Governor of Delaware
Great Seal of the State of Delaware
Incumbent Matt Meyer since January 21, 2025
Government of Delaware
Style	The Honorable
Residence	Delaware Governor's Mansion Dover, Delaware
Term length	Four years, renewable once
Inaugural holder	John McKinly
Formation	February 12, 1777
Succession	Line of succession
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
Salary	$171,000 (2013)[1]
Website	governor.delaware.gov

The Governor of Delaware (known as the President of Delaware from 1776 to 1792) is the head of government of Delaware and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Delaware Legislature, to convene the legislature,^[2] and to grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment, and only with the recommendation of the Board of Pardons.^[3]

There have been 71 people who have served as governor, over 74 distinct terms. Three (Joseph Haslet, Charles Polk Jr. and Elbert N. Carvel) served non-consecutive terms. Additionally, Henry Molleston was elected, but died before he could take office. Only four governors have been elected to two consecutive terms, with the longest-serving being Ruth Ann Minner, who was elected twice after succeeding to the office, serving a total of just over eight years. The shortest term is that of Bethany Hall-Long, who served 15 days following her predecessor's resignation; Dale E. Wolf served 18 days and David P. Buckson served 19 days under similar circumstances. The current governor is Democrat Matt Meyer, who took office on January 21, 2025.

Governors

Before 1776, Delaware was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain, administered by colonial governors in Pennsylvania as the "Lower Counties on Delaware".

In 1776, soon after Delaware and the other Thirteen Colonies declared independence from Britain, the state adopted its first state constitution. It created the office of President of Delaware, a chief executive to be chosen by the legislature to serve a term of three years, who would be ineligible to be president again until three years had passed after leaving office.^[4]

The office of President was renamed Governor by the constitution of 1792,^[5] which set the commencement date of the term to the third Tuesday in the January following an election, and limited governors to serving only three out of any six years.^[6] The term was lengthened to four years by the 1831 constitution, but governors were limited to a single term.^[7] The current constitution of 1897 allows governors to serve two terms.^[8]

The 1776 constitution stated that if the presidency were vacant, the speaker of the legislative council would be a vice-president.^[9] The 1792 constitution has the speaker of the senate exercising the office when it is vacant, and the 1897 constitution created the office of lieutenant governor,^[10] upon whom the office devolves in case of vacancy.^[11] The offices of governor and lieutenant governor are elected at the same time but not on the same ticket.

