List of governors of North Dakota

Flag of the governor

The governor of North Dakota is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Dakota. The governor is the head of the executive branch of North Dakota's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws.

There have been 32 governors since North Dakota became a state, serving 33 distinct terms, with William Langer having been elected to multiple terms. The current officeholder is Republican Kelly Armstrong.

Governors

Template:For Dakota Territory was organized on March 2, 1861;<ref>Template:Usstat</ref> on November 2, 1889, it was split into the states of North Dakota and South Dakota.<ref>Template:Usstat</ref>

The Constitution of North Dakota originally provided for the election of a governor and lieutenant governor every two years, which was changed to four years in 1964.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A limit of two terms was added in 2023.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The governor and lieutenant governor are elected together on a ticket,<ref>ND Const. art. V, § 3</ref> and should the office of governor become vacant, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.<ref>ND Const. art. V, § 11</ref> The term of office begins on the December 15 following the election.<ref>ND Const. art. V, § 5</ref>

Governors of the State of North Dakota

Template:Abbr	Governor				Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. GovernorTemplate:Efn
1		rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	John Miller Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-miller">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 7, 1891 Template:SmallTemplate:Sfn	RepublicanTemplate:Sfn	1889	rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Template:Sortname
2		Andrew H. Burke Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-burke-andrew">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>North Dakota Legislative Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1891 sess., 34, accessed May 30, 2023</ref> – January 4, 1893 Template:Small	RepublicanTemplate:Sfn	1890	Template:Sortname
3		colspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Eli C. D. Shortridge Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-shortridge">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:DtsTemplate:Efn – January 9, 1895 Template:Small	PopulistTemplate:Sfn	1892	colspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Template:SortnameTemplate:Efn
4		colspan="2" rowspan="7" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Roger Allin Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-allin">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>North Dakota Legislative Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1895 sess., 35, accessed May 30, 2023</ref> – January 7, 1897 Template:Small<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	RepublicanTemplate:Sfn	1894	colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Template:Sortname
5		Frank A. Briggs Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-briggs">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:DtsTemplate:Efn – August 9, 1898 Template:Small	RepublicanTemplate:Sfn	1896	Template:Sortname
6		Joseph M. Devine Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-devine">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 3, 1899 Template:Small	RepublicanTemplate:Sfn	Template:Small	Vacant
7		Frederick B. Fancher Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-fancher">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 7, 1901 Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	RepublicanTemplate:Sfn	1898	colspan="2" rowspan="4" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Template:Sortname
8		Frank White Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-white">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 4, 1905 Template:Small	RepublicanTemplate:Sfn	1900	Template:Sortname
			1902
9		Elmore Y. Sarles Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-sarles">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 9, 1907 Template:Small	RepublicanTemplate:Sfn	1904
10	File:Portrait of Governor John Burke of North Dakota.jpeg	colspan="2" rowspan="3" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	John Burke Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-burke-john">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 8, 1913 Template:Small	DemocraticTemplate:Sfn	1906	colspan="2" rowspan="3" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Template:Sortname
		1908
		1910		Template:Sortname
11	File:LouisBHanna.jpg	colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color; border-bottom: none;"|	L. B. Hanna Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-hanna">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 3, 1917 Template:Small	RepublicanTemplate:Sfn	1912	colspan="2" rowspan="9" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Template:Sortname
		1914		Template:Sortname
12	File:Lynn Frazier.jpg	rowspan="12" style="background: Template:Party color; border-top: none; padding: .2em .2em;"|	rowspan="3" style="background: Template:Party color; padding: .2em .2em;"|	Lynn Frazier Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-frazier">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – November 23, 1921 Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	Republican/ Nonpartisan LeagueTemplate:Sfn	1916	Template:Sortname
		1918	Template:Sortname
		1920
13	File:RagnvaldANestos.jpg	rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color; padding: .2em .2em;"|		Ragnvald Nestos Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-nestos">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 7, 1925 Template:SmallTemplate:Sfn	Republican/ Independent VotersTemplate:Sfn	1921 Template:SmallTemplate:Efn
		1922	Template:Sortname
14	File:ArthurGSorlie.jpg	rowspan="3" style="background: Template:Party color; padding: .2em .2em;"|	Arthur G. Sorlie Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-sorlie">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – August 28, 1928 Template:Small	Republican/ Nonpartisan LeagueTemplate:Sfn	1924	Template:Sortname
		1926
15	File:Walter J. Maddock (North Dakota governor).jpg	Walter Maddock Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-maddock">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 9, 1929 Template:Small	Republican/ Nonpartisan LeagueTemplate:Sfn	Template:Small	Vacant
16	File:George F. Shafer (Governor of North Dakota, circa. 1929-1933).jpg	rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color; padding: .2em .2em;"|	George F. Shafer Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-shafer">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 4, 1933 Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	Republican/ Independent VotersTemplate:Sfn	1928	colspan="2" rowspan="3" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Template:Sortname
