The governor of Maryland is the head of government of the U.S. state of Maryland and is the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and the constitutional powers of Maryland's governors make them among the most powerful governors in the United States.
The current governor is Democrat Wes Moore, who took office on January 18, 2023.
Governors
Maryland was one of the original Thirteen Colonies and was admitted as a state on April 28, 1788. Before it declared its independence, Maryland was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain.
Under the constitution of 1776, governors were appointed by the General Assembly legislature to one-year terms. They could be reelected for two additional terms, though they must take four years off after leaving office. An 1838 constitutional amendment allowed for popular election of governors to three-year terms, though they could not succeed themselves. The 1851 constitution removed the term limit, and lengthened terms to four years, to commence on the second Wednesday of January following the election. Governors were limited to two consecutive terms beginning in 1948.
The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1864, abolished in 1867, and recreated in 1970. The lieutenant governor succeeds to the office of governor should it become vacant. In the original constitution, the first named of the Governor's Council would act as governor if it were vacant, until a new governor was selected; this was changed to the secretary of state in 1837. The 1867 constitution originally called for the General Assembly to immediately elect a new governor; if they were not in session, the president of the Senate would act as governor until one was elected.1867 Const, original, art. II, § 2, accessed March 4, 2023
+ Governors of the State of MarylandGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor1 Thomas JohnsonMarch 21, 1777Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the House of Delegates. Feb. 1777 sess., 44, accessed September 18, 2023–November 12, 1779No parties1777Office did not exist17782Thomas Sim LeeNovember 12, 1779Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Nov. 1779 sess., 4, accessed September 18, 2023–November 22, 17821779178017813William PacaNovember 22, 1782Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Nov. 1782 sess., 6, accessed September 18, 2023–November 26, 17851782178317844William SmallwoodNovember 26, 1785Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Nov. 1785 sess., 10, accessed September 18, 2023–November 27, 17881785178617875John Eager HowardNovember 27, 1788Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Nov. 1788 sess., 7, accessed September 18, 2023–November 14, 1791Federalist1788178917906George PlaterNovember 14, 1791Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Nov. 1791 sess., 5, accessed September 18, 2023–February 10, 1792Federalist1791—James BriceFebruary 10, 1792–April 5, 1792Federalist2Thomas Sim LeeApril 5, 1792Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Apr. 1792 sess., 63, accessed September 18, 2023–November 17, 1794Federalist179217937John Hoskins StoneNovember 17, 1794Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Nov. 1794 sess., 3, accessed September 18, 2023–November 28, 1797Federalist1794179517968John HenryNovember 28, 1797Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Nov. 1797 sess., 10, accessed September 18, 2023–November 14, 1798Federalist17979Benjamin OgleNovember 14, 1798Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Nov. 1798 sess., 4, accessed September 18, 2023–November 10, 1801Federalist17981799180010John Francis MercerNovember 10, 1801Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Nov. 1801 sess., 8, accessed September 18, 2023–November 15, 1803Democratic-Republican1801180211Robert BowieNovember 15, 1803Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Nov. 1803 sess., 6, accessed September 19, 2023–November 12, 1806Democratic-Republican18031804180512Robert WrightNovember 12, 1806Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Nov. 1806 sess., 6, accessed September 19, 2023–May 6, 1809Democratic-Republican180618071808—James ButcherMay 6, 1809–June 9, 1809Democratic-Republican13Edward LloydJune 9, 1809Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. June 1809 sess., 10, accessed September 19, 2023–November 16, 1811Democratic-RepublicanJune 1809Nov. 1809181011Robert BowieNovember 16, 1811Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Nov. 1811 sess., 295, accessed September 19, 2023–November 23, 1812Democratic-Republican181114Levin WinderNovember 23, 1812Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Nov. 1812 sess., 136, accessed September 19, 2023–January 2, 1816Federalist18121813181415Charles Carnan RidgelyJanuary 2, 1816Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Dec. 1815 sess., 123, accessed September 19, 2023–January 8, 1819Federalist18151816181716Charles GoldsboroughJanuary 8, 1819Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Dec. 1818 sess., 14, accessed September 19, 2023–December 20, 1819Federalist181817Samuel SpriggDecember 20, 1819Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Dec. 1819 sess., 11, accessed September 19, 