GOVERNORS

initially were elected for one year terms, then two year terms beginning in 1880, and finally in 1962 four year terms were adopted. From 1820 through 1853, fifteen of the eighteen governors were Democratic-Republicans or Democrats. (See election results.)

After a transition (1853-1857) when a Whig, a Republican and a Democrat succeeded each other, Republicans began a long dynasty with the election of Hannibal Hamlin. All ten governors between 1857 and 1879 were Republicans; thirty-one of the thirty-six governors from 1857 through 1955 belonged to the GOP.

Edmund S. Muskie, a Democrat, broke the Republican lock on the office in the election of 1954 and initiated a half-century competitive period in which the two parties have had relatively equal terms as governor, shared with "independent" candidates of no political party.

In the 1998 election, both Democrats and Republicans got the lowest percent of the vote since 1886! Angus King, the independent, received nearly 59 percent of the popular vote.

Governors Years of Service

Political party affiliation is designated as follows:

   [DR] Democratic-Republican        [NR] National Republican

   [W] Whig      [KN] Know Nothing [F] Fusion

   [D ] Democrat      [R ] Republican [I] Independent (no party)

Term          Name, Party
1820-1821   William King, Bath [DR] (resigned)
1821-1821   William D. Williamson, Bangor [DR] (acting, resigned)
1821-1822   Benjamin Ames, Bath [DR] (acting)
1822-1822   Daniel Rose, Thomaston [DR] (acting)
1822-1827   Albion K. Parris, Portland [DR]
1827-1829   Enoch Lincoln, Paris [DR] (died in office)
1829-1830   Nathan Cutler, Farmington [DR] (acting)
1830-1830   Joshua Hall, Frankfort [NR] (acting)
1830-1831   Jonathan G. Hunton, Readfield [NR]
1831-1834   Samuel E. Smith, Wiscasset
1834-1838   Robert P. Dunlap, Brunswick [DR]
1838-1839   Edward Kent, Bangor [W]
1839-1841   John Fairfield, Saco [D] (resign, elected to U.S. Senate)
1841-1841   Richard H. Vose, Augusta (acting)
1841-1842   Edward Kent, Bangor [W]
1843-1844   Edward Kavanaugh, Newcastle [D]
1844-1844   David Dunn, Poland [D]
1844-1844   John W. Dana, Fryeburg [D]
1844-1847   Hugh J. Anderson, Belfast [D]
1847-1850   John W. Dana, Fryeburg [D]
1850-1853   John Hubbard, Hallowell [D]
1853-1855   William G. Crosby, Belfast [W]
1855-1856   Anson P. Morrill, Readfield [KN]
1856-1857   Samuel Wells, Portland [D]
1857-1857   Hannibal Hamlin, Hampden (resigned, elected to U.S. Senate) [R]
1857-1858   Joseph H. Williams, Augusta (acting) [R]
1858-1861   Lot M. Morrill, Augusta [R]
1861-1863   Israel Washburn, Jr., Orono [R]
1863-1864   Abner Coburn, Skowhegan [R]
1864-1867   Samuel Cony, Augusta [R]
1867-1871   Joshua L. Chamberlain, Brunswick [R]
1871-1874   Sidney Perham, Paris [R]
1874-1876   Nelson Dingley, Jr., Lewiston [R]
1876-1879   Selden Connor, Augusta [R]
1879-1880   Alonzo Garcelon, Lewiston [D]
1880-1881   Daniel F. Davis, Corinth [R]
1881-1883   Harris M. Plaisted, Bangor [F]
1883-1887   Frederick Robie, Gorham [R]
1887-1887   Joseph R. Bodwell, Hallowell (died in office) [R]
1887-1889   Sebastian S. Marble, Waldoboro (acting) [R]
1889-1893   Edwin C. Burleigh, Bangor [R]
1893-1897   Henry B. Cleaves, Portland [R]
1897-1901   Llewellyn Powers, Houlton [R]
1901-1905   John Fremont Hill, Augusta [R]
1905-1909   William T. Cobb, Rockland [R]
1909-1911   Bert M. Fernald, Poland [R]
1911-1913   Frederick W. Plaisted, Augusta [D]
1913-1915   William T. Haines, Waterville [R]
1915-1917   Oakley C. Curtis, Portland [D
1917-1921   Carl E. Milliken, Island Falls [R]
1921-1921   Frederick H. Parkhurst, Bangor (died in office) [R]
1921-1925   Percival Baxter, Portland [R]
1925-1929   Ralph Owen Brewster, Portland [R]
1929-1933   William Tudor Gardiner, Gardiner [R]
1933-1937   Louis J. Brann, Lewiston [D]
1937-1941   Lewis O. Barrows, Newport [R]
1941-1945   Sumner Sewall, Bath [R]
1945-1949   Horace A. Hildreth, Cumberland [R]
1949-1952   Frederick G. Payne, Waldoboro (resigned, elected to U.S. Senate) [R]
1952-1953   Burton M. Cross, Augusta (acting) [R]
1953-1955   Burton M. Cross, Augusta [R]
1955-1959   Edmund S. Muskie, Waterville [D]
1959-1959   Robert N. Haskell, Bangor (acting) [R]
1959-1959   Clinton A. Clauson, Waterville (died in office) [D]
1959-1967   John H. Reed, Fort Fairfield [R]
1967-1975   Kenneth M. Curtis, Manchester [D]
1975-1979   James B. Longley, Lewiston [I]
1979-1987   Joseph E. Brennan, Portland [D]
1987-1995   John R. McKernan, Jr., Portland, [R]
1995-2003   Angus S. King, Jr., Brunswick [I]