List of governors of Vermont

The governor of Vermont is the head of government of the U.S. state of Vermont. Since 1994, Vermont is one of only two U.S. states (New Hampshire being the other) that elects governors for two-year terms. Until 1870, Vermont elected its governors for one-year terms. Isaac Tichenor, Jonas Galusha, Erastus Fairbanks, and Richard A. Snelling each served non-consecutive terms, while Thomas Chittenden served non consecutive terms as Governor of the Vermont Republic.

Mountain Rule

From the founding of the Republican Party in the 1850s until the 1960s, only Republicans won general elections for Vermont's statewide offices. One method that made this possible was the Republican Party's imposition of the "Mountain Rule," an informal mechanism which restricted the pool of candidates.

Under the provisions of the Mountain Rule, one U.S. senator was a resident of the east side of the Green Mountains and one resided on the west side, and the governorship and lieutenant governorship alternated between residents of the east and west side. Nominees for governor and lieutenant governor were originally allowed two one-year terms, and later one two-year term. For nearly 100 years, likely Republican candidates for office in Vermont agreed to abide by the Mountain Rule in the interests of party unity. Several factors led to the eventual weakening of the Mountain Rule, including the long time political dispute between the Proctor (conservative) and Aiken–Gibson (progressive) wings of the party; primaries rather than conventions to select nominees; the direct election of U.S. Senators; and several active third parties, including the Progressives, the Prohibition Party, and the Local Option movement. In the 1960s, the rise of the Vermont Democratic Party and the construction of Interstate 89 also contributed to the end of the Mountain Rule. Although I-89 is a north–south route, it traverses Vermont from southeast to northwest for the majority of its length within the state and changed the way residents view how it is divided.

List of governors

Vermont Republic

The Vermont Republic declared independence from Great Britain on January 15, 1777.

Governors of the Republic of Vermont
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor
1 Thomas Chittenden
(1730–1797)
 March 13, 1778
–
October 13, 1789
(lost election) 		No party 1778 Joseph Marsh
1779 Benjamin Carpenter
1780
1781 Elisha Payne
1782 Paul Spooner
1783
1784
1785
1786 Joseph Marsh
1787
1788
2 Moses Robinson
(1741–1813)
 October 13, 1789
–
October 20, 1790
(lost election) 		No party 1789
3 Thomas Chittenden
(1730–1797)
 October 20, 1790
–
March 4, 1791
(became state governor) 		No party 1790 Peter Olcott

State of Vermont

Vermont was admitted to the Union on March 4, 1791.

