View source for List of governors of the Northern Mariana Islands

{{Short description|Head of state and of government the U.S. territory of the Northern Mariana Islands}}
{{use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Governor
| body = the<br />Northern Mariana Islands
| insignia = Seal of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg
| insigniasize = 110px
| insigniacaption = [[Seal of the Northern Mariana Islands|Commonwealth seal]]
| image = Now Governor David Apatang.jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| incumbent = [[David M. Apatang]]
| incumbentsince = July 23, 2025
| residence = Juan A. Sablan Memorial Bldg.
| termlength = 4 years single term, eligible for second.
| inaugural = [[Carlos S. Camacho]]
| formation = January 9, 1978
| succession = [[Gubernatorial_lines_of_succession_in_the_United_States#Northern_Mariana_Islands|Line of succession]]
| deputy = [[Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands]]
| website = {{URL|https://governor.cnmi.gov/}}
}}
{{Politics of the Northern Marianas}}
The following is a list of persons who served as governor of [[Northern Mariana Islands]]. The term of office is 4 years. The longest-serving governors in CNMI history are [[Pedro Pangelinan Tenorio|Pedro Tenorio]], who served 12 years in office from 1982 to 1990 and from 1998 to 2002, and [[Benigno Fitial]], who served 7 years, one month, and 11 days from 2006 to 2013. The Northern Mariana Islands is one of the few [[List of states and territories of the United States|U.S. states or territories]] that currently does not have a [[List of governors' residences in the United States|governor's mansion]] or other [[official residence]].

The current governor is [[David M. Apatang]], since July 23, 2025.

==List==
; Parties
{{legend2|{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}|[[Democratic Party (Northern Mariana Islands)|Democratic]] (2)|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|[[Republican Party (Northern Mariana Islands)|Republican]] (7)|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|{{party color|Populist Party (United States)}}|[[Covenant Party (Northern Mariana Islands)|Covenant]] (1)|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|{{party color|Independent (politician)}}|Independent (2)|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

===Resident Commissioners===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!No.
!Portrait
!Officeholder<br>{{small|(Birth–Death)}}
!Took office
!Left office
!colspan=2 |Party
|-
|1
|[[File:Erwin Canham in Boston (1).jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Erwin Canham]]'''<br>{{small|(1904–1982)}}
|{{Dts|format=mdy|1975|7|19}}
|{{Dts|format=mdy|1978|1|9}}
|bgcolor={{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|}

