Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States
The following is the planned order of succession for the governorships of the 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. and the 5 organized territories of the United States, according to the constitutions of each. Some states make a distinction whether the succeeding individual is acting as governor or becomes governor.
From 1980 to 1999, there were 13 successions of governorships. From 2000 to 2019 this number increased to 29. The only instance since at least 1980 in which the second in line reached a state governorship was on January 8, 2002 when New Jersey Attorney General John Farmer Jr. acted as governor for 90 minutes between Donald DiFrancesco and John O. Bennett's terms in that capacity as president of the Senate following governor Christine Todd Whitman's resignation. In 2019, Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico Wanda Vázquez Garced became governor when both the governor and secretary of state resigned in Telegramgate.
From 1945 to 2016, 39 of those who succeeded to the governorship ran for and won election to a full term.
States
Alabama
Provided for by Article V, Section 127 of the Constitution of Alabama.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Alabama | Kay Ivey | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor of Alabama | Will Ainsworth |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Del Marsh |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Mac McCutcheon |
| 4 | Attorney General | Steve Marshall |
| 5 | Auditor | Jim Zeigler |
| 6 | Secretary of State | John Merrill |
| 7 | Treasurer | John McMillan |
Alaska
Provided for by Article III, Section 10 of the Constitution of Alaska.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Alaska | Mike Dunleavy | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor of Alaska | Kevin Meyer |
Arizona
Provided for by Article V, Section 6 of the Constitution of Arizona.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Arizona | Doug Ducey | |
| 1 | Secretary of State | Katie Hobbs |
| 2 | Attorney General | Mark Brnovich |
| 3 | Treasurer | Kimberly Yee |
| 4 | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Kathy Hoffman |
Arkansas
Provided for by Article VI, Section 5 of the Constitution of Arkansas as amended.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Arkansas | Asa Hutchinson | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas | Tim Griffin |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Jim Hendren |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Matthew Shepherd |
California
Provided for by Article V, Section 10 of the Constitution of California and Title 2, Division 3 of the California Codes.Colorado
Provided for by Article IV, Section 13 of the Constitution of Colorado.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Colorado | Jared Polis | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Dianne Primavera |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Leroy Garcia |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | KC Becker |
| 4 | Minority Leader of the House | Patrick Neville |
| 5 | Minority Leader of the Senate | Chris Holbert |
Connecticut
Provided for by Article IV, Sections 18–21 of the Constitution of Connecticut.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Connecticut | Ned Lamont | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Susan Bysiewicz |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Martin Looney |
Delaware
Provided for by Article III, Section 20 of the Constitution of Delaware.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Delaware | John Carney | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Bethany Hall-Long |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Jeffrey W. Bullock |
| 3 | Attorney General | Kathy Jennings |
| 4 | President pro tempore of the Senate | David McBride |
| 5 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Peter Schwartzkopf |
Florida
Provided for by Article IV, Section 3 of the Constitution of Florida and Florida Statute 14.055.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Florida | Ron DeSantis | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Jeanette Núñez |
| 2 | Attorney General | Ashley Moody |
| 3 | Chief Financial Officer | Jimmy Patronis |
| 4 | Commissioner of Agriculture | Nikki Fried |
Georgia
Provided for by Article V, Section 1, Paragraph V of the Constitution of Georgia.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Georgia | Brian Kemp | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Geoff Duncan |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | David Ralston |
Hawaii
Provided for by Article V, Section 4 of the Constitution of Hawaii and Title 4 §26-2 of the Hawaii code.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Hawaii | David Ige | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Josh Green |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Ron Kouchi |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Scott Saiki |
| 4 | Attorney General | Clare E. Connors |
| 5 | Director of Finance | Roderick Becker |
| 6 | Comptroller | Curt Otaguro |
| 7 | Director of Taxation | Linda Chu Takayama |
| 8 | Director of Human Resources Development | Ryker Wada |
Idaho