Governors of the State of Vermont
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor
1   Thomas Chittenden
(1730–1797)
 March 5, 1791
–
August 25, 1797
(died in office) 		No party 1791   Peter Olcott
1792
1793
1794 Jonathan Hunt
1795
1796 Paul Brigham
2 Paul Brigham
(1746–1824)
 August 25, 1797
–
October 16, 1797
(did not run) 		Democratic-
Republican 		Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor 		Vacant
3 Isaac Tichenor
(1754–1838)
 October 16, 1797
–
October 9, 1807
(lost election) 		Federalist 1797 Paul Brigham
1798
1799
1800
1801
1802
1803
1804
1805
1806
4 Israel Smith
(1759–1810)
 October 9, 1807
–
October 14, 1808
(lost election) 		Democratic-
Republican 		1807
5 Isaac Tichenor
(1754–1838)
 October 14, 1808
–
October 14, 1809
(lost election) 		Federalist 1808
6 Jonas Galusha
(1753–1834)
 October 14, 1809
–
October 23, 1813
(lost election) 		Democratic-
Republican 		1809
1810
1811
1812
7 Martin Chittenden
(1763–1840)
 October 23, 1813
–
October 14, 1815
(lost election) 		Federalist 1813 William Chamberlain
1814
8 Jonas Galusha
(1753–1834)
 October 14, 1815
–
October 13, 1820
(did not run) 		Democratic-
Republican 		1815 Paul Brigham
1816
1817
1818
1819
9 Richard Skinner
(1778–1833)
 October 13, 1820
–
October 10, 1823
(did not run) 		Democratic-
Republican 		1820 William Cahoon
1821
1822 Aaron Leland
10 Cornelius P. Van Ness
(1782–1852)
 October 10, 1823
–
October 13, 1826
(did not run) 		Democratic-
Republican 		1823
1824
1825
11 Ezra Butler
(1763–1838)
 October 13, 1826
–
October 10, 1828
(did not run) 		National
Republican 		1826
1827 Henry Olin
12 Samuel C. Crafts
(1768–1853)
 October 10, 1828
–
October 18, 1831
(did not run) 		National
Republican 		1828
1829
1830 Mark Richards
13 William A. Palmer
(1781–1860)
 October 18, 1831
–
November 2, 1835
(lost election) 		Anti-Masonic 1831 Lebbeus Egerton
1832
1833
1834
14 Silas H. Jennison
(1791–1849)
 November 2, 1835
–
October 18, 1841
(did not run) 		Whig 1835 Acting as governor
1836 David M. Camp
1837
1838
1839
1840
15 Charles Paine
(1799–1853)
 October 18, 1841
–
October 13, 1843
(did not run) 		Whig 1841 Waitstill R. Ranney
1842
16 John Mattocks
(1777–1847)
 October 13, 1843
–
October 11, 1844
(did not run) 		Whig 1843 Horace Eaton
17 William Slade
(1786–1859)
 October 11, 1844
–
October 9, 1846
(did not run) 		Whig 1844
1845
18 Horace Eaton
(1804–1855)
 October 9, 1846
–
October 19, 1848
(did not run) 		Whig 1846 Leonard Sargeant
1847
19 Carlos Coolidge
(1792–1866)
 October 19, 1848
–
October 12, 1850
(did not run) 		Whig 1848 Robert Pierpoint
1849
20 Charles K. Williams
(1782–1853)
 October 12, 1850
–
October 18, 1852
(did not run) 		Whig 1850 Julius Converse
1851
21 Erastus Fairbanks
(1792–1864)
 October 18, 1852
–
November 1, 1853
(lost election) 		Whig 1852 William C. Kittredge
22 John S. Robinson
(1804–1860)
 November 1, 1853
–
October 13, 1854
(did not run) 		Democratic 1853 Jefferson P. Kidder
23 Stephen Royce
(1787–1868)
 October 13, 1854
–
October 10, 1856
(did not run) 		Whig 1854 Ryland Fletcher
Republican 1855
24 Ryland Fletcher
(1799–1885)
 October 10, 1856
–
October 15, 1858
(did not run) 		Republican 1856 James M. Slade
1857
25 Hiland Hall
(1795–1885)
 October 15, 1858
–
October 12, 1860
(did not run) 		Republican 1858 Burnham Martin
1859
26 Erastus Fairbanks
(1792–1864)
 October 12, 1860
–
October 22, 1861
(did not run) 		Republican 1860 Levi Underwood
27 Frederick Holbrook
(1813–1909)
 October 22, 1861
