List of Governors of Hawaii - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Governor of the State of Hawaii is the head of the executive branch of Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

's government, and commander-in-chief of the state's

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

military

Military

A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...

forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws; the power to either approve or veto

Veto

A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...

bills

Bill (proposed law)

A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....

passed by the Hawaii Legislature

Hawaii Legislature

The Hawaii State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state legislature is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Hawaii House of Representatives with 51 representatives, and an upper house, the 25-member Hawaii Senate. There are a total of 76...

; the power to convene the legislature; and the power to grant pardon

Pardon

Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...

s, except in cases of treason

Treason

In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...

and impeachment

Impeachment

Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....

.

Of the seven governors of the state, two have been elected to three terms, and three have been elected to two terms. The only one-term governor was the first, William F. Quinn

William F. Quinn

William Francis Quinn was the Governor of the Territory of Hawai'i from 1957 to 1959 and the Governor of the State of Hawai'i from 1959 to 1962. Originally appointed to the office by President Dwight D...

, though he also served a term as territorial governor. No state governor has yet resigned or died in office, nor did any territorial governor die in office. George Ariyoshi

George Ariyoshi

George Ryoichi Ariyoshi , served as the third Governor of Hawaii from 1974 to 1986. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He assumed the governorship when John A. Burns was declared incapacitated. When he was elected, Ariyoshi became the first American of Asian descent to be elected governor of...

was the first Asian American

Asian American

Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...

to be governor of any U.S. state

U.S. state

. The current governor is Neil Abercrombie

Neil Abercrombie

Neil Abercrombie is the 7th and current Governor of Hawaii. He was the Democratic U.S. Representative of the First Congressional District of Hawaii which comprises urban Honolulu. He served in Congress from 1986 to 1987 and from 1991 to 2010 when he resigned to successfully run for governor...

, who took office on December 6, 2010.

Governors

The Republic of Hawaii

Republic of Hawaii

The Republic of Hawaii was the formal name of the government that controlled Hawaii from 1894 to 1898 when it was run as a republic. The republic period occurred between the administration of the Provisional Government of Hawaii which ended on July 4, 1894 and the adoption of the Newlands...

was annexed by the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

in 1898. It was organized into Hawaii Territory in 1900, and admitted as a state in 1959. The Republic had only one president

President of Hawaii

The President of Hawaii was the Republic of Hawaii's Head of State during its six-year existence . The only man to fill the office was Sanford Dole who later became governor of Hawaii when the nation became a United States Territory....

, Sanford B. Dole

Sanford B. Dole

Sanford Ballard Dole was a lawyer and jurist in the Hawaiian Islands as a kingdom, protectorate, republic and territory...

, who later was the first territorial governor. Between 1893 and 1894, Hawaii was under the Provisional Government of Hawaii

Provisional Government of Hawaii

The Provisional Government of Hawaii abbreviated "P.G." was proclaimed on January 17, 1893 by the 13 member Committee of Safety under the leadership of Sanford B. Dole...

, with no formal leader. Before 1893, Hawaii was a monarchy; see list of monarchs of Hawaii.

Governors of Hawaii Territory

Hawaii Territory was organized on June 14, 1900, remaining a territory for 59 years. Twelve people served as territorial governor, appointed by the President of the United States