Governors of the State of Delaware

No.[a]	Governor[b]			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor[c][d]
1			John McKinly (1721–1796) [13][14][15]	February 21, 1777[16] – September 12, 1777[e] (204 days; arrested and removed)[f]	No parties	1777	Office did not exist
2			Thomas McKean (1734–1817) [20][14][21]	September 12, 1777[22] – October 20, 1777 (39 days; succeeded)		Speaker of the Assembly acting as vice-president[g]
3			George Read (1733–1798) [24][14][25]	October 20, 1777[22] – March 31, 1778 (163 days; retired)		Speaker of the Legislative Council serving as vice-president[g]
4			Caesar Rodney (1728–1784) [26][14][27]	March 31, 1778[22] – November 13, 1781[h] (1324 days; term-limited)[i]		1778
5			John Dickinson (1732–1808) [29][14][30]	November 13, 1781[j] – January 13, 1783 (427 days; resigned)[k]		1781
6			John Cook (1730–1789) [34][14][35]	January 13, 1783[33] – February 8, 1783 (27 days; retired)		Speaker of the Legislative Council serving as vice-president
7			Nicholas Van Dyke (1738–1789) [36][14][37]	February 8, 1783[38] – October 28, 1786 (1359 days; term-limited)[i]		1783 (special)
8			Thomas Collins (1732–1789) [39][40][41]	October 28, 1786[42] – March 29, 1789 (884 days; died in office)		1786
9			Jehu Davis (1738–1802) [43][44][45]	March 29, 1789[22] – June 2, 1789 (66 days; retired)		Speaker of the Legislative Council serving as vice-president
10			Joshua Clayton (1744–1798) [46][47][44][48]	June 2, 1789[49] – January 13, 1796 (2417 days; term-limited)[l][m]	Federalist[52]	1789
						1792
11			Gunning Bedford Sr. (1742–1797) [53][54][44][55]	January 13, 1796[22] – September 28, 1797 (625 days; died in office)[n]	Federalist[57]	1795
12			Daniel Rogers (1754–1806) [58][59][44][56]	September 28, 1797[n] – January 9, 1799 (469 days; retired)	Federalist[52]	Speaker of the Senate acting
13			Richard Bassett (1745–1815) [60][61][44][62]	January 9, 1799[o] – March 3, 1801 (784 days; resigned)[p]	Federalist[57]	1798
14			James Sykes (1761–1822) [65][66][44][63]	March 3, 1801[22] – January 19, 1802 (323 days; retired)	Federalist[52]	Speaker of the Senate acting
15			David Hall (1752–1817) [67][68][69][70]	January 19, 1802[71] – January 15, 1805 (1093 days; term-limited)[m]	Democratic- Republican[57]	1801
16			Nathaniel Mitchell (1753–1814) [72][73][74][75]	January 15, 1805[76] – January 19, 1808 (1100 days; term-limited)[m]	Federalist[57]	1804
17			George Truitt (1756–1818) [77][78][74][79]	January 19, 1808[80] – January 15, 1811 (1093 days; term-limited)[m]	Federalist[57]	1807
18			Joseph Haslet (1769–1823) [81][82][74][83]	January 15, 1811[84] – January 18, 1814 (1100 days; term-limited)[m]	Democratic- Republican[57]	1810
19			Daniel Rodney (1764–1846) [85][86][74][83]	January 18, 1814[87] – January 21, 1817 (1100 days; term-limited)[m]	Federalist[57]	1813
20			John Clark (1761–1821) [88][89][74][90]	January 21, 1817[91] – January 15, 1820 (1090 days; resigned)[q]	Federalist[94]	1816
—			Henry Molleston (1762–1819) [88][74]	Died before taking office[q]	Federalist[94]	1819
21			Jacob Stout (1764–1855) [95][96][74][97]	January 15, 1820[92] – January 16, 1821 (368 days; retired)	Federalist[95]	Speaker of the Senate acting
22			John Collins (1776–1822) [98][99][74][100]	January 16, 1821[101] – April 16, 1822 (456 days; died in office)	Democratic- Republican[94]	1820 (special)[r]
23			Caleb Rodney (1767–1840) [102][103][74][100]	April 16, 1822[s] – January 21, 1823 (218 days; retired)	Federalist[52]	Speaker of the Senate acting
24			Joseph Haslet (1769–1823) [81][82][74][100]	January 21, 1823[t] – June 20, 1823 (151 days; died in office)	Democratic- Republican[94]	1822
25			Charles Thomas (1790–1848) [106][107][74][108]	June 20, 1823[u] – January 20, 1824 (215 days; retired)	Democratic- Republican[52]	Speaker of the Senate acting
26			Samuel Paynter (1768–1845) [106][110][74][111]	January 20, 1824[112] – January 16, 1827 (1093 days; term-limited)[m]	Federalist[94]	1823 (special)[v]