Provided for by Article IV, Sections 12–14 of the Constitution of Idaho.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Idaho | Brad Little | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Janice McGeachin |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Brent Hill |
Illinois
Provided for by Article V, Section 6 of the Constitution of Illinois and the Governor Succession Act| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Illinois | J. B. Pritzker | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Juliana Stratton |
| 2 | Attorney General | Kwame Raoul |
| 3 | Secretary of State | Jesse White |
| 4 | Comptroller | Susana Mendoza |
| 5 | Treasurer | Mike Frerichs |
| 6 | President of the Senate | Don Harmon |
| 7 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Michael Madigan |
Indiana
Provided for by Article V, Section 10 of the Constitution of Indiana.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Indiana | Eric Holcomb | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Suzanne Crouch |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Todd Huston |
| 3 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Rodric Bray |
| 4 | Treasurer | Kelly Mitchell |
| 5 | Secretary of State | Connie Lawson |
| 6 | Auditor | Tera Klutz |
| 7 | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Jennifer McCormick |
Iowa
Provided for by Article IV, Sections 17–19 of the Constitution of Iowa.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Iowa | Kim Reynolds | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Adam Gregg |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Charles Schneider |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Pat Grassley |
Kansas
Provided for by KSA Statute 75–125 and the Emergency Interim Executive and Judicial Succession Act of 1994.Kentucky
Provided for by Sections 84, 85 and 87 of the Kentucky Constitution.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Kentucky | Andy Beshear | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Jacqueline Coleman |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Robert Stivers |
| 3 | Attorney General | Daniel Cameron |
| 4 | Auditor | Mike Harmon |
Louisiana
Provided for by Article IV, Section 14 of the Constitution of Louisiana.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Louisiana | John Bel Edwards | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Billy Nungesser |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Kyle Ardoin |
| 3 | Attorney General | Jeff Landry |
| 4 | Treasurer | John Schroder |
| 5 | President of the Senate | Page Cortez |
| 6 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Clay Schexnayder |
Maine
Provided for by Article V, Part 1, Section 14 of the Constitution of Maine.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Maine | Janet Mills | |
| 1 | President of the Senate | Troy Jackson |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Sara Gideon |
| 3 | Secretary of State | Matthew Dunlap |
Maryland
Provided for by Article II, Section 6 of the Constitution of Maryland.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Maryland | Larry Hogan | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Boyd Rutherford |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Bill Ferguson |
Massachusetts
Provided for by Article LV of the Constitution of Massachusetts.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Massachusetts | Charlie Baker | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Karyn Polito |
| 2 | Secretary of the Commonwealth | Bill Galvin |
| 3 | Attorney General | Maura Healey |
| 4 | Treasurer and Receiver-General | Deb Goldberg |
| 5 | Auditor | Suzanne M. Bump |
Michigan
Provided for by Article V, Section 26 of the Constitution of Michigan.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Michigan | Gretchen Whitmer | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Garlin Gilchrist |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Jocelyn Benson |
| 3 | Attorney General | Dana Nessel |
Minnesota
Provided for by Article V, Section 5 of the Minnesota Constitution and Minnesota Statute 4.06.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Minnesota | Tim Walz | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Peggy Flanagan |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Jeremy Miller |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Melissa Hortman |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Steve Simon |
| 5 | Auditor | Julie Blaha |
| 6 | Attorney General | Keith Ellison |
Mississippi
Provided for by Article V, Section 131 of the Constitution of Mississippi.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Mississippi | Tate Reeves | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Delbert Hosemann |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Dean Kirby |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Philip Gunn |
Missouri
Provided for by Article IV, Section 11 of the Constitution of Missouri.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Missouri | Mike Parson | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Mike Kehoe |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Dave Schatz |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Elijah Haahr |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Jay Ashcroft |