–
October 9, 1863
(did not run) 		Republican 1861
1862 Paul Dillingham
28 J. Gregory Smith
(1818–1891)
 October 9, 1863
–
October 13, 1865
(did not run) 		Republican 1863
1864
29 Paul Dillingham
(1799–1891)
 October 13, 1865
–
October 13, 1867
(did not run) 		Republican 1865 Abraham B. Gardner
1866
30 John B. Page
(1826–1885)
 October 13, 1867
–
October 16, 1869
(did not run) 		Republican 1867 Stephen Thomas
1868
31 Peter T. Washburn
(1814–1870)
 October 16, 1869
–
February 7, 1870
(died in office) 		Republican 1869 George W. Hendee
32 George Whitman Hendee
(1832–1906)
 February 7, 1870
–
October 6, 1870
(did not run) 		Republican Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor 		Vacant
33 John Wolcott Stewart
(1825–1915)
 October 6, 1870
–
October 3, 1872
(lost nomination) 		Republican 1870 George N. Dale
34 Julius Converse
(1798–1885)
 October 3, 1872
–
October 8, 1874
(did not run) 		Republican 1872 Russell S. Taft
35 Asahel Peck
(1803–1879)
 October 8, 1874
–
October 5, 1876
(did not run) 		Republican 1874 Lyman G. Hinckley
36 Horace Fairbanks
(1820–1888)
 October 5, 1876
–
October 3, 1878
(did not run) 		Republican 1876 Redfield Proctor
37 Redfield Proctor
(1831–1908)
 October 3, 1878
–
October 7, 1880
(did not run) 		Republican 1878 Eben Pomeroy Colton
38 Roswell Farnham
(1827–1903)
 October 7, 1880
–
October 5, 1882
(did not run) 		Republican 1880 John L. Barstow
39 John L. Barstow
(1832–1913)
 October 5, 1882
–
October 2, 1884
(did not run) 		Republican 1882 Samuel E. Pingree
40 Samuel E. Pingree
(1832–1922)
 October 2, 1884
–
October 7, 1886
(did not run) 		Republican 1884 Ebenezer J. Ormsbee
41 Ebenezer J. Ormsbee
(1834–1924)
 October 7, 1886
–
October 4, 1888
(did not run) 		Republican 1886 Levi K. Fuller
42 William P. Dillingham
(1843–1923)
 October 4, 1888
–
October 2, 1890
(did not run) 		Republican 1888 Urban A. Woodbury
43 Carroll S. Page
(1843–1925)
 October 2, 1890
–
October 6, 1892
(did not run) 		Republican 1890 Henry A. Fletcher
44 Levi K. Fuller
(1841–1896)
 October 6, 1892
–
October 4, 1894
(did not run) 		Republican 1892 F. Stewart Stranahan
45 Urban A. Woodbury
(1838–1915)
 October 4, 1894
–
October 8, 1896
(did not run) 		Republican 1894 Zophar M. Mansur
46 Josiah Grout
(1841–1925)
 October 8, 1896
–
October 6, 1898
(did not run) 		Republican 1896 Nelson W. Fisk
47 Edward Curtis Smith
(1854–1935)
 October 6, 1898
–
October 4, 1900
(did not run) 		Republican 1898 Henry C. Bates
48 William W. Stickney
(1853–1932)
 October 4, 1900
–
October 3, 1902
(did not run) 		Republican 1900 Martin F. Allen
49 John G. McCullough
(1835–1915)
 October 3, 1902
–
October 6, 1904
(did not run) 		Republican 1902 Zed S. Stanton
50 Charles J. Bell
(1845–1909)
 October 6, 1904
–
October 4, 1906
(did not run) 		Republican 1904 Charles H. Stearns
51 Fletcher D. Proctor
(1860–1911)
 October 4, 1906
–
October 8, 1908
(did not run) 		Republican 1906 George H. Prouty
52 George H. Prouty
(1862–1918)
 October 8, 1908
–
October 6, 1910
(did not run) 		Republican 1908 John A. Mead
53 John A. Mead
(1841–1920)
 October 6, 1910
–
October 3, 1912
(did not run) 		Republican 1910 Leighton P. Slack
54 Allen M. Fletcher
(1853–1922)
 October 3, 1912
–
January 7, 1915
(did not run) 		Republican 1912 Frank E. Howe
55 Charles W. Gates
(1856–1927)
 January 7, 1915
–
January 4, 1917
(did not run) 		Republican 1914 Hale K. Darling
56 Horace F. Graham
(1862–1941)
 January 4, 1917
–
January 10, 1919