27			Charles Polk Jr. (1788–1857) [113][114][115][116]	January 16, 1827[117] – January 19, 1830 (1100 days; term-limited)[m]	Federalist[94]	1826
28			David Hazzard (1781–1864) [118][119][120][121]	January 19, 1830[122] – January 15, 1833 (1093 days; term-limited)[w]	National Republican[94]	1829
29			Caleb P. Bennett (1758–1836) [124][125][120][126]	January 15, 1833[127] – May 9, 1836 (1211 days; died in office)	Democratic[94]	1832[x]
30			Charles Polk Jr. (1788–1857) [113][114][120][128]	May 9, 1836[129] – January 17, 1837 (254 days; retired)	Whig[52]	Speaker of the Senate acting
31			Cornelius P. Comegys (1780–1851) [130][131][120][132]	January 17, 1837[133] – January 19, 1841 (1464 days; term-limited)[w]	Whig[94]	1836
32			William B. Cooper (1771–1849) [134][135][120][136]	January 19, 1841[137] – January 21, 1845 (1464 days; term-limited)[w]	Whig[94]	1840
33			Thomas Stockton (1781–1846) [138][139][140][141]	January 21, 1845[142] – March 2, 1846 (406 days; died in office)	Whig[94]	1844
34			Joseph Maull (1781–1846) [143][144][145][146]	March 2, 1846[147] – May 3, 1846 (63 days; died in office)	Whig[52]	Speaker of the Senate acting
35			William Temple (1814–1863) [148][149][145][150]	May 3, 1846[y] – January 19, 1847 (262 days; retired)	Whig[52]	Speaker of the Senate acting
36			William Tharp (1803–1865) [152][153][145][154]	January 19, 1847[155] – January 21, 1851 (1464 days; term-limited)[w]	Democratic[156]	1846 (special)[z]
37			William H. H. Ross (1814–1887) [157][158][145][159]	January 21, 1851[160] – January 16, 1855 (1457 days; term-limited)[w]	Democratic[156]	1850
38			Peter F. Causey (1801–1871) [161][162][145][163]	January 16, 1855[164] – January 18, 1859 (1464 days; term-limited)[w]	American[156]	1854
39			William Burton (1789–1866) [165][166][145][167]	January 18, 1859[168] – January 20, 1863 (1464 days; term-limited)[w]	Democratic[156]	1858
40			William Cannon (1809–1865) [169][170][145][171]	January 20, 1863[172] – March 1, 1865 (772 days; died in office)	Union[173]	1862
41			Gove Saulsbury (1815–1881) [174][175][145][176]	March 1, 1865[177] – January 17, 1871 (2149 days; term-limited)[w]	Democratic[52]	Speaker of the Senate acting
						1866
42			James Ponder (1819–1897) [178][179][180][181]	January 17, 1871[182] – January 19, 1875 (1464 days; term-limited)[w]	Democratic[52]	1870
43			John P. Cochran (1809–1898) [183][184][180][185]	January 19, 1875[186] – January 21, 1879 (1464 days; term-limited)[w]	Democratic[52]	1874
44			John W. Hall (1817–1892) [187][188][180][189]	January 21, 1879[190] – January 16, 1883 (1457 days; term-limited)[w]	Democratic[52]	1878
45			Charles C. Stockley (1819–1901) [191][192][180][193]	January 16, 1883[194] – January 18, 1887 (1464 days; term-limited)[w]	Democratic[52]	1882
46			Benjamin T. Biggs (1821–1893) [195][196][180][197]	January 18, 1887[198] – January 20, 1891 (1464 days; term-limited)[w]	Democratic[52]	1886
47			Robert J. Reynolds (1838–1909) [199][200][180][201]	January 20, 1891[202] – January 15, 1895 (1457 days; term-limited)[w]	Democratic[52]	1890
48			Joshua H. Marvil (1825–1895) [203][204][180][205]	January 15, 1895[206] – April 8, 1895 (84 days; died in office)	Republican[52]	1894
49			William T. Watson (1849–1917) [207][208][180][209]	April 8, 1895[210] – January 19, 1897 (653 days; retired)	Democratic[52]	Speaker of the Senate acting
50			Ebe W. Tunnell (1844–1917) [211][212][180][213]	January 19, 1897[214] – January 15, 1901 (1457 days; retired)	Democratic[52]	1896[aa]
51			John Hunn (1849–1926) [216][217][218]	January 15, 1901[219] – January 17, 1905 (1464 days; retired)	Republican[50]	1900		Philip L. Cannon
52			Preston Lea (1841–1916) [220][221][222]	January 17, 1905[223] – January 19, 1909 (1464 days; retired)	Republican[50]	1904		Isaac T. Parker
53			Simeon S. Pennewill (1867–1935) [224][225]	January 19, 1909[226] – January 21, 1913 (1464 days; retired)	Republican[50]	1908		John M. Mendinhall