| 5 | Auditor | Nicole Galloway |
| 6 | Treasurer | Scott Fitzpatrick |
| 7 | Attorney General | Eric Schmitt |
Montana
Provided for by Article VI, Section 6 of the Constitution of Montana and Montana Code 2-16-511 to 2-16-513.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Montana | Steve Bullock | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Mike Cooney |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Scott Sales |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Greg Hertz |
| 4 | Most senior member of the Montana Legislature | Sen. Gene Vuckovich |
Nebraska
Provided for by Article IV, Section 16 of the Constitution of Nebraska.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Nebraska | Pete Ricketts | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Mike Foley |
| 2 | Speaker of the Legislature | Jim Scheer |
Nevada
Provided for by Nevada Revised Statute 223.080.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Nevada | Steve Sisolak | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Kate Marshall |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Mo Denis |
| 3 | Speaker of the Assembly | Jason Frierson |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Barbara Cegavske |
New Hampshire
Provided for by Part 2, Article 49 of the Constitution of New Hampshire.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of New Hampshire | Chris Sununu | |
| 1 | President of the Senate | Donna Soucy |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Steve Shurtleff |
| 3 | Secretary of State | Bill Gardner |
| 4 | Treasurer | Bill Dwyer |
New Jersey
Provided for by Article V, Section I, Paragraph 7 of the Constitution of New Jersey and New Jersey Revised Statute 52:14A-4.New Mexico
Provided for by Article V, Section 7 of the Constitution of New Mexico| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of New Mexico | Michelle Lujan Grisham | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Howie Morales |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Maggie Toulouse Oliver |
| 3 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Mary Kay Papen |
| 4 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Brian Egolf |
New York
Provided for by Article IV, Sections 5–6 of the New York Constitution and Article 1-A, Section 5 of the Defense Emergency Act of 1951.North Carolina
Provided for by Article III, Section 3 of the Constitution of North Carolina and G.S. Section 147.11.1.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of North Carolina | Roy Cooper | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Dan Forest |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Philip E. Berger |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Tim Moore |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Elaine Marshall |
| 5 | Auditor | Beth Wood |
| 6 | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Mark Johnson |
| 7 | Attorney General | Josh Stein |
| 8 | Commissioner of Agriculture | Steve Troxler |
| 9 | Commissioner of Labor | Cherie Berry |
| 10 | Commissioner of Insurance | Mike Causey |
North Dakota
Provided for by Article V, Section 11 of the Constitution of North Dakota.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of North Dakota | Doug Burgum | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Brent Sanford |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Alvin Jaeger |
Ohio
Provided for by Article III, Section 15 of the Constitution of Ohio and Title I, Chapter 161 of the Ohio Revised Code.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Ohio | Mike DeWine | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Jon A. Husted |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Larry Obhof |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Larry Householder |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Frank LaRose |
| 5 | Treasurer | Robert Sprague |
| 6 | Auditor | Keith Faber |
| 7 | Attorney General | Dave Yost |
Oklahoma
As provided by Article VI, Section 15 of the Constitution of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Emergency Interim Executive and Judicial Succession Act.Oregon
Provided for by Article V, Section 8a of the Constitution of Oregon| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Oregon | Kate Brown | |
| — | Secretary of State | Bev Clarno |
| 1 | Treasurer | Tobias Read |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Peter Courtney |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Tina Kotek |
Pennsylvania
Provided for by Article IV, Sections 13–14 of the Pennsylvania Constitution| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Pennsylvania | Tom Wolf | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | John Fetterman |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Joe Scarnati |
Rhode Island
Provided for by Article IX, Sections 9–10 of the Constitution of Rhode Island| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Rhode Island | Gina Raimondo | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Daniel McKee |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Nicholas Mattiello |
South Carolina
Provided for by Article IV, Sections 6 and 7 of the South Carolina Constitution and South Carolina Code of Laws sections 1-3-120, 1-3-130 and 1-9-30.South Dakota