(did not run) 		Republican 1916 Roger W. Hulburd
57 Percival W. Clement
(1846–1927)
 January 10, 1919
–
January 7, 1921
(did not run) 		Republican 1918 Mason S. Stone
58 James Hartness
(1861–1934)
 January 7, 1921
–
January 4, 1923
(did not run) 		Republican 1920 Abram W. Foote
59 Redfield Proctor Jr.
(1879–1957)
 January 4, 1923
–
January 8, 1925
(did not run) 		Republican 1922 Franklin S. Billings
60 Franklin S. Billings
(1862–1935)
 January 8, 1925
–
January 6, 1927
(did not run) 		Republican 1924 Walter K. Farnsworth
61 John E. Weeks
(1853–1949)
 January 6, 1927
–
January 8, 1931
(did not run) 		Republican 1926 Hollister Jackson
(died November 2, 1927)
Vacant
1928 Stanley C. Wilson
62 Stanley C. Wilson
(1879–1967)
 January 8, 1931
–
January 10, 1935
(did not run) 		Republican 1930 Benjamin Williams
1932 Charles Manley Smith
63 Charles Manley Smith
(1868–1937)
 January 10, 1935
–
January 7, 1937
(did not run) 		Republican 1934 George D. Aiken
64 George Aiken
(1892–1984)
 January 7, 1937
–
January 9, 1941
(did not run) 		Republican 1936 William Henry Wills
1938
65 William Henry Wills
(1882–1946)
 January 9, 1941
–
January 4, 1945
(did not run) 		Republican 1940 Mortimer R. Proctor
1942
66 Mortimer R. Proctor
(1889–1968)
 January 4, 1945
–
January 9, 1947
(lost nomination) 		Republican 1944 Lee E. Emerson
67 Ernest W. Gibson Jr.
(1901–1969)
 January 9, 1947
–
January 16, 1950
(resigned) 		Republican 1946
1948 Harold J. Arthur
68 Harold J. Arthur
(1904–1971)
 January 16, 1950
–
January 4, 1951
(did not run) 		Republican Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor 		Vacant
69 Lee E. Emerson
(1898–1976)
 January 4, 1951
–
January 6, 1955
(did not run) 		Republican 1950 Joseph B. Johnson
1952
70 Joseph B. Johnson
(1893–1986)
 January 6, 1955
–
January 15, 1959
(did not run) 		Republican 1954 Consuelo N. Bailey
1956 Robert T. Stafford
71 Robert Stafford
(1913–2006)
 January 15, 1959
–
January 5, 1961
(did not run) 		Republican 1958 Robert S. Babcock
72 F. Ray Keyser Jr.
(1927–2015)
 January 5, 1961
–
January 10, 1963
(lost election) 		Republican 1960 Ralph A. Foote
73 Philip H. Hoff
(1924–2018)
 January 10, 1963
–
January 9, 1969
(did not run) 		Democratic 1962
1964 John J. Daley
1966
74 Deane C. Davis
(1900–1990)
 January 9, 1969
–
January 4, 1973
(did not run) 		Republican 1968 Thomas L. Hayes
1970 John S. Burgess
75 Thomas P. Salmon
(b. 1932)
 January 4, 1973
–
January 6, 1977
(did not run) 		Democratic 1972
1974 Brian D. Burns
76 Richard A. Snelling
(1927–1991)
 January 6, 1977
–
January 10, 1985
(did not run) 		Republican 1976 T. Garry Buckley
1978 Madeleine Kunin
1980
1982 Peter P. Smith
77 Madeleine Kunin
(b. 1933)
 January 10, 1985
–
January 10, 1991
(did not run) 		Democratic 1984
1986 Howard Dean
1988
78 Richard A. Snelling
(1927–1991)
 January 10, 1991
–
August 13, 1991
(died in office) 		Republican 1990
79 Howard Dean
(b. 1948)
 August 13, 1991
–
January 9, 2003
(did not run) 		Democratic Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor 		Vacant
1992 Barbara W. Snelling
1994
1996 Doug Racine
1998
2000
80 Jim Douglas
(b. 1951)
 January 9, 2003
–
January 6, 2011
(did not run) 		Republican 2002 Brian Dubie
2004
2006
2008
81 Peter Shumlin
(b. 1956)
 January 6, 2011
–
January 5, 2017
(did not run) 		Democratic 2010 Phil Scott
2012
2014
82 Phil Scott
(b. 1958)
 January 5, 2017
–
Incumbent 		Republican 2016 David Zuckerman
2018
2020 Molly Gray
2022 David Zuckerman

See also