No.[a] |
Governor
|
Term in office
|
Party
|
Election
|
Lt. Governor[b][c] |
1
|
|
|
Isaac Shelby (1750–1826) [18][19] |
June 4, 1792 – June 1, 1796 (did not run)
|
Democratic- Republican
|
1792
|
Office did not exist
|
2
|
|
James Garrard (1749–1822) [20][21] |
June 1, 1796 – September 5, 1804 (term-limited)
|
Democratic- Republican
|
1796
|
1800
|
|
Alexander Scott Bullitt
|
3
|
|
Christopher Greenup (1750–1818) [22][23] |
September 5, 1804 – September 1, 1808 (term-limited)
|
Democratic- Republican
|
1804
|
John Caldwell (died November 19, 1804)
|
Vacant
|
|
Thomas Posey (acting, elected Speaker in 1805)
|
4
|
|
Charles Scott (1739–1813) [24][25] |
September 1, 1808 – August 24, 1812 (term-limited)
|
Democratic- Republican
|
1808
|
Gabriel Slaughter
|
5
|
|
Isaac Shelby (1750–1826) [18][19] |
August 24, 1812 – September 5, 1816 (term-limited)
|
Democratic- Republican
|
1812
|
Richard Hickman
|
6
|
|
George Madison (1763–1816) [26][27] |
September 5, 1816 – October 14, 1816 (died in office)
|
Democratic- Republican
|
1816
|
Gabriel Slaughter
|
7
|
|
Gabriel Slaughter (1767–1830) [28][29] |
October 14, 1816 – August 29, 1820 (did not run)
|
Democratic- Republican
|
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
|
Vacant
|
8
|
|
John Adair (1757–1830) [30][31] |
August 29, 1820[d] – August 24, 1824 (term-limited)
|
Democratic- Republican
|
1820
|
|
William T. Barry
|
9
|
|
Joseph Desha (1768–1842) [33][34] |
August 24, 1824 – August 26, 1828 (term-limited)
|
Democratic- Republican
|
1824
|
Robert B. McAfee
|
10
|
|
|
Thomas Metcalfe (1780–1855) [35][36] |
August 26, 1828 – September 4, 1832 (term-limited)
|
National Republican
|
1828
|
|
John Breathitt[e] |
11
|
|
|
John Breathitt (1786–1834) [37][38] |
September 4, 1832 – February 21, 1834 (died in office)
|
Democratic
|
1832
|
|
James Turner Morehead[f] |
12
|
|
|
James Turner Morehead (1797–1854) [39][40] |
February 21, 1834 – August 30, 1836 (did not run)
|
National Republican[g] |
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
|
Vacant
|
13
|
|
|
James Clark (1779–1839) [41][42] |
August 30, 1836 – August 27, 1839 (died in office)
|
Whig
|
1836
|
|
Charles A. Wickliffe
|
14
|
|
Charles A. Wickliffe (1788–1869) [43][44] |
August 27, 1839 – September 2, 1840 (did not run)
|
Whig
|
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
|
Vacant
|
15
|
|
Robert P. Letcher (1788–1861) [45][46] |
September 2, 1840 – September 4, 1844 (term-limited)
|
Whig
|
1840
|
|
Manlius Valerius Thomson
|
16
|
|
William Owsley (1782–1862) [47][48] |
September 4, 1844 – September 6, 1848 (term-limited)
|
Whig
|
1844
|
Archibald Dixon
|
17
|
|
John J. Crittenden (1787–1863) [49][50] |
September 6, 1848 – July 31, 1850 (resigned)[h] |
Whig
|
1848[i] |
John L. Helm
|
18
|
|
John L. Helm (1802–1867) [51][52] |
July 31, 1850 – September 2, 1851 (did not run)
|
Whig
|
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
|
Vacant
|
19
|
|
|
Lazarus W. Powell (1812–1867) [53][54] |
September 2, 1851 – September 4, 1855 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1851
|
|
John Burton Thompson[j] |
20
|
|
|
Charles S. Morehead (1802–1868) [55][56] |
September 4, 1855 – August 30, 1859 (term-limited)
|
Know Nothing
|
1855
|
|
James Greene Hardy
|
21
|
|
|
Beriah Magoffin (1815–1885) [57][58] |
August 30, 1859 – August 18, 1862 (resigned)[k] |
Democratic
|
1859
|
|
Linn Boyd (died December 17, 1859)
|
Vacant
