List of governors of Nevada

Governor of Nevada
Seal of Nevada
Flag of Nevada
Incumbent Joe Lombardo since January 2, 2023
Government of Nevada
Style	Governor (informal) The Honorable (formal) His Excellency (courtesy)
Status	Head of state Head of government
Residence	Nevada Governor's Mansion
Term length	Four years, renewable once
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Nevada
Precursor	Governor of the Nevada Territory
Inaugural holder	Henry G. Blasdel
Formation	December 5, 1864 (161 years ago) (1864-12-05)
Succession	Line of succession
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Nevada
Salary	$149,730 (2015)[1]
Website	gov.nv.gov

The governor of Nevada is the head of government of the U.S. state of Nevada.^[2] The governor is the head of the executive branch of the Nevada state government. The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.^[3] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws^[4] and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Nevada Legislature,^[5] to convene the legislature at any time,^[6] as well as, except in cases of treason or impeachment, to grant pardons and reprieves.^[7]

The governor serves a four-year term.^[8] An amendment in 1970 limits them to two terms, even if they are non-consecutive.^[9] The lieutenant governor of Nevada is officially not elected on the same ticket as the governor. Should there be a vacancy in the office of governor, the powers devolve onto the lieutenant governor.

The current governor is Republican Joe Lombardo, who took office on January 2, 2023.

List of governors

Territory of Nevada

Nevada Territory was formed on March 2, 1861, from Utah Territory.^[10] It had only one governor appointed by the president of the United States before it became a state.

Before it was organized as a territory, a local convention in Genoa elected Isaac Roop provisional governor, taking office on December 15, 1859.^[11]

Governor of the Territory of Nevada

No.	Governor		Term in office	Appointed by
1		James W. Nye (1815–1876) [12][13]	March 22, 1861[a] – December 5, 1864 (statehood)	Abraham Lincoln

State of Nevada

Nevada was admitted to the Union on October 31, 1864.^[16] There have been thirty one governors since. The longest-serving governor was Bob Miller, who served two and a half terms from 1989 to 1999; the shortest-serving governor was Frank Bell, who acted as governor for the remaining four months of Charles C. Stevenson's term upon the governor's death. The current governor is Joe Lombardo, who took office on January 2, 2023.