Provided for by Article IV, Section 6 of the Constitution of South Dakota.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of South Dakota | Kristi Noem | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Larry Rhoden |
Tennessee
Provided for by Article III, Section 12 of the Constitution of Tennessee and Acts 1941, Chapter 99 §1.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Tennessee | Bill Lee | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Senate | Randy McNally |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Cameron Sexton |
| 3 | Secretary of State | Tre Hargett |
| 4 | Comptroller of the Treasury | Justin P. Wilson |
Texas
Provided for by Article IV, Sections 3a and 16–18 of the Constitution of Texas and Chapter 401.023 of Title 4 the Texas Code.Utah
Provided for by Article VII, Section 11 of the Constitution of Utah and the Emergency Interim Succession Act.Vermont
Provided for by Chapter II, Section 20 of the Constitution of Vermont, 3 VSA §1 and 20 VSA §183.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Vermont | Phil Scott | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | David Zuckerman |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Mitzi Johnson |
| 3 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Tim Ashe |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Jim Condos |
| 5 | Treasurer | Beth Pearce |
Virginia
Provided for by Article V, Section 16 of the Constitution of Virginia.Washington
Provided for by Article III, Section 10 of the Constitution of Washington.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Washington | Jay Inslee | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Cyrus Habib |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Kim Wyman |
| 3 | Treasurer | Duane Davidson |
| 4 | Auditor | Pat McCarthy |
| 5 | Attorney General | Bob Ferguson |
| 6 | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Chris Reykdal |
| 7 | Commissioner of Public Lands | Hilary Franz |
West Virginia
Provided for by Article VII, Section 16 of the Constitution of West Virginia.Wisconsin
Provided for by Article V, Sections 7 and 8 of the Constitution of Wisconsin.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Wisconsin | Tony Evers | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Mandela Barnes |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Doug La Follette |
Wyoming
Provided for by Article IV, Section 6 of the Wyoming Constitution.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Wyoming | Mark Gordon | |
| 1 | Secretary of State | Edward Buchanan |
Federal district
Washington, D.C.
Provided for by Title IV, Section 421 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Mayor of Washington, D.C. | Muriel Bowser | |
| 1 | Chair of the D.C. Council | Phil Mendelson |
Organized territories
American Samoa
Provided for by Article IV, Section 4 Constitution of American Samoa and Section 4.0106 of the American Samoa Codes Annotated.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of American Samoa | Lolo Matalasi Moliga | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Lemanu Peleti Mauga |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Savali Talavou Ale |
Guam
Provided for by Subchapter 1, Section 1422 of the Guam Organic Act of 1950.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Guam | Lou Leon Guerrero | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Josh Tenorio |
| 2 | Speaker of the Legislature | Tina Rose Muna Barnes |
Northern Mariana Islands
Provided for by Article III, Section 7 of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Constitution.| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands | Ralph Torres | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Arnold Palacios |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Victor Hocog |
Puerto Rico
Provided for by Article IV, Section 8 of the Constitution of Puerto Rico and Law No. 7 of 2005| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of Puerto Rico | Wanda Vázquez Garced | |
| 1 | Secretary of State | Elmer Román |
| 2 | Secretary of Justice | Dennise Longo Quiñones |
| — | Secretary of Treasury | Francisco Parés Alicea |
| 3 | Secretary of Education | Eligio Hernández Pérez |
| 4 | Secretary of Labor and Human Resources | Briseida Torres Reyes |
| 5 | Secretary of Transportation and Public Works | Carlos Contreras Aponte |
| 6 | Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce | Manuel Laboy Rivera |
| 7 | Secretary of Health | Lorenzo González Feliciano |
U.S. Virgin Islands
Provided for by Subsection IV §1595 of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands and the Executive Succession Act of 1972| # | Office | Current officeholder |
| Governor of the United States Virgin Islands | Albert Bryan | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Tregenza Roach |
| 2 | President of the Legislature | Novelle Francis |
| 3 | Vice President of the Legislature | Myron D. Jackson |
| 4 | Commissioner of Finance | Kirk Callwood |
| 5 | Attorney General | Denise George |
| 6 | Director of the Office of Management and Budget | Jenifer O'Neal |
| 7 | Commissioner of Education | Racquel Berry-Benjamin |
| 8 | Commission of Public Works | Nelson Petty Jr. |
| 9 | Commission of Sports, Parks and Recreation | Calvert White |
| 10 | Police Commissioner | Trevor Velinor |