|
22
|
|
James Fisher Robinson (1800–1882) [59][60] |
August 18, 1862 – September 1, 1863 (did not run)
|
Democratic
|
Succeeded from president of the Senate
|
23
|
|
Thomas E. Bramlette (1817–1875) [61][62] |
September 1, 1863 – September 3, 1867 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1863
|
|
Richard Taylor Jacob
|
24
|
|
John L. Helm (1802–1867) [51][52] |
September 3, 1867 – September 8, 1867 (died in office)
|
Democratic
|
1867
|
John W. Stevenson
|
25
|
|
John W. Stevenson (1812–1886) [63][64] |
September 8, 1867 – February 3, 1871 (resigned)[l] |
Democratic
|
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
|
Vacant
|
1868 (special)
|
26
|
|
Preston Leslie (1819–1907) [65][66] |
February 3, 1871 – August 31, 1875 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
Succeeded from president of the Senate
|
1871
|
|
John G. Carlisle
|
27
|
|
James B. McCreary (1838–1918) [67][68] |
August 31, 1875 – September 2, 1879 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1875
|
John C. Underwood
|
28
|
|
Luke P. Blackburn (1816–1887) [69][70] |
September 2, 1879 – September 5, 1883 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1879
|
James E. Cantrill
|
29
|
|
J. Proctor Knott (1830–1911) [71][72] |
September 5, 1883 – August 30, 1887 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1883
|
James R. Hindman
|
30
|
|
Simon Bolivar Buckner (1823–1914) [73][74] |
August 30, 1887 – September 2, 1891 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1887
|
James William Bryan
|
31
|
|
John Y. Brown (1835–1904) [75][76] |
September 2, 1891 – December 10, 1895 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1891
|
Mitchell Cary Alford
|
32
|
|
|
William O’Connell Bradley (1847–1914) [77][78] |
December 10, 1895 – December 12, 1899 (term-limited)
|
Republican
|
1895
|
|
William Jackson Worthington
|
33
|
|
William S. Taylor (1853–1928) [79][80] |
December 12, 1899 – January 31, 1900 (removed from office)[m] |
Republican
|
1899
|
John Marshall
|
34
|
|
|
William Goebel (1856–1900) [81][82] |
January 31, 1900 – February 3, 1900 (died in office)[m] |
Democratic
|
|
J. C. W. Beckham
|
35
|
|
J. C. W. Beckham (1869–1940) [83][84] |
February 3, 1900 – December 10, 1907 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
Succeeded from lieutenant governor[m] |
Vacant
|
1900 (special)
|
1903
|
|
William P. Thorne
|
36
|
|
|
Augustus E. Willson (1846–1931) [85][86] |
December 10, 1907 – December 12, 1911 (term-limited)
|
Republican
|
1907
|
|
William Hopkinson Cox
|
37
|
|
|
James B. McCreary (1838–1918) [67][68] |
December 12, 1911 – December 7, 1915 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1911
|
|
Edward J. McDermott
|
38
|
|
Augustus Owsley Stanley (1867–1958) [87][88] |
December 7, 1915 – May 19, 1919 (resigned)[n] |
Democratic
|
1915
|
James D. Black
|
39
|
|
James D. Black (1849–1938) [89][90] |
May 19, 1919 – December 9, 1919 (lost election)
|
Democratic
|
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
|
Vacant
|
40
|
|
|
Edwin P. Morrow (1877–1935) [91][92] |
December 9, 1919 – December 11, 1923 (term-limited)
|
Republican
|
1919
|
|
S. Thruston Ballard
|
41
|
|
|
William J. Fields (1874–1954) [93][94] |
December 11, 1923 – December 13, 1927 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1923
|
|
Henry Denhardt
|
42
|
|
|
Flem D. Sampson (1875–1967) [95][96] |
December 13, 1927 – December 8, 1931 (term-limited)