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

#	Governor	Took office	Left office	Appointed by
1	Sanford B. Dole Sanford B. Dole Sanford Ballard Dole was a lawyer and jurist in the Hawaiian Islands as a kingdom, protectorate, republic and territory...	June 14, 1900	November 23, 1903	William McKinley William McKinley William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
2	George R. Carter George R. Carter George Robert Carter was the second Territorial Governor of Hawaii, serving from 1903 to 1907.He was born December 28, 1866 in Honolulu. His mother was Sybil Augusta Judd , daughter of Gerrit P...	November 23, 1903	August 15, 1907	Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
3	Walter F. Frear Walter F. Frear Walter Francis Frear was a lawyer and judge in the Kingdom of Hawaii and Republic of Hawaii, and the third Territorial Governor of Hawaii from 1907 to 1913.-Life:...	August 15, 1907	November 30, 1913	Theodore Roosevelt
4	Lucius E. Pinkham Lucius E. Pinkham Lucius Eugene Pinkham was the fourth Territorial Governor of Hawaii, serving from 1913 to 1918. Pinkham was the first member of the Democratic Party of Hawaii to become governor.-Life:...	November 30, 1913	June 22, 1918	Woodrow Wilson Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
5	Charles J. McCarthy Charles J. McCarthy Charles James McCarthy was the fifth Territorial Governor of Hawai'i and served from 1918 to 1921.McCarthy was born August 4, 1861 in Boston, Massachusetts, to Charles McCarthy and Joana McCarthy. McCarthy moved with his parents to San Francisco, California in 1866...	June 22, 1918	July 5, 1921	Woodrow Wilson
6	Wallace R. Farrington	July 5, 1921	July 6, 1929	Warren G. Harding Warren G. Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
7	Lawrence M. Judd Lawrence M. Judd Lawrence McCully Judd was a politician of the Territory of Hawaii, serving as the seventh Territorial Governor. He was devoted to the Hansen's Disease-afflicted residents of Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai.-Life:...	July 6, 1929	March 2, 1934	Herbert Hoover Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
8	Joseph Poindexter Joseph Poindexter Joseph Boyd Poindexter was the eighth Territorial Governor of Hawai'i and served from 1934 to 1942.-Early life:...	March 2, 1934	August 24, 1942	Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
9	Ingram Stainback Ingram Stainback Ingram Macklin Stainback was the ninth Territorial Governor of Hawaii and served from 1942 to 1951.Born in 1883 in Somerville, Tennessee, he received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago.Stainback, a well-connected Democrat, came to...	August 24, 1942	May 8, 1951	Franklin D. Roosevelt
10	Oren E. Long Oren E. Long Oren Ethelbirt Long , was the tenth Territorial Governor of Hawai'i and served from 1951 to 1953. A member of the Hawai'i Democratic Party, Long was appointed to the office after the term of Ingram M. Stainback. After statehood was achieved he served in the United States Senate, one of the first...	May 8, 1951	February 28, 1953	Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
11	Samuel Wilder King Samuel Wilder King Samuel Wilder King was the eleventh Territorial Governor of Hawaii and served from 1953 to 1957. He was appointed to the office after the term of Oren E. Long. Previously, King served in the United States House of Representatives as a delegate from the Territory of Hawaii...	February 28, 1953	July 26, 1957	Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
12	William F. Quinn William F. Quinn William Francis Quinn was the Governor of the Territory of Hawai'i from 1957 to 1959 and the Governor of the State of Hawai'i from 1959 to 1962. Originally appointed to the office by President Dwight D...	August 29, 1957	August 21, 1959	Dwight D. Eisenhower

Governors of the State of Hawaii

Hawaii was admitted to the Union on August 21, 1959, consisting of Hawaii Territory minus Palmyra Atoll

Palmyra Atoll

Palmyra Atoll is an essentially unoccupied equatorial Northern Pacific atoll administered as an unorganized incorporated territory by the United States federal government...

. Since then, there have been seven governors.

The governor is elected to a four-year term commencing on the first Monday in the December following the election. The lieutenant governor

Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii

The Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii, concurrently the Secretary of State of Hawaii, is the assistant chief executive of that U.S. state and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 2 though 6. He or she is elected by popular suffrage of...

is elected for the same term and, since 1964, on the same ticket

Ticket (election)

A ticket refers to a single election choice which fills more than one political office or seat. For example, in the U.S., the candidates for President and Vice President run on the same "ticket", because they are elected together on a single ballot question rather than separately.A ticket can also...

as the governor. The 1978 constitutional convention

1978 Hawaii State Constitutional Convention

The 1978 Hawaii State Constitutional Convention is regarded to be the watershed political event in the modern State of Hawaii. The convention established term limits for state office holders, provided a requirement for an annual balanced budget, laid the groundwork for the return of federal land...

established a term limit

Term limit

A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...

of two terms for both offices. If the office of governor is vacant, the lieutenant governor becomes governor; if the governor is out of the state or unable to fulfill their duties, the lieutenant governor acts as governor during such absence or disability.