		1930
17	File:Governor William Langer Crop.jpg	rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color; padding: .2em .2em;"|	William Langer Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-langer">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:DtsTemplate:Efn – July 19, 1934 Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	Republican/ Nonpartisan LeagueTemplate:Sfn	1932	Template:Sortname
18	File:O. H. Olson 1920.jpg	Ole H. Olson Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-olson-ole">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:DtsTemplate:Efn – January 7, 1935 Template:Small	Republican/ Nonpartisan League	Template:Small	Vacant
19	File:Thomas H. Moodie (North Dakota governor).jpg	colspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Thomas H. Moodie Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-moodie">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – February 2, 1935 Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	DemocraticTemplate:Sfn	1934	colspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Template:Sortname
20	File:Walter Welford 1935 Edit.jpg	style="background: Template:Party color; padding: .2em .2em;"|	style="background: Template:Party color; padding: .2em .2em;"|	Walter Welford Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-welford">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 6, 1937 Template:Small	Republican/ Nonpartisan LeagueTemplate:Sfn	Template:Small	Vacant
21	File:Governor William Langer Crop.jpg	colspan="2" style="background:Template:Party color;"|	William Langer Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-langer" />	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 2, 1939 Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	IndependentTemplate:Sfn	1936	colspan="2" rowspan="3" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Template:Sortname
22	File:JohnMoses.jpg	colspan="2" rowspan="3" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	John Moses Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-moses">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 2, 1945 Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	DemocraticTemplate:Sfn	1938	Template:Sortname
		1940		Template:Sortname
		1942		colspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color;"|			Template:Sortname
23	File:Fred G. Aandahl (North Dakota governor) Edit 3x4.png	colspan="2" rowspan="8" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Fred G. Aandahl Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-aandahl">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 3, 1951 Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	RepublicanTemplate:Sfn	1944	colspan="2" rowspan="10" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Template:Sortname
		1946
		1948
24	File:Clarence Brunsdale.jpg	Norman Brunsdale Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-brunsdale">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 7, 1957 Template:Small	RepublicanTemplate:Sfn	1950	Template:Sortname
			1952			Template:Sortname
			1954
25	File:John E. Davis in 1969 Civil Defense film.png	John E. Davis Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-davis">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 3, 1961 Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	RepublicanTemplate:Sfn	1956	Template:Sortname
			1958			Template:Sortname
26	File:William L. Guy North Dakota Governor 1968.jpg	colspan="2" rowspan="6" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	William L. Guy Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-guy">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 2, 1973 Template:SmallTemplate:Sfn	Democratic– Nonpartisan LeagueTemplate:Sfn	1960	Template:Sortname
		1962		Template:Sortname
		1964		colspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color;"|			Template:Sortname
		1968		colspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color;"|			Template:Sortname
27	File:Arthur A. Link.jpg	Arthur A. Link Template:Small Template:Sfn<ref name="nga-link">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – January 6, 1981 Template:Small	Democratic– Nonpartisan LeagueTemplate:Sfn	1972	colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Template:Sortname
			1976
28	File:Allen Olson.jpg	colspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Allen I. Olson Template:Small <ref name="nga-olson-allen">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – December 31, 1984 Template:Small	Republican<ref name="nga-olson-allen" />	1980	colspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Template:Sortname
29	File:George Sinner.png	colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	George A. Sinner Template:Small <ref name="nga-sinner">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:DtsTemplate:Efn – December 15, 1992 Template:Small	Democratic– Nonpartisan League<ref name="nga-sinner" />	1984	colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Template:Sortname
		1988		Template:Sortname
30	File:Ed Schafer -- February 2008.jpg	colspan="2" rowspan="11" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Ed Schafer Template:Small <ref name="nga-schafer">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – December 15, 2000 Template:Small	Republican<ref name="nga-schafer" />	1992	colspan="2" rowspan="11" style="background: Template:Party color;"|	Template:Sortname
		1996
31	File:John Hoeven, Official Senate Portrait, 112th Congress.jpg	John Hoeven Template:Small <ref name="nga-hoeven">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – December 7, 2010 Template:SmallTemplate:Efn	Republican<ref name="nga-hoeven" />	2000	Template:Sortname
			2004
			2008
32	File:Jack Dalrymple 2013 (cropped 2).jpg	Jack Dalrymple Template:Small <ref name="nga-dalrymple">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – December 15, 2016 Template:Small	Republican<ref name="nga-dalrymple" />	Template:Small	Template:Sortname
			2012
33	File:Governor Doug Burgum (cropped).jpg	Doug Burgum Template:Small <ref name="nga-burgum">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> – December 15, 2024 Template:Small	Republican<ref name="nga-burgum" />	2016	Template:Sortname
			2020
						Template:Sortname
34	File:Kelly Armstrong (cropped).jpg	Kelly Armstrong Template:Small <ref name="nga-armstrong">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Dts<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> – IncumbentTemplate:Efn	Republican<ref name="nga-armstrong" />	2024	Template:Sortname

