List of governors of Vermont


The governor of Vermont is the U.S. state government's chief executive. As of 2015, Vermont is one of only two U.S. states 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.

List

As the independent Vermont Republic

As a U.S. state

;Political party







#PortraitGovernorTook officeLeft officeLieutenant GovernorPartySide of the Green Mountains
1Thomas ChittendenOctober 1790August 25, 1797Jonathan HuntIndependentWest
1Thomas ChittendenOctober 1790August 25, 1797Paul BrighamIndependentWest
2Paul BrighamAugust 25, 1797October 16, 1797Paul BrighamDemocratic-RepublicanEast
3Isaac TichenorOctober 16, 1797October 9, 1807Paul BrighamFederalistWest
4Israel SmithOctober 9, 1807October 14, 1808Paul BrighamDemocratic-RepublicanWest
5Isaac TichenorOctober 14, 1808October 14, 1809Paul BrighamFederalistWest
6Jonas GalushaOctober 14, 1809October 23, 1813Paul BrighamDemocratic-RepublicanWest
7Martin ChittendenOctober 23, 1813October 14, 1815William ChamberlainFederalistWest
8Jonas GalushaOctober 14, 1815October 23, 1820Paul BrighamDemocratic-RepublicanWest
9Richard SkinnerOctober 23, 1820October 10, 1823William CahoonDemocratic-RepublicanWest
9Richard SkinnerOctober 23, 1820October 10, 1823Aaron LelandDemocratic-RepublicanWest
10Cornelius P. Van NessOctober 10, 1823October 13, 1826Aaron LelandDemocratic-RepublicanWest
11Ezra ButlerOctober 13, 1826October 10, 1828Aaron LelandNational RepublicanEast
11Ezra ButlerOctober 13, 1826October 10, 1828Henry OlinNational RepublicanEast
12Samuel C. CraftsOctober 10, 1828October 18, 1831Mark RichardsNational RepublicanEast
13William A. PalmerOctober 18, 1831November 2, 1835Lebbeus EgertonAnti-MasonicEast
13William A. PalmerOctober 18, 1831November 2, 1835Silas H. Jennison Anti-MasonicEast
14Silas H. JennisonNovember 2, 1835October 15, 1841vacantWhigWest
14Silas H. JennisonNovember 2, 1835October 15, 1841David M. CampWhigWest
15Charles PaineOctober 15, 1841October 13, 1843Waitstill R. RanneyWhigEast
16John MattocksOctober 13, 1843October 11, 1844Horace EatonWhigEast
17William SladeOctober 11, 1844October 9, 1846Horace EatonWhigWest
18Horace EatonOctober 9, 1846October 1848Leonard SargeantWhigEast
19Carlos CoolidgeOctober 1848October 11, 1850Robert PierpointWhigEast
20Charles K. WilliamsOctober 11, 1850October 1852Julius ConverseWhigWest
21Erastus FairbanksOctober 1852October 27, 1853William C. KittredgeWhigEast
22John S. RobinsonOctober 27, 1853October 13, 1854Jefferson P. KidderDemocraticWest
23Stephen RoyceOctober 13, 1854October 10, 1856Ryland FletcherWhig West
23Stephen RoyceOctober 13, 1854October 10, 1856Ryland FletcherRepublican West
24Ryland FletcherOctober 10, 1856October 10, 1858James M. SladeRepublicanEast
25Hiland HallOctober 10, 1858October 12, 1860Burnham MartinRepublicanWest
26Erastus FairbanksOctober 12, 1860October 11, 1861Levi UnderwoodRepublicanEast
27Frederick HolbrookOctober 11, 1861October 9, 1863Levi UnderwoodRepublicanEast
27Frederick HolbrookOctober 11, 1861October 9, 1863Paul DillinghamRepublicanEast
28J. Gregory SmithOctober 9, 1863October 13, 1865Paul DillinghamRepublicanWest
29Paul DillinghamOctober 13, 1865October 13, 1867Abraham B. GardnerRepublicanEast
30John B. PageOctober 13, 1867October 15, 1869Stephen ThomasRepublicanWest
31Peter T. WashburnOctober 15, 1869February 7, 1870George W. HendeeRepublicanEast
32George W. HendeeFebruary 7, 1870October 6, 1870George N. DaleRepublicanWest
33John W. StewartOctober 6, 1870October 3, 1872George N. DaleRepublicanWest
34Julius ConverseOctober 3, 1872October 8, 1874Russell S. TaftRepublicanEast
35Asahel PeckOctober 8, 1874October 5, 1876Lyman G. HinckleyRepublicanWest
36Horace FairbanksOctober 5, 1876October 3, 1878Redfield ProctorRepublicanEast
37Redfield ProctorOctober 3, 1878October 7, 1880Eben Pomeroy ColtonRepublicanWest
38Roswell FarnhamOctober 7, 1880October 5, 1882John L. BarstowRepublicanEast
39John L. BarstowOctober 5, 1882October 2, 1884Samuel E. PingreeRepublicanWest
40Samuel E. PingreeOctober 2, 1884October 7, 1886Ebenezer J. OrmsbeeRepublicanEast
41Ebenezer J. OrmsbeeOctober 7, 1886October 4, 1888Levi K. FullerRepublicanWest
42William P. DillinghamOctober 4, 1888October 2, 1890Urban A. WoodburyRepublicanEast
43Carroll S. PageOctober 2, 1890October 6, 1892Henry A. FletcherRepublicanWest
44Levi K. FullerOctober 6, 1892October 4, 1894F. Stewart StranahanRepublicanEast
45Urban A. WoodburyOctober 4, 1894October 8, 1896Zophar M. MansurRepublicanWest
46Josiah GroutOctober 8, 1896October 6, 1898Nelson W. FiskRepublicanEast
47Edward C. SmithOctober 6, 1898October 4, 1900Henry C. BatesRepublicanWest