#		Took office	Left office	Party		Terms
1	William F. Quinn William F. Quinn William Francis Quinn was the Governor of the Territory of Hawai'i from 1957 to 1959 and the Governor of the State of Hawai'i from 1959 to 1962. Originally appointed to the office by President Dwight D...	August 21, 1959	December 3, 1962	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...	James Kealoha James Kealoha James Kealoha, formally James Kimo Kealoha, and also known as Jimmy Kealoha , of Hilo, Hawaii was the first Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii in the administration of Governor of Hawaii William F. Quinn...	1
2	John A. Burns John A. Burns John Anthony Burns served as the second Governor of Hawaii from 1962 to 1974. Born in Fort Assinniboine, Montana, Burns was a resident of Hawaii from 1913....	December 3, 1962	December 2, 1974	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...	William S. Richardson William S. Richardson William Shaw Richardson was an American attorney, political figure, and chief justice of the Hawaii State Supreme Court from 1966 to 1982. Prior to his service as the top jurist in Hawaii, Richardson was lieutenant governor under John A. Burns...	3
					Thomas Gill
					George Ariyoshi George Ariyoshi George Ryoichi Ariyoshi , served as the third Governor of Hawaii from 1974 to 1986. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He assumed the governorship when John A. Burns was declared incapacitated. When he was elected, Ariyoshi became the first American of Asian descent to be elected governor of...
3	George Ariyoshi George Ariyoshi George Ryoichi Ariyoshi , served as the third Governor of Hawaii from 1974 to 1986. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He assumed the governorship when John A. Burns was declared incapacitated. When he was elected, Ariyoshi became the first American of Asian descent to be elected governor of...	December 2, 1974	December 1, 1986	Democratic	Nelson Doi Nelson Doi Nelson Doi, formally Nelson K. Doi , was the fifth Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii from 1974 to 1978 in the first elected administration of Governor of Hawaii George Ariyoshi...	3
					Jean King Jean King Jean King was the sixth Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii from 1978 to 1982 in the administration of Governor of Hawaii George Ariyoshi....
					John D. Waihee III John D. Waihee III John David Waihee III served as the fourth Governor of Hawaii from 1986 to 1994. He was the first American of Native Hawaiian descent to be elected to the office from any state of the United States. After his tenure in the governor's office, Waihee became a nationally prominent attorney and...
4	John D. Waihee III John D. Waihee III John David Waihee III served as the fourth Governor of Hawaii from 1986 to 1994. He was the first American of Native Hawaiian descent to be elected to the office from any state of the United States. After his tenure in the governor's office, Waihee became a nationally prominent attorney and...	December 1, 1986	December 5, 1994	Democratic	Ben Cayetano Ben Cayetano Benjamin Jerome "Ben" Cayetano served as the fifth Governor of the State of Hawaii from 1994 to 2002. He is the first Filipino American to serve as a state governor in the United States.- Early years :...	2
5	Ben Cayetano Ben Cayetano Benjamin Jerome "Ben" Cayetano served as the fifth Governor of the State of Hawaii from 1994 to 2002. He is the first Filipino American to serve as a state governor in the United States.- Early years :...	December 5, 1994	December 2, 2002	Democratic	Mazie Hirono Mazie Hirono is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.She was the second Asian immigrant elected lieutenant governor of a state of the United States. She ran against Linda Lingle for governor of Hawaii in 2002, one of the few gubernatorial races in United...	2
6	Linda Lingle Linda Lingle Linda Lingle was the sixth Governor of Hawaii. Lingle holds a number of distinctions: first Republican elected governor of Hawaii since the departure of William F...	December 2, 2002	December 6, 2010	Republican	James "Duke" R. Aiona Jr.	2
7	Neil Abercrombie Neil Abercrombie Neil Abercrombie is the 7th and current Governor of Hawaii. He was the Democratic U.S. Representative of the First Congressional District of Hawaii which comprises urban Honolulu. He served in Congress from 1986 to 1987 and from 1991 to 2010 when he resigned to successfully run for governor...	December 6, 2010	Incumbent	Democratic	Brian Schatz	1Governor Abercrombie's first term expires on December 1, 2014; he is not yet term limit Term limit A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for... ed.