===Governors===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!No.
!Portrait
!Officeholder<br>{{small|(Birth–Death)}}
![[Elections in the Northern Mariana Islands|Elected]]
!Took office
!Left office
!colspan=2 |Party
|-
!1
|[[File:Carlos Sablan Camacho.jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Carlos S. Camacho]]'''<br>{{small|(born 1937)}}
|[[1977 Northern Mariana Islands general election|1977]]
|{{Dts|format=mdy|1978|1|9}}
|{{Dts|format=mdy|1982|1|11}}
|bgcolor={{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}|
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-
!2
|[[File:Pedro P. Tenorio.jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Pedro Pangelinan Tenorio|Pedro Tenorio]]'''<br>{{small|(1934–2018)}}
|[[1981 Northern Mariana Islands general election|1981]]
----
[[1985 Northern Mariana Islands general election|1985]]
|{{Dts|format=mdy|1982|1|11}}
|{{Dts|format=mdy|1990|1|8}}
|bgcolor={{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
!3
|[[File:No image.png|100px]]
|'''[[Lorenzo I. De Leon Guerrero]]'''<br>{{small|(1935–2006)}}
|[[1989 Northern Mariana Islands general election|1989]]
|{{Dts|format=mdy|1990|1|8}}
|{{Dts|format=mdy|1994|1|10}}
|bgcolor={{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
!4
|[[File:Froilan 1.jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Froilan Tenorio]]'''<br>{{small|(1939–2020)}}
|[[1993 Northern Mariana Islands general election|1993]]
|{{Dts|format=mdy|1994|1|10}}
|{{Dts|format=mdy|1998|1|12}}
|bgcolor={{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}|
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-
!5
|[[File:Pedro P. Tenorio.jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Pedro Pangelinan Tenorio|Pedro Tenorio]]'''<br>{{small|(1934–2018)}}
|[[1997 Northern Mariana Islands general election|1997]]
|{{Dts|format=mdy|1998|1|12}}
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2002|1|14}}
|bgcolor={{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
!6
|[[File:FEMA - 7324 - Photograph by Andrea Booher taken on 12-20-2002 in Northern Mariana Islands (cropped).jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Juan Babauta]]'''<br>{{small|(born 1953)}}
|[[2001 Northern Mariana Islands general election|2001]]
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2002|1|14}}
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2006|1|9}}
|bgcolor={{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
!rowspan=2 |7
|rowspan=2 |[[File:Benigno Fitial 2009.jpg|100px]]
|rowspan=2 |'''[[Benigno Fitial]]'''<br>{{small|(born 1945)}}
|rowspan=2 |[[2005 Northern Mariana Islands general election|2005]]
----
[[2009 Northern Mariana Islands general election|2009]]{{efn|To shift governor elections to even-numbered years, the 2009 gubernatorial election was for a five-year term.<ref name=abcradio>{{cite news|first=Gemma|last=Casas|title=Northern Marianas' election race heats up|url=http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/200911/2744614.htm?desktop|work=[[Radio Australia]]|date=2009-11-17|access-date=2009-11-23|archive-date=July 17, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717125217/http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/200911/2744614.htm?desktop|url-status=usurped}}</ref>}}
|rowspan=2 |{{Dts|format=mdy|2006|1|9}}
|rowspan=2 |{{Dts|format=mdy|2013|2|20}}{{efn|Fitial resigned following [[Impeachment in the United States|impeachment]] by the [[Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and prior to likely conviction in an [[impeachment trial]] by the [[Northern Mariana Islands Senate|Senate]].<ref name=newgov>{{cite web |first=Emmanuel |last=Erediano |url=http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/53754-breaking-news-governor-fitial-resigns-effective-today |title=New Governor, Lt. Governor |work=[[Marianas Variety]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130224022634/http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/53754-breaking-news-governor-fitial-resigns-effective-today |archive-date=February 24, 2013 |date=February 21, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=islandsbusiness>{{cite web |first=Haidee |last=Eugenio |url=http://www.islandsbusiness.com/2013/3/cover-story/gov-benigno-fitial-steps-down-eloy-inos-steps-in/ |title=Gov Benigno Fitial Steps Down, Eloy Inos Steps In: Dawn of a New Era for CNMI? |work=[[Islands Business]] |date=March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140405050008/http://islandsbusiness.com/2013/3/cover-story/gov-benigno-fitial-steps-down-eloy-inos-steps-in/ |archive-date=April 5, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>|group="note"}}
|bgcolor={{party color|Populist Party (United States)}}|
|[[Covenant Party (Northern Mariana Islands)|Covenant]] {{small|(2006–2011)}}{{efn|Fitial switched his party affiliation from the Covenant Party to the Republican Party on January 5, 2011, while in office.<ref>{{cite web |first=Haidee |last=Eugenio |title=Fitial Now Back to Republican Party, Governor's End Goal to Merge Covenant with GOP |url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=105986 |work=[[Saipan Tribune]] |date=January 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053724/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=105986 |archive-date=September 21, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>|group="note"}}
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] {{small|(2011–2013)}}
|-
!rowspan=2 |8
