
|- style="height:2em;"
|1912
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="3" scope="rowgroup"|23
|rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Philipp, Emanuel"|75px
|rowspan="3"|Emanuel L. Philipp<br><br>
|rowspan="3"|<br />–<br />January 3, 1921<br>
|rowspan="3"|Republican
|1914
|rowspan="3"|
|- style="height:2em;"
|1916
|- style="height:2em;"
|1918
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="3" scope="rowgroup"|24
|rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Blaine, John"|75px
|rowspan="3"|John J. Blaine<br><br>
|rowspan="3"|<br />–<br />January 3, 1927<br>
|rowspan="3"|Republican
|1920
|rowspan="2"|
|- style="height:2em;"
|1922
|- style="height:2em;"
|1924
|rowspan="4"|
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|25
|data-sort-value="Zimmerman, Fred"|75px
|Fred R. Zimmerman<br><br>
|<br />–<br />January 7, 1929<br>
|Republican
|1926
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|26
|data-sort-value="Kohler, Walter 1"|75px
|Walter J. Kohler Sr.<br><br>
|<br />–<br />January 5, 1931<br>
|Republican
|1928
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|27
|data-sort-value="La Follette, Philip"|75px
|Philip La Follette<br><br>
|<br />–<br />January 2, 1933<br>
|Republican
|1930
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|28
|data-sort-value="Schmedeman, Albert"|75px
|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|Albert G. Schmedeman<br><br>
|<br />–<br />January 7, 1935<br>
|Democratic
|1932
|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="2"|<br />
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="5" scope="rowgroup"|29
|rowspan="5" data-sort-value="La Follette, Philip"|75px
|rowspan="5" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="5"|Philip La Follette<br><br><br />–<br />January 2, 1939<br>
|rowspan="5"|Progressive
|rowspan="2"|1934
|- style="height:2em;"
|colspan="2" style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Vacant
|- style="height:2em;"
|rowspan="3"|1936
|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|<br>
|- style="height:2em;"
|colspan="2" style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Vacant
|- style="height:2em;"
|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|<br>
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|30
|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Heil, Julius"|75px
|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="2"|Julius P. Heil<br><br>
|rowspan="2"|<br />–<br />January 4, 1943<br>
|rowspan="2"|Republican
|1938
|rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="3"|
|- style="height:2em;"
|1940
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|—
|data-sort-value="Loomis, Orland"|75px
|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|Orland Steen Loomis<br><br>
|Died before<br />taking office
|Progressive
|1942
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="3" scope="rowgroup"|31
|rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Goodland, Walter"|75px
|rowspan="9" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="3"|Walter Samuel Goodland<br><br>
|rowspan="3"|<br />–<br />March 12, 1947<br>
|rowspan="3"|Republican
|style="background:#EEEEEE"|
|colspan="2" style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Vacant
|- style="height:2em;"
|1944
|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="2"|
|- style="height:2em;"
|1946
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|32
|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Rennebohm, Oscar"|75px
|rowspan="2"|Oscar Rennebohm<br><br>
|rowspan="2"|<br />–<br />January 1, 1951<br>
|rowspan="2"|Republican
|style="background:#EEEEEE"|
|colspan="2" style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Vacant
|- style="height:2em;"
|1948
|rowspan="5" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="3"|
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="3" scope="rowgroup"|33
|rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Kohler, Walter 2"|
|rowspan="3"|Walter J. Kohler Jr.<br><br>
|rowspan="3"|<br />–<br />January 7, 1957<br>
|rowspan="3"|Republican
|1950
|- style="height:2em;"
|1952
|- style="height:2em;"
|1954
|rowspan="2"|
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|34
|data-sort-value="Thomson, Vernon"|75px
|Vernon Wallace Thomson<br><br>
|<br />–<br />January 5, 1959<br>
|Republican
|1956
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|35
|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Nelson, Gaylord"|75px
|rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="2"|Gaylord Nelson<br><br>
|rowspan="2"|<br />–<br />January 7, 1963<br>
|rowspan="2"|Democratic
|1958
|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|
|- style="height:2em;"
|1960
|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|36
|data-sort-value="Reynolds, John"|75px
|John W. Reynolds Jr.<br><br>
|<br />–<br />January 4, 1965<br>
|Democratic
|1962
|
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="3" scope="rowgroup"|37
|rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Knowles, Warren"|75px
|rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="3"|Warren P. Knowles<br><br>
|rowspan="3"|<br />–<br />January 4, 1971<br>
|rowspan="3"|Republican
|1964
|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|
|- style="height:2em;"
|1966
|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="2"|
|- style="height:2em;"
|1968
|- style="height:2em;"
!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|38
|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Lucey, Patrick"|75px
|rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="2"|Patrick Lucey<br><br>
|rowspan="2"|<br />–<br />July 6, 1977<br>
|rowspan="2"|Democratic
|1970
|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|
|rowspan="2"|
|- style="height:2em;"
|1974
|- style="height:2em;"
!scope="row"|39
|data-sort-value="Schreiber, Martin"|75px
|Martin J. Schreiber<br><br>
|<br />–<br />January 3, 1979<br>
|Democratic
|<br />–<br />January 3, 1983<br>
|Republican
|<br />–<br />January 5, 1987<br>
|Democratic
|rowspan="4"|<br />–<br />February 1, 2001<br>