The governor of Illinois is the head of government of the U.S. state of Illinois. The governor is the head of the executive branch of Illinois's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Illinois Legislature, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment.IL Const. art. V The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.

Since becoming a state in 1818, 43 people have served as governor of Illinois; before statehood, it had only one territorial governor, Ninian Edwards. The longest-serving governor was James R. Thompson, who was elected to four terms lasting 14 years, from 1977 to 1991. Only one governor, Richard J. Oglesby, has served multiple non-consecutive terms, having been elected in 1864, 1872, and 1884.

The current governor is J. B. Pritzker, who took office on January 14, 2019.

List of governors

Territory of Illinois Illinois Territory was formed on March 1, 1809, from Indiana Territory. It had only two governors appointed by the president of the United States before it became a state, and only one ever took office.

+ Governors of the Territory of IllinoisGovernorTerm in officeAppointed by1John BoyleMarch 7, 1809–April 3, 18092Ninian EdwardsApril 24, 1809–October 6, 1818

State of Illinois Illinois was admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818, consisting of the southern portion of Illinois Territory; the remainder was assigned to Michigan Territory.

The first Illinois Constitution, ratified in 1818, provided that a governor be elected every 4 years1818 Const. art. III, § 2 for a term starting on the first Monday in the December following an election.1818 Const. art. III, § 3 The constitution of 1848 moved the start of the term to the second Monday in January starting in 1849, thus shortening the term won in the 1844 election to 2 years.1848 Const. art. IV, § 3 Governors were not allowed to succeed themselves until the 1870 constitution, which removed this limit.

The office of lieutenant governor was created in the first constitution,1818 Const. art. III, § 13 to exercise the power of governor if that office becomes vacant.1818 Const. art. III, § 18 The 1848 constitution changed this to say the power "devolves" upon the lieutenant governor in case of a vacancy.1848 Const. art. IV, § 19 The current constitution of 1970 made it so that, in the event of a vacancy, the lieutenant becomes governor,IL Const. art. V, § 6 and the governor and lieutenant governor are now elected on the same ticket.IL Const. art. V, § 4 If the governor feels seriously impeded in performing their job, they can inform the secretary of state and the next in the line of succession, who becomes acting governor until the governor can resume office.

+ Governors of the State of IllinoisGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor1 Shadrach BondOctober 6, 1818Kallenbach pp. 161–162–December 5, 1822Democratic-Republican1818 2Edward ColesDecember 5, 1822–December 6, 1826Independent18223Ninian EdwardsDecember 6, 1826–December 6, 1830Democratic-Republican18264John ReynoldsDecember 6, 1830–November 17, 1834Democratic18305William Lee D. EwingNovember 17, 1834–December 3, 1834DemocraticVacant6Joseph DuncanDecember 3, 1834Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1834 sess., 21, accessed August 16, 2023–December 7, 1838Whig18347Thomas CarlinDecember 7, 1838Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1838 sess., 16, accessed August 16, 2023–December 8, 1842Democratic18388Thomas FordDecember 8, 1842Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1842 sess., 33, accessed August 16, 2023–December 9, 1846Democratic18429Augustus C. FrenchDecember 9, 1846Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1846 sess., 13, accessed August 16, 2023–January 10, 1853Democratic1846184810Joel Aldrich MattesonJanuary 10, 1853Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1853 sess., 46, accessed August 16, 2023–January 12, 1857Democratic185211William Henry BissellJanuary 12, 1857Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1857 sess., 60, accessed August 16, 2023–March 18, 1860Republican185612John WoodMarch 18, 1860–January 14, 1861Republican13Richard YatesJanuary 14, 1861Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1861 sess., 58, accessed August 16, 2023–January 16, 1865Republican186014Richard J. OglesbyJanuary 16, 1865Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1865 sess., 163, accessed August 16, 2023–January 11, 1869Republican186415John M. PalmerJanuary 11, 1869Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1869 sess., 186, accessed August 16, 2023–January 13, 1873Republican186814Richard J. OglesbyJanuary 13, 1873Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1873 sess., 52, accessed August 16, 2023–January 23, 1873Republican187216John Lourie BeveridgeJanuary 23, 1873Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1873 sess., 138, accessed August 16, 2023–January 8, 1877Republican17Shelby Moore CullomJanuary 8, 1877Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1877 sess., 39, accessed August 16, 2023–February 6, 1883Republican1876188018John Marshall HamiltonFebruary 6, 1883–January 30, 1885Republican14Richard J. OglesbyJanuary 30, 1885Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1885 sess., 122, accessed August 16, 2023–January 14, 1889Republican188419Joseph W. FiferJanuary 14, 1889Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1889 sess., 99, accessed August 16, 2023–January 10, 1893Republican188820John Peter AltgeldJanuary 10, 1893Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1893 sess., 113, accessed August 16, 2023–January 11, 1897Democratic189221John Riley TannerJanuary 11, 1897Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1897 sess., 167, accessed August 16, 2023–January 14, 1901Republican189622Richard Yates Jr.January 14, 1901Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1901 sess., 173, accessed August 16, 2023–January 9, 1905Republican190023Charles S. DeneenJanuary 9, 1905Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1905 sess., 237, accessed August 16, 2023–February 3, 1913Republican1904190824Edward Fitzsimmons DunneFebruary 3, 1913Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1913 sess., 395, accessed August 16, 2023–January 8, 1917Democratic191225Frank Orren LowdenJanuary 8, 1917Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1917 sess., 239, accessed August 16, 2023–January 10, 1921Republican191626Len SmallJanuary 10, 1921Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1921 sess., 313, accessed August 16, 2023–January 14, 1929Republican1920192427Louis Lincoln EmmersonJanuary 14, 1929Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1929 sess., 104, accessed August 16, 2023–January 9, 1933Republican192828Henry HornerJanuary 9, 1933Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1933 sess., 43, accessed August 16, 2023–October 6, 1940Democratic1932193629John Henry StelleOctober 6, 1940–January 13, 1941DemocraticVacant30Dwight H. GreenJanuary 13, 1941Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1941 sess., 27, accessed August 16, 2023–January 10, 1949Republican1940194431Adlai Stevenson IIJanuary 10, 1949Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1949 sess., 40, accessed August 16, 2023–January 12, 1953Democratic194832William StrattonJanuary 12, 1953Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1953 sess., 43, accessed August 16, 2023–January 9, 1961Republican1952195633Otto Kerner Jr.January 9, 1961Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1961 sess., Volume 1, 35, accessed August 16, 2023–May 20, 1968Democratic1960196434Samuel H. ShapiroMay 20, 1968–January 13, 1969DemocraticVacant35Richard B. OgilvieJanuary 13, 1969Illinois General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. 1969 sess., Volume 1, 33, accessed August 16, 2023–January 8, 1973Republican196836Dan WalkerJanuary 8, 1973–January 10, 1977Democratic197237Jim ThompsonJanuary 10, 1977–January 14, 1991Republican19761978Vacant1982198638Jim EdgarJanuary 14, 1991–January 11, 1999Republican19901994Vacant39George RyanJanuary 11, 1999–January 13, 2003Republican199840Rod BlagojevichJanuary 13, 2003–January 29, 2009Democratic2002200641Pat QuinnJanuary 29, 2009–January 12, 2015DemocraticVacant201042Bruce RaunerJanuary 12, 2015–January 14, 2019Republican201443 JB PritzkerJanuary 14, 2019–IncumbentDemocratic20182022

See also List of Illinois state legislatures List of commandants of the Illinois Country

Notes

References General

Constitutions

Specific

External links Office of the Governor of Illinois