Electoral history (1950–)

Year	Democratic–NPL nominee				Republican nominee				Independent candidate				Libertarian nominee				Other candidate
	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%
1950	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Clyde G. Byerly	61,950	33.71%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Norman Brunsdale	121,822	66.29%	–				–				–
1952	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Ole C. Johnson	53,990	21.26%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Norman Brunsdale	199,944	78.74%	–				–				–
1954	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Cornelius Bymers	69,248	35.79%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Norman Brunsdale	124,253	64.21%	–				–				–
1956	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Wallace E. Warner	104,869	41.54%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	John E. Davis	147,566	58.46%	–				–				–
1958	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	John F. Lord	98,763	46.90%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	John E. Davis	111,836	53.10%	–				–				–
1960	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	William L. Guy	136,148	49.44%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Clarence P. Dahl	122,486	44.48%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Herschel Lashkowitz	16,741	6.08%	–				–
1962	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	William L. Guy	115,258	50.44%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Mark Andrews	113,251	49.56%	–				–				–
1964	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	William L. Guy	146,414	55.74%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Donald M. Halcrow	116,247	44.26%	–				–				–
1968	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	William L. Guy	135,955	54.82%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Robert P. McCarney	108,382	43.70%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Template:Nowrap	3,663	1.48%	–				–
1972	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Arthur A. Link	143,899	51.04%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Richard F. Larsen	138,032	48.96%	–				–				–
1976	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Arthur A. Link	153,309	51.58%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Richard Elkin	138,321	46.53%	–				–				bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Template:Nowrap	5,619	1.89%
1980	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Arthur A. Link	140,391	46.39%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Allen I. Olson	162,230	53.61%	–				–				–
1984	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	George A. Sinner	173,922	55.32%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Allen I. Olson	140,460	44.68%	–				–				–
1988	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	George A. Sinner	179,094	59.88%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Leon Malberg	119,986	40.12%	–				–				–
1992	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Nicholas Spaeth	123,845	40.62%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Ed Schafer	176,398	57.86%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Harley McClain	2,614	0.86%	–				bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Michael DuPaul	2,004	0.66%
1996	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Lee Kaldor	89,349	33.81%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Ed Schafer	174,937	66.19%	–				–				–
2000	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Heidi Heitkamp	130,144	44.97%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	John Hoeven	159,255	55.03%	–				–				–
2004	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Joe Satrom	84,877	27.39%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	John Hoeven	220,803	71.26%	–				bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Roland Riemers	4,193	1.35%	–
2008	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Tim Mathern	74,279	23.53%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	John Hoeven	235,009	74.44%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	DuWayne Hendrickson	6,404	2.03%	–				–
2012	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Ryan Taylor	109,048	34.31%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Jack Dalrymple	200,525	63.10%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Paul Sorum	5,356	1.69%	–				bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Roland Riemers	2,618	0.82%
2016	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Marvin Nelson	65,855	19.39%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Doug Burgum	259,863	76.52%	–				bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Marty Riske	13,230	3.90%	–
2020	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Shelley Lenz	90,789	25.38%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Doug Burgum	235,479	65.84%	–				bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	DuWayne Hendrickson	13,853	3.87%	–
2024	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Merrill Piepkorn	94,043	25.98%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Template:Nowrap	247,056	68.26%	bgcolor="Template:Party color" |	Michael Coachman	20,322	5.61%	–				–

See also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#North Dakota
• List of North Dakota Legislative Assemblies

References

General

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Specific

External links

• Office of the Governor of North Dakota
• State Historical Society of North Dakota, North Dakota Governors