48William W. StickneyOctober 4, 1900October 3, 1902Martin F. AllenRepublicanEast
49John G. McCulloughOctober 3, 1902October 6, 1904Zed S. StantonRepublicanWest
50Charles J. BellOctober 6, 1904October 4, 1906Charles H. StearnsRepublicanEast
51Fletcher D. ProctorOctober 4, 1906October 8, 1908George H. ProutyRepublicanWest
52George H. ProutyOctober 8, 1908October 5, 1910John A. MeadRepublicanEast
53John A. MeadOctober 5, 1910October 3, 1912Leighton P. SlackRepublicanWest
54Allen M. FletcherOctober 3, 1912January 7, 1915Frank E. HoweRepublicanEast
55Charles W. GatesJanuary 7, 1915January 4, 1917Hale K. DarlingRepublicanWest
56Horace F. GrahamJanuary 4, 1917January 9, 1919Roger W. HulburdRepublicanEast
57Percival W. ClementJanuary 9, 1919January 6, 1921Mason S. StoneRepublicanWest
58James HartnessJanuary 6, 1921January 4, 1923Abram W. FooteRepublicanEast
59Redfield Proctor Jr.January 4, 1923January 8, 1925Franklin S. BillingsRepublicanWest
60Franklin S. BillingsJanuary 8, 1925January 6, 1927Walter K. FarnsworthRepublicanEast
61John E. WeeksJanuary 6, 1927January 8, 1931Hollister Jackson
Stanley C. Wilson		RepublicanWest
62Stanley C. WilsonJanuary 8, 1931January 10, 1935Benjamin Williams
Charles Manley Smith		RepublicanEast
63Charles M. SmithJanuary 10, 1935January 7, 1937George D. AikenRepublicanWest
64George David AikenJanuary 7, 1937January 9, 1941William H. WillsRepublicanEast
65William H. WillsJanuary 9, 1941January 4, 1945Mortimer R. ProctorRepublicanWest
66Mortimer R. ProctorJanuary 4, 1945January 9, 1947Lee E. EmersonRepublicanWest
67Ernest W. Gibson Jr.January 9, 1947January 16, 1950Lee E. EmersonRepublicanEast
67Ernest W. Gibson Jr.January 9, 1947January 16, 1950Harold J. ArthurRepublicanEast
68Harold J. ArthurJanuary 16, 1950January 4, 1951vacantRepublicanWest
69Lee E. EmersonJanuary 4, 1951January 6, 1955Joseph B. JohnsonRepublicanEast
70Joseph B. JohnsonJanuary 6, 1955January 8, 1959Consuelo N. Bailey
Robert T. Stafford		RepublicanEast
71Robert T. StaffordJanuary 8, 1959January 5, 1961Robert S. BabcockRepublicanWest
72F. Ray Keyser Jr.January 5, 1961January 10, 1963Ralph A. Foote RepublicanEast
73Philip H. HoffJanuary 10, 1963January 9, 1969Ralph A. Foote DemocraticWest
73Philip H. HoffJanuary 10, 1963January 9, 1969John J. Daley DemocraticWest
74Deane C. DavisJanuary 9, 1969January 4, 1973John S. Burgess Republican-
74Deane C. DavisJanuary 9, 1969January 4, 1973John S. Burgess RepublicanEast
75Thomas P. SalmonJanuary 4, 1973January 6, 1977Brian D. Burns DemocraticEast
75Thomas P. SalmonJanuary 4, 1973January 6, 1977Brian D. Burns DemocraticEast
76Richard A. SnellingJanuary 6, 1977January 10, 1985T. Garry Buckley RepublicanWest
76Richard A. SnellingJanuary 6, 1977January 10, 1985Madeleine Kunin RepublicanWest
76Richard A. SnellingJanuary 6, 1977January 10, 1985Peter P. Smith RepublicanWest
77Madeleine KuninJanuary 10, 1985January 10, 1991Peter P. Smith DemocraticWest
77Madeleine KuninJanuary 10, 1985January 10, 1991Howard Dean DemocraticWest
78Richard A. SnellingJanuary 10, 1991August 13, 1991Howard Dean RepublicanWest
79Howard DeanAugust 13, 1991January 9, 2003vacantDemocraticWest
79Howard DeanAugust 13, 1991January 9, 2003Barbara W. Snelling DemocraticWest
79Howard DeanAugust 13, 1991January 9, 2003Douglas Racine DemocraticWest
80Jim DouglasJanuary 9, 2003January 6, 2011Brian DubieRepublicanWest
81Peter ShumlinJanuary 6, 2011January 5, 2017Phil Scott DemocraticEast
82Phil ScottJanuary 5, 2017IncumbentDavid Zuckerman RepublicanEast

Other high offices held

This is a table of congressional seats, other federal offices, and other governorships held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Vermont except where noted.* denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.

Living former governors of Vermont

, there are five former governors of Vermont who are currently living at this time, the oldest governor of Vermont being Thomas P. Salmon. The most recent governor of Vermont to die was Philip H. Hoff, in April 2018. The most recently serving governor of Vermont to die was Richard A. Snelling, in office on August 13, 1991.
GovernorGubernatorial termDate of birth
Thomas P. Salmon1973–1977
Madeleine M. Kunin1985–1991
Howard Dean1991–2003
Jim Douglas2003–2011
Peter Shumlin2011-2017

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 imposition of the "Mountain Rule." 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 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 and Aiken–Gibson 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. Though I-89 is a north-south route, it traverses Vermont from east to west and changed the way Vermonters viewed how the state was divided.