Other high offices held

Six of Hawaii's governors, four when it was a territory and two since statehood, have served other high offices. Sanford Dole was President of Hawaii before the country was annexed and made a territory, which he then governed. One territorial governor each served as a Delegate

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

from Hawaii Territory, a U.S. Senator

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

from Hawaii, and a Governor of American Samoa. One state governor also served as a delegate, and another represented the state in the U.S. House

United States House of Representatives

Name	Gubernatorial term	Other offices held
Sanford B. Dole Sanford B. Dole Sanford Ballard Dole was a lawyer and jurist in the Hawaiian Islands as a kingdom, protectorate, republic and territory...	1900–1903	President of Hawaii President of Hawaii The President of Hawaii was the Republic of Hawaii's Head of State during its six-year existence . The only man to fill the office was Sanford Dole who later became governor of Hawaii when the nation became a United States Territory....
Lawrence M. Judd Lawrence M. Judd Lawrence McCully Judd was a politician of the Territory of Hawaii, serving as the seventh Territorial Governor. He was devoted to the Hansen's Disease-afflicted residents of Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai.-Life:...	1929–1934	Governor of American Samoa
Oren E. Long Oren E. Long Oren Ethelbirt Long , was the tenth Territorial Governor of Hawai'i and served from 1951 to 1953. A member of the Hawai'i Democratic Party, Long was appointed to the office after the term of Ingram M. Stainback. After statehood was achieved he served in the United States Senate, one of the first...	1951–1953	Senator United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each... from Hawaii
Samuel Wilder King Samuel Wilder King Samuel Wilder King was the eleventh Territorial Governor of Hawaii and served from 1953 to 1957. He was appointed to the office after the term of Oren E. Long. Previously, King served in the United States House of Representatives as a delegate from the Territory of Hawaii...	1953–1957	Delegate United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution... from Hawaii Territory
John A. Burns John A. Burns John Anthony Burns served as the second Governor of Hawaii from 1962 to 1974. Born in Fort Assinniboine, Montana, Burns was a resident of Hawaii from 1913....	1962–1974	Delegate from Hawaii Territory
Neil Abercrombie Neil Abercrombie Neil Abercrombie is the 7th and current Governor of Hawaii. He was the Democratic U.S. Representative of the First Congressional District of Hawaii which comprises urban Honolulu. He served in Congress from 1986 to 1987 and from 1991 to 2010 when he resigned to successfully run for governor...	2010—	Representative United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution... from Hawaii

Living former governors

, four former governors were alive. The most recent death of a former governor was that of William F. Quinn

William F. Quinn

(1957–1962), who died on August 28, 2006.

Name	Term of office	Date of birth
George Ariyoshi George Ariyoshi George Ryoichi Ariyoshi , served as the third Governor of Hawaii from 1974 to 1986. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He assumed the governorship when John A. Burns was declared incapacitated. When he was elected, Ariyoshi became the first American of Asian descent to be elected governor of...	1974–1986	March 12, 1926 (age 85)
John D. Waihee III John D. Waihee III John David Waihee III served as the fourth Governor of Hawaii from 1986 to 1994. He was the first American of Native Hawaiian descent to be elected to the office from any state of the United States. After his tenure in the governor's office, Waihee became a nationally prominent attorney and...	1986–1994	May 19, 1946 (age 65)
Ben Cayetano Ben Cayetano Benjamin Jerome "Ben" Cayetano served as the fifth Governor of the State of Hawaii from 1994 to 2002. He is the first Filipino American to serve as a state governor in the United States.- Early years :...	1994–2002	November 14, 1939 (age 72)
Linda Lingle Linda Lingle Linda Lingle was the sixth Governor of Hawaii. Lingle holds a number of distinctions: first Republican elected governor of Hawaii since the departure of William F...	2002–2010	June 04, 1953 (age 58)

External links

Office of the Governor of Hawaii