54			Charles R. Miller (1857–1927) [227][228]	January 21, 1913[229] – January 16, 1917 (1457 days; retired)[227]	Republican[227]	1912		Colen Ferguson[ab]
55			John G. Townsend Jr. (1871–1964) [230][231]	January 16, 1917[232] – January 18, 1921 (1464 days; retired)[230]	Republican[50]	1916		Lewis E. Eliason[ab]
56			William D. Denney (1873–1953) [233][234]	January 18, 1921[235] – January 20, 1925 (1464 days; retired)	Republican[50]	1920		J. Danforth Bush
57			Robert P. Robinson (1869–1939) [236][237]	January 20, 1925[238] – January 15, 1929 (1457 days; retired)[236]	Republican[50]	1924		James H. Anderson
58			C. Douglass Buck (1890–1965) [239][240]	January 15, 1929[241] – January 19, 1937 (2927 days; term-limited)[ac]	Republican[50]	1928		James H. Hazel
						1932		Roy F. Corley
59			Richard McMullen (1868–1944) [243][244]	January 19, 1937[245] – January 21, 1941 (1464 days; retired)	Democratic[50]	1936		Edward W. Cooch
60			Walter W. Bacon (1880–1962) [246][247]	January 21, 1941[248] – January 18, 1949 (2920 days; term-limited)[ac]	Republican[50]	1940		Isaac J. MacCollum[ab]
						1944		Elbert N. Carvel[ab]
61			Elbert N. Carvel (1910–2005) [249][250]	January 18, 1949[251] – January 20, 1953 (1464 days; lost election)	Democratic[50]	1948		Alexis I. du Pont Bayard
62			J. Caleb Boggs (1909–1993) [252][253]	January 20, 1953[254] – December 30, 1960 (2902 days; resigned)[ad]	Republican[50]	1952		John W. Rollins
						1956		David P. Buckson
63			David P. Buckson (1920–2017) [255][256]	December 30, 1960[257] – January 17, 1961 (19 days; succeeded)	Republican[50]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
64			Elbert N. Carvel (1910–2005) [249][250]	January 17, 1961[258] – January 19, 1965 (1464 days; term-limited)[ac]	Democratic[50]	1960		Eugene Lammot
65			Charles L. Terry Jr. (1900–1970) [259][260]	January 19, 1965[261] – January 21, 1969 (1464 days; lost election)	Democratic[50]	1964		Sherman W. Tribbitt
66			Russell W. Peterson (1916–2011) [262][263]	January 21, 1969[264] – January 16, 1973 (1457 days; lost election)	Republican[50]	1968		Eugene Bookhammer[ae]
67			Sherman W. Tribbitt (1922–2010) [265][266]	January 16, 1973[267] – January 18, 1977 (1464 days; lost election)	Democratic[50]	1972
68			Pete du Pont (1935–2021) [268][269]	January 18, 1977[270] – January 15, 1985 (2920 days; term-limited)[ac]	Republican[269]	1976		James D. McGinnis[ab]
						1980		Mike Castle
69			Mike Castle (1939–2025) [271]	January 15, 1985[272] – January 2, 1993 (2910 days; resigned)[af]	Republican[271]	1984		Shien Biau Woo[ab]
						1988		Dale E. Wolf
70			Dale E. Wolf (1924–2021) [273]	January 3, 1993[ag] – January 19, 1993 (17 days; succeeded)	Republican[273]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
71			Tom Carper (b. 1947) [275]	January 19, 1993[276] – January 3, 2001 (2907 days; resigned)[ah]	Democratic[275]	1992		Ruth Ann Minner
						1996
72			Ruth Ann Minner (1935–2021) [278]	January 3, 2001[279] – January 20, 2009 (2940 days; term-limited)[ac]	Democratic[278]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						2000		John Carney
						2004
73			Jack Markell (b. 1960) [280]	January 20, 2009[281] – January 17, 2017 (2920 days; term-limited)[ac]	Democratic[280]	2008		Matthew Denn (resigned January 6, 2015)
						2012
							Vacant
74			John Carney (b. 1956) [282]	January 17, 2017[283] – January 7, 2025 (2913 days; resigned)[ai]	Democratic[282]	2016		Bethany Hall-Long
						2020
75			Bethany Hall-Long (b. 1963) [284]	January 7, 2025[285] – January 21, 2025 (15 days; succeeded)	Democratic[284]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
76			Matt Meyer (b. 1971) [286]	January 21, 2025[287] – Incumbent[aj] (in office 584 days)	Democratic[286]	2024		Kyle Evans Gay

Timeline

Timeline of Delaware governors

See also

• Delaware gubernatorial elections
• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Delaware

Notes

References

General

Constitutions

Specific