2023–December 16, 1822Democratic-Republican18191820182118Samuel Stevens Jr.December 16, 1822Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the House of Delegates. Dec. 1822 sess., 30, accessed September 19, 2023–January 9, 1826Democratic-Republican18221823182419Joseph KentJanuary 9, 1826Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Dec. 1826 sess., 25, accessed September 19, 2023–January 15, 1829Democratic-Republican18261827182820Daniel MartinJanuary 15, 1829–January 15, 1830Anti-Jacksonian182921Thomas King CarrollJanuary 15, 1830Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the House of Delegates. Dec. 1830 sess., 147, accessed September 19, 2023–January 13, 1831Jacksonian183020Daniel MartinJanuary 13, 1831Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Dec. 1830 sess., 43, accessed September 19, 2023–July 11, 1831Anti-Jacksonian183122George HowardJuly 11, 1831–January 17, 1833Anti-Jacksonian183223James ThomasJanuary 17, 1833Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Dec. 1833 sess., 48, accessed September 19, 2023–January 14, 1836Anti-Jacksonian18331834183524Thomas VeazeyJanuary 14, 1836Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Dec. 1835 sess., 38, accessed September 19, 2023–January 7, 1839Whig18361837Jan. 183825William GrasonJanuary 7, 1839–January 3, 1842DemocraticOct. 183826Francis ThomasJanuary 3, 1842Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the House of Delegates. Dec. 1841 sess., 51, accessed September 19, 2023–January 6, 1845Democratic184127Thomas PrattJanuary 6, 1845Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the House of Delegates. Dec. 1844 sess., 34, accessed September 19, 2023–January 3, 1848Whig184428Philip Francis ThomasJanuary 3, 1848–January 6, 1851Democratic184729Enoch Louis LoweJanuary 6, 1851–January 11, 1854Democratic185030Thomas Watkins LigonJanuary 11, 1854–January 13, 1858Democratic185331Thomas Holliday HicksJanuary 13, 1858Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the House of Delegates. Jan. 1858 sess., 49, accessed September 19, 2023–January 8, 1862American185732Augustus BradfordJanuary 8, 1862Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Jan. 1862 sess., 88, accessed September 19, 2023–January 10, 1866Union186133Thomas SwannJanuary 10, 1866–January 13, 1869Union1864 34Oden BowieJanuary 13, 1869–January 10, 1872Democratic1867Office did not exist35William Pinkney WhyteJanuary 10, 1872Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Jan. 1872 sess., 31, accessed September 19, 2023–March 4, 1874Democratic187136James Black GroomeMarch 4, 1874Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Jan. 1874 sess., 472, accessed September 19, 2023–January 12, 1876Democratic37John Lee CarrollJanuary 12, 1876Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Jan. 1876 sess., 29, accessed September 19, 2023–January 14, 1880Democratic187538William Thomas HamiltonJanuary 14, 1880–January 9, 1884Democratic187939Robert Milligan McLaneJanuary 9, 1884–March 27, 1885Democratic188340Henry LloydMarch 27, 1885–January 11, 1888Democratic41Elihu Emory JacksonJanuary 11, 1888–January 13, 1892Democratic188742Frank BrownJanuary 13, 1892Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Jan. 1892 sess., 34, accessed September 21, 2023–January 8, 1896Democratic189143Lloyd Lowndes Jr.January 8, 1896–January 10, 1900Republican189544John Walter SmithJanuary 10, 1900Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Jan. 1900 sess., 37, accessed September 21, 2023–January 13, 1904Democratic189945Edwin WarfieldJanuary 13, 1904Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Jan. 1904 sess., 85, accessed September 21, 2023–January 8, 1908Democratic190346Austin Lane CrothersJanuary 8, 1908–January 10, 1912Democratic190747Phillips Lee GoldsboroughJanuary 10, 1912–January 12, 1916Republican191148Emerson HarringtonJanuary 12, 1916Maryland General Assembly. Journal of the Senate. Jan 1916 sess., 55, accessed September 21, 2023–January 14, 1920Democratic191549Albert RitchieJanuary 14, 1920–January 9, 1935Democratic191919231926193050Harry NiceJanuary 9, 1935–January 11, 1939Republican193451Herbert O'ConorJanuary 11, 1939–January 3, 1947Democratic1938194252William Preston Lane Jr.January 3, 1947–January 10, 1951Democratic194653Theodore McKeldinJanuary 10, 1951–January 14, 1959Republican1950195454J. Millard Tawes January 14, 1959–January 25, 1967Democratic1958196255Spiro AgnewJanuary 25, 1967–January 7, 1969Republican196656Marvin MandelJanuary 7, 1969–January 17, 1979Democratic196919701974—Blair Lee IIIJune 4, 1977–January 15, 1979DemocraticActing as governor57Harry HughesJanuary 17, 1979–January 21, 1987Democratic1978198258William Donald SchaeferJanuary 21, 1987–January 18, 1995Democratic1986199059Parris GlendeningJanuary 18, 1995–January 15, 2003Democratic1994199860Bob EhrlichJanuary 15, 2003–January 17, 2007Republican200261Martin O'MalleyJanuary 17, 2007–January 21, 2015Democratic2006201062Larry HoganJanuary 21, 2015–January 18, 2023Republican2014201863Wes MooreJanuary 18, 2023–IncumbentDemocratic2022
Notes
See also Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Maryland List of Maryland General Assemblies
References General
Specific
External links
Office of the Governor of Maryland