Governors of the State of Nevada

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor[b]
1			Henry G. Blasdel (1825–1900) [17][18]	December 5, 1864[19] – January 2, 1871 (did not run)[17]	Republican[20]	1864		John S. Crosman
						1866		James S. Slingerland
2			Lewis R. Bradley (1805–1879) [21][22]	January 2, 1871[23] – January 7, 1879 (lost election)	Democratic[20]	1870		Frank Denver
						1874		Jewett W. Adams[c]
3			John Henry Kinkead (1826–1904) [24][25]	January 7, 1879[26] – January 1, 1883 (did not run)[24]	Republican[20]	1878
4			Jewett W. Adams (1835–1920) [27][28]	January 1, 1883[29] – January 3, 1887 (lost election)	Democratic[20]	1882		Charles E. Laughton[d]
5			Charles C. Stevenson (1826–1890) [30][31]	January 3, 1887[32] – September 21, 1890 (died in office)	Republican[20]	1886		Henry C. Davis (died)
								Samuel W. Chubbuck (resigned)
								Frank Bell
6			Frank Bell (1840–1927) [33][34]	September 21, 1890[35] – January 5, 1891 (successor took office)	Republican[20]	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
7			Roswell K. Colcord (1839–1939) [36][37]	January 5, 1891[38] – January 8, 1895 (did not run)[36]	Republican[20]	1890		Joseph Poujade
8			John Edward Jones (1840–1896) [39][40]	January 8, 1895[41] – April 10, 1896 (died in office)	Silver[20]	1894		Reinhold Sadler
9			Reinhold Sadler (1848–1906) [42][43]	April 10, 1896[44] – January 5, 1903 (did not run)[42]	Silver[20]	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
						1898		James R. Judge
10			John Sparks (1843–1908) [45][46]	January 5, 1903[47] – May 22, 1908 (died in office)	Silver- Democratic[20]	1902		Lemuel Allen
						1906		Denver S. Dickerson
11			Denver S. Dickerson (1872–1925) [48][49]	May 22, 1908[50] – January 2, 1911 (lost election)	Silver- Democratic[20]	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
12			Tasker Oddie (1870–1950) [51][52]	January 2, 1911[53] – January 4, 1915 (lost election)	Republican[20]	1910		Gilbert C. Ross[c]
13			Emmet D. Boyle (1879–1926) [54][55]	January 4, 1915[56] – January 1, 1923 (did not run)[54]	Democratic[20]	1914		Maurice J. Sullivan
						1918
14			James G. Scrugham (1880–1945) [57][58]	January 1, 1923[59] – January 3, 1927 (lost election)	Democratic[20]	1922
15			Fred B. Balzar (1880–1934) [60][61]	January 3, 1927[62] – March 21, 1934 (died in office)	Republican[20]	1926		Morley Griswold
						1930
16			Morley Griswold (1890–1951) [63][64]	March 21, 1934[65] – January 7, 1935 (lost election)	Republican[20]	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
17			Richard Kirman Sr. (1877–1959) [66][67]	January 7, 1935[68] – January 2, 1939 (did not run)[66]	Democratic[20]	1934		Fred S. Alward
18			Edward P. Carville (1885–1956) [69][70]	January 2, 1939[71] – July 24, 1945 (resigned)[e]	Democratic[20]	1938		Maurice J. Sullivan
						1942		Vail Pittman
19			Vail Pittman (1880–1964) [72][73]	July 24, 1945[74] – January 2, 1951 (lost election)	Democratic[20]	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
						1946		Clifford A. Jones[c]
20			Charles H. Russell (1903–1989) [75][76]	January 2, 1951[77] – January 5, 1959 (lost election)	Republican[20]	1950
						1954		Rex Bell[d] (died July 4, 1962)
21			Grant Sawyer (1918–1996) [78][79]	January 5, 1959[80] – January 2, 1967 (lost election)	Democratic[20]	1958
								Maude Frazier (appointed)
						1962		Paul Laxalt[d]
22			Paul Laxalt (1922–2018) [81][82]	January 2, 1967[83] – January 4, 1971 (did not run)[81]	Republican[20]	1966		Edward Fike
23			Mike O'Callaghan (1929–2004) [84][85]	January 4, 1971[86] – January 1, 1979 (term-limited)[f]	Democratic[20]	1970		Harry Reid
						1974		Robert E. Rose
24			Robert List (b. 1936) [88]	January 1, 1979[89] – January 3, 1983 (lost election)	Republican[88]	1978		Myron E. Leavitt[c]
25			Richard Bryan (b. 1937) [90]	January 3, 1983[91] – January 3, 1989 (resigned)[g]	Democratic[90]	1982		Bob Cashell
						1986		Bob Miller
26			Bob Miller (b. 1945) [92]	January 3, 1989[93] – January 4, 1999 (term-limited)[f]	Democratic[92]	Lieutenant governor acting		Acting as governor
						1990		Sue Wagner[d]
						1994		Lonnie Hammargren[d]
27			Kenny Guinn (1936–2010) [94]	January 4, 1999[95] – January 1, 2007 (term-limited)[f]	Republican[94]	1998		Lorraine Hunt
						2002
28			Jim Gibbons (b. 1944) [96]	January 1, 2007[97] – January 3, 2011 (lost nomination)	Republican[96]	2006		Brian Krolicki
29			Brian Sandoval (b. 1963) [98]	January 3, 2011[99] – January 7, 2019 (term-limited)[f]	Republican[98]	2010
						2014		Mark Hutchison
30			Steve Sisolak (b. 1953) [100]	January 7, 2019[101] – January 2, 2023 (lost election)	Democratic[100]	2018		Kate Marshall (resigned September 17, 2021)
							Vacant
								Lisa Cano Burkhead (appointed December 16, 2021)
31			Joe Lombardo (b. 1962) [102]	January 2, 2023[103] – Incumbent[h]	Republican[102]	2022		Stavros Anthony

Timeline

Timeline of Nevada governors

Electoral history (1950–)