|
Republican
|
1927
|
James Breathitt Jr.[e] |
43
|
|
|
Ruby Laffoon (1869–1941) [97][98] |
December 8, 1931 – December 10, 1935 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1931
|
Happy Chandler
|
44
|
|
Happy Chandler (1898–1991) [99][100] |
December 10, 1935 – October 9, 1939 (resigned)[o] |
Democratic
|
1935
|
Keen Johnson
|
45
|
|
Keen Johnson (1896–1970) [101][102] |
October 9, 1939 – December 7, 1943 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
|
Vacant
|
1939
|
|
Rodes K. Myers
|
46
|
|
|
Simeon Willis (1879–1965) [103][104] |
December 7, 1943 – December 9, 1947 (term-limited)
|
Republican
|
1943
|
|
Kenneth H. Tuggle
|
47
|
|
|
Earle Clements (1896–1985) [105][106] |
December 9, 1947 – November 27, 1950 (resigned)[p] |
Democratic
|
1947
|
|
Lawrence Wetherby
|
48
|
|
Lawrence Wetherby (1908–1994) [107][108] |
November 27, 1950 – December 13, 1955 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
|
Vacant
|
1951
|
|
Emerson Beauchamp
|
49
|
|
Happy Chandler (1898–1991) [99][100] |
December 13, 1955 – December 8, 1959 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1955
|
Harry Lee Waterfield
|
50
|
|
Bert Combs (1911–1991) [109][110] |
December 8, 1959 – December 10, 1963 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1959
|
Wilson W. Wyatt
|
51
|
|
Ned Breathitt (1924–2003) [111][112] |
December 10, 1963 – December 12, 1967 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1963
|
Harry Lee Waterfield
|
52
|
|
|
Louie Nunn (1924–2004) [113][114] |
December 12, 1967 – December 7, 1971 (term-limited)
|
Republican
|
1967
|
Wendell Ford[e] |
53
|
|
|
Wendell Ford (1924–2015) [115][116] |
December 7, 1971 – December 28, 1974 (resigned)[q] |
Democratic
|
1971
|
Julian Carroll
|
54
|
|
Julian Carroll (b. 1931) [117][118] |
December 28, 1974 – December 11, 1979 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
Succeeded from lieutenant governor
|
Vacant
|
1975
|
|
Thelma Stovall
|
55
|
|
John Y. Brown Jr. (1933–2022) [119] |
December 11, 1979 – December 13, 1983 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1979
|
Martha Layne Collins
|
56
|
|
Martha Layne Collins (b. 1936) [120] |
December 13, 1983 – December 8, 1987 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1983
|
Steve Beshear
|
57
|
|
Wallace Wilkinson (1941–2002) [121] |
December 8, 1987 – December 10, 1991 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1987
|
Brereton Jones
|
58
|
|
Brereton C. Jones (b. 1939) [122] |
December 10, 1991 – December 12, 1995 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1991
|
Paul E. Patton
|
59
|
|
Paul E. Patton (b. 1937) [123] |
December 12, 1995 – December 9, 2003 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
1995
|
Steve Henry
|
1999
|
60
|
|
|
Ernie Fletcher (b. 1952) [124] |
December 9, 2003 – December 11, 2007 (lost election)
|
Republican
|
2003
|
|
Steve Pence
|
61
|
|
|
Steve Beshear (b. 1944) [125] |
December 11, 2007 – December 8, 2015 (term-limited)
|
Democratic
|
2007
|
|
Daniel Mongiardo
|
2011
|
Jerry Abramson (resigned November 13, 2014)
|
Crit Luallen
|
62
|
|
|
Matt Bevin (b. 1967) [126] |
December 8, 2015 – December 10, 2019 (lost election)
|
Republican
|
2015
|
|
Jenean Hampton
|
63
|
|
|
Andy Beshear (b. 1977) [127] |
December 10, 2019 – Incumbent[r] |
Democratic
|
2019
|
|
Jacqueline Coleman
|
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