List of governors of Nebraska


The Governor of Nebraska holds the "supreme executive power" of the U.S. state of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Nebraska Constitution. The current office holder is Pete Ricketts, a Republican, who was sworn in on January 8, 2015. The current Lieutenant Governor is Mike Foley, who also assumed office on January 8, 2015.
Governors of Nebraska must be at least 30 years old and have been citizens and residents of the state for five years before being elected. Before 1966, the governor was elected to a two-year term. The state constitution was amended in a 1962 referendum so that beginning with the 1966 election, the governor would be elected to a four-year term; in 1966, this was further amended to place a term limit of two consecutive terms. The lieutenant governor is subject to the same limitations and runs on a combined ticket with the governor. Governors are limited to two consecutive terms but there is no limit on the total number of terms one may serve. Charles W. Bryan is the only Governor to serve non-consecutive terms.
If the governor becomes incapacitated or is out of the state, the Lieutenant Governor acts as Governor; if there is a vacancy or permanent incapacitation, the Lieutenant Governor becomes Governor. However, if both offices become vacant, the next person in the line of succession is the Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature.

Territorial governors

Before statehood, governors were appointed to a four-year term by the President of the United States.
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State governors

Popularly elected, beginning in 1866, to a two-year term. In 1962, the voters approved a constitutional amendment expanding terms beginning in 1966 to four years. In 1966, the voters limited the number of consecutive full terms that any one governor could serve to two
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Succession

Other high offices held

This is a table of other governorships, congressional seats and other national public offices held by governors of Nebraska. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Nebraska except where noted.

Appointing presidents

Living former governors of Nebraska

, 5 former U.S. governors of Nebraska are still living. The oldest of these is Kay A. Orr. The most recent Governor to die was Charles Thone, on March 7, 2018.
NameGubernatorial termDate of birth
Bob Kerrey1983-1987
Kay A. Orr1987-1991
Ben Nelson1991-1999
Mike Johanns1999-2005
Dave Heineman2005-2015