Year	Democratic nominee				Republican nominee				Independent candidate				Independent American nominee				Libertarian nominee				Green nominee				Other candidate				None of These Candidates
	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%
1950		Vail Pittman	26,164	42.36%		Charles H. Russell	35,609	57.65%	–				–				–				–				–				–
1954		Vail Pittman	36,797	46.90%		Charles H. Russell	41,665	53.10%	–				–				–				–				–				–
1958		Grant Sawyer	50,864	59.92%		Charles H. Russell	34,025	40.08%	–				–				–				–				–				–
1962		Grant Sawyer	64,784	66.84%		Oran K. Gragson	32,145	33.16%	–				–				–				–				–				–
1966		Grant Sawyer	65,870	47.84%		Paul Laxalt	71,807	52.16%	–				–				–				–				–				–
1970		Mike O'Callaghan	70,697	48.10%		Ed Fike	64,400	43.81%		Charles E. Springer	6,479	4.41%		Daniel M. Hansen	5,415	3.68%	–				–				–				–
1974		Mike O'Callaghan	114,114	67.38%		Shirley Crumpler	28,959	17.10%	–					James Ray Houston	26,285	15.52%	–				–				–				–
1978		Robert E. Rose	76,361	39.68%		Robert List	108,097	56.17%	–					Thomas F. Jefferson	3,282	1.71%		John W. Grayson	1,487	0.77%	–				–					None Of These Candidates	3,218	1.67%
1982		Richard Bryan	128,132	53.44%		Robert List	100,104	41.75%	–				–					Dan Becan	4,621	1.93%	–				–					None Of These Candidates	6,894	2.88%
1986		Richard Bryan	187,268	71.92%		Patricia Cafferata	65,081	25.00%	–				–					Lou Tomburello	2,555	0.98%	–				–					None Of These Candidates	5,471	2.10%
1990		Bob Miller	207,878	64.81%		Jim Gallaway	95,789	29.86%	–				–					James Frye	8,059	2.51%	–				–					None Of These Candidates	9,017	2.81%
1994		Bob Miller	200,026	52.68%		Jim Gibbons	156,875	41.32%	–					Daniel M. Hansen	10,012	2.64%		Denis Sholty	3,978	1.05%	–				–					None Of These Candidates	8,785	2.31%
1998		Jan Laverty Jones	182,281	42.04%		Kenny Guinn	223,892	51.63%	–					Chuck Horne	7,509	1.73%		Terry C. Savage	7,307	1.69%	–				–					None Of These Candidates	12,641	2.92%
2002		Joe Neal	110,935	22.01%		Kenny Guinn	344,001	68.24%		Jerry L. Norton	5,543	1.10%		David G. Holmgren	7,047	1.40%		Dick Geyer	8,104	1.61%		Charles Laws	4,775	0.95%	–					None Of These Candidates	23,674	4.70%
2006		Dina Titus	255,684	43.92%		Jim Gibbons	279,003	47.93%	–					Christopher H. Hansen	20,019	3.44%	–					Craig Bergland	6,753	1.16%	–					None Of These Candidates	20,699	3.56%
2010		Rory Reid	298,171	41.61%		Brian Sandoval	382,350	53.56%		Eugene DiSimone	6,403	0.89%		Floyd Fitzgibbons	5,049	0.70%		Arthur F. Lampitt	4,672	0.65%		David S. Curtis	4,437	0.62%		Aaron Y. Honig	3,216	0.45%		None Of These Candidates	12,231	1.71%
2014		Bob Goodman	130,722	23.88%		Brian Sandoval	386,340	70.58%	–					David L. VanDerBeek	14,536	2.66%	–				–				–					None Of These Candidates	15,751	2.88%
2018		Steve Sisolak	480,007	49.39%		Adam Laxalt	440,320	45.31%		Ryan Bundy	13,891	1.43%		Russell Best	10,076	1.04%		Jared Lord	8,640	0.89%	–				–					None Of These Candidates	18,865	1.94%
2022		Steve Sisolak	481,991	47.30%		Joe Lombardo	497,377	48.81%	–					Ed Bridges	9,918	0.97%		Brandon Davis	14,919	1.46%	–				–					None Of These Candidates	14,866	1.46%

See also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Nevada

Notes

1. Nye was nominated on March 20, 1861;^[14] confirmed by the Senate on March 22;^[15] and arrived in the territory on July 8.^[12]
2. Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
3. Represented the Democratic Party
4. Represented the Republican Party
5. Carville resigned so that his successor would appoint him to the United States Senate.^[69]
6. Under a 1970 amendment to the constitution, governors are ineligible to be elected more than twice.^[87]
7. Bryan resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.^[90]
8. Lombardo's term will expire on January 4, 2027.

References

General

• "Former Nevada Governors". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
• McMullin, Thomas A. (1984). Biographical directory of American territorial governors. Westport, CT : Meckler. ISBN 978-0-930466-11-4. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
• Sobel, Robert (1978). Biographical directory of the governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. III. Meckler Books. ISBN 9780930466008. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
• Kallenbach, Joseph Ernest (1977). American State Governors, 1776-1976. Oceana Publications. ISBN 978-0-379-00665-0. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
• Dubin, Michael J. (2014). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1861-1911: The Official Results by State and County. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-5646-8.
• Glashan, Roy R. (1979). American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978. Meckler Books. ISBN 978-0-930466-17-6.
• "Our Campaigns - Governor of Nevada - History". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved July 25, 2023.