|rowspan=2 |[[File:Eloy Inos.jpg|100px]]
|rowspan=2 |'''[[Eloy Inos]]'''<br>{{small|(1949–2015)}}
|rowspan=2 |–
----
[[2014 Northern Mariana Islands gubernatorial election|2014]]
|rowspan=2 |{{Dts|format=mdy|2013|2|20}}{{efn|As [[Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands|lieutenant governor]], Inos became governor following the resignation of Benigno Fitial.<ref name=newgov/><ref name=islandsbusiness/>|group="note"}}
|rowspan=2 |{{Dts|format=mdy|2015|12|29}}{{efn|Inos died on December 29, 2015, while in office.<ref name=CNMIMourns>{{cite web |first=Dennis B. |last=Chan |url=http://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/cnmi-mourns-inos-death/ |title=CNMI Mourns Inos' Death |work=[[Saipan Tribune]] |date=December 30, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151229215055/http://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/cnmi-mourns-inos-death/ |archive-date=December 29, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=TorresBecomes>{{cite web |first=Dennis B. |last=Chan |url=http://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/torres-becomes-governor-hocog-is-lt-gov/ |title=Torres Becomes Governor; Hocog Is Lt. Gov. |work=[[Saipan Tribune]] |date=December 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151229215057/http://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/torres-becomes-governor-hocog-is-lt-gov/ |archive-date=December 29, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>|group="note"}}
|bgcolor={{party color|Populist Party (United States)}}|
|[[Covenant Party (Northern Mariana Islands)|Covenant]] {{small|(2013)}}
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] {{small|(2013–2015)}}{{efn|Inos switched his party affiliation from the Covenant Party to the Republican Party in September 2013, while in office.<ref>{{cite web |last=Eugenio |first=Haidee |date=September 19, 2013 |title=Inos, Covenant Party Members Rejoining GOP |url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=150328 |work=[[Saipan Tribune]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408200318/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=150328 |archive-date=April 8, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> |group="note"}}
|-
!9
|[[File:Governor Torres official portrait, high resolution.jpg|100px]]
|'''[[Ralph Torres (politician)|Ralph Torres]]'''<br>{{small|(born 1979)}}
|–
----
[[2018 Northern Mariana Islands gubernatorial election|2018]]
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2015|12|29}}{{efn|As [[Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands|lieutenant governor]], Torres became governor following the death of Eloy Inos.<ref name=CNMIMourns/><ref name=TorresBecomes/>|group="note"}}
|January 9, 2023
|bgcolor={{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
!rowspan=2 |10
|rowspan=2 |[[File:Arnold Palacios.jpg|100px]]
|rowspan=2 |'''[[Arnold Palacios]]'''<br>{{small|(1955–2025)}}
|rowspan=2 |[[2022 Northern Mariana Islands gubernatorial election|2022]]
|rowspan=2 |{{Dts|format=mdy|2023|1|9}}
|rowspan=2 |July 23, 2025{{efn|Palacios died on July 23, 2025, while in office.<ref name=Palaciospasses />|group="note"}}
|bgcolor={{party color|Independent (politician)}}|
|[[Independent politician|Independent]] {{small|(2023–2024)}}
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] {{small|(2024–2025)}}{{efn|Palacios switched his party affiliation from Independent to the Republican Party in December 2024, while in office.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Republican National Committee welcomes Governor-elect Pulaalii Nikolao Pula and Governor Arnold Palacios to the Republican Party |url=https://www.kuam.com/story/52056835/republican-national-committee-welcomes-governorelect-pulaalii-nikolao-pula-and-governor-arnold-palacios-to-the-republican-party |access-date=2025-07-23 |work=KUAM Radio |language=en}}</ref> |group="note"}}
|-
!11
|[[File:Now Governor David Apatang.jpg|100px]]
|'''[[David M. Apatang]]'''<br>{{small|(born 1948)}}
|–
|{{Dts|format=mdy|2025|07|23}}{{efn|As [[Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands|lieutenant governor]], Apatang became governor following the death of Arnold Palacios.<ref name=Palaciospasses>{{Cite news |last=Erediano |first=Emmanuel T. |date=2025-07-24 |title=Gov. Palacios passes away; Apatang assumes office |url=https://www.mvariety.com/news/local/gov-palacios-passes-away-apatang-assumes-office/article_3e1186ac-f4fb-41f3-95e5-8983ac5b06ba.html |access-date=2025-07-23 |work=Marianas Variety |language=en}}</ref>|group="note"}}
|Incumbent
|bgcolor={{party color|Independent (politician)}}|
|[[Independent politician|Independent]]
|-
|}

==Succession==
{{main|Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Northern Mariana Islands}}

==See also==
* [[List of governors of the Spanish Mariana Islands]]
* [[List of governors of Guam]]
* [[High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands]]
* [[Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands]]

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080924222153/http://www.doi.gov/oia/press/2006/10132006.html Former CNMI Governor Guerrero Passes Away]

{{Northern Mariana Islands}}
{{Governors of the Northern Mariana Islands}}
{{Current U.S. governors}}
{{Lists of US Governors}}
{{United States governors' residences}}

[[Category:Lists of governors of insular areas of the United States|Northern Mariana]]
[[Category:Governors of the Northern Mariana Islands| ]]