Specific

1. "CSG Releases 2015 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
2. NV Const. art. V, § 1.
3. NV Const. art. V, § 5.
4. NV Const. art. V, § 7.
5. NV Const. art. IV, § 35.
6. NV Const. art. V, § 9.
7. NV Const. art. V, § 13.
8. NV Const. art. V, § 2
9. NV Const. art. V, § 3
10. 12 Stat. 209
11. Bruce, A. T. (October 16, 1937). "An Editorial Estimate Seventy Years Ago 1886". Lassen Advocate. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
12. McMullin 1984, pp. 231–233.
13. "James Warren Nye". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
14. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 37th Cong., special sess., 318, accessed March 29, 2023.
15. U.S. Congress. Senate Exec. Journal. 37th Cong., special sess., 328, accessed March 29, 2023.
16. 13 Stat. 749
17. Sobel 1978, p. 921.
18. "Henry Goode Blasdel". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
19. "The Inauguration". Gold Hill Daily News. December 5, 1864. p. 2. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
20. Kallenbach 1977, pp. 367–368.
21. Sobel 1978, pp. 921–922.
22. "Lewis Rice Bradley". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
23. Nebraska Legislature. Journal of the Assembly. 5th sess., 1871, 8, accessed March 29, 2023.
24. Sobel 1978, p. 922.
25. "John Henry Kinkead". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
26. Nebraska Legislature. Journal of the Assembly. 9th sess., 1879, 15, accessed March 29, 2023.
27. Sobel 1978, pp. 922–923.
28. "Jewett William Adams". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
29. "The Inaugural". The Daily Appeal. January 2, 1883. p. 3. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
30. Sobel 1978, p. 923.
31. "Charles Clark Stevenson". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
32. "The Governor's Message". The Silver State. January 7, 1887. p. 2. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
33. Sobel 1978, pp. 923–924.
34. "Frank Jardine Bell". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
35. "Unprecedented". Daily Independent. September 25, 1890. p. 3. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
36. Sobel 1978, pp. 924–925.
37. "Roswell Keyes Colcord". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
38. "Governor Colcord Sworn In". The Pioche Record. January 17, 1891. p. 3. Retrieved February 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
39. Sobel 1978, p. 925.
40. "John Edward Jones". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
41. "A New Era". The Silver State. January 10, 1895. p. 3. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
42. Sobel 1978, pp. 925–926.
43. "Reinhold Sadler". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
44. "Governor Jones Dead". Reno Gazette-Journal. April 11, 1896. p. 1. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
45. Sobel 1978, p. 926.
46. "John Sparks". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
47. "John Sparks Is Governor". Reno Gazette-Journal. January 5, 1903. p. 1. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
48. Sobel 1978, p. 927.
49. "Denver Sylvester Dickerson". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
50. "D.S. Dickerson Is Now Governor". The Daily Appeal. May 23, 1908. p. 1. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
51. Sobel 1978, pp. 927–928.
52. "Tasker Lowndes Oddie". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
53. "New State Officers". Daily Independent. January 3, 1911. p. 3. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
54. Sobel 1978, pp. 928–929.
55. "Emmet Derby Boyle". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
56. "Simple Ceremonies Mark Inauguration". Daily Independent. January 5, 1915. p. 1. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
57. Sobel 1978, p. 929.
58. "James Graves Scrugham". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
59. "Colonel J.G. Scrugham Takes Oath of Office". Nevada State Journal. December 27, 1922. p. 1. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
60. Sobel 1978, p. 930.
61. "Frederick Bennett Balzar". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
62. "Simple Ceremony Gives to State New Executive Head Today". Reno Gazette-Journal. January 3, 1927. p. 1. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
63. Sobel 1978, pp. 930–931.
64. "Morley Isaac Griswold". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
65. "Morley Griswold Assumes Duties As Executive of Nevada". Reno Gazette-Journal. March 22, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
66. Sobel 1978, p. 931.
67. "Richard Kirman". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
68. "Richard Kirman Becomes 18th Nevada Governor". Nevada State Journal. January 8, 1935. p. 7. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
69. Sobel 1978, pp. 931–932.
70. "Edward Peter Carville". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
71. "E. P. Carville Inaugurated As Nevada's Governor in Brief Ceremony at Capital". Reno Gazette-Journal. January 3, 1939. p. 1. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
72. Sobel 1978, pp. 932–933.
73. "Vail Montgomery Pittman". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
74. "Carville Will Leave for Capital Today; Pittman Takes Over". Nevada State Journal. July 25, 1945. p. 1. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
75. Sobel 1978, p. 933.
76. "Charles Hinton Russell". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
77. "Oaths Are Taken by New Officials". Nevada State Journal. January 3, 1951. p. 12. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
78. Sobel 1978, p. 934.
79. "Grant Sawyer". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
80. "Crowd Sees Inauguration". Reno Gazette-Journal. January 5, 1959. p. 1. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
81. Sobel 1978, pp. 934–935.
82. "Paul Dominque Laxalt". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
83. "Laxalt Takes Office As Nevada's Governor". Nevada State Journal. January 3, 1967. p. 1. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
84. Sobel 1978, p. 935.
85. "Mike O'Callaghan". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
86. "O'Callaghan in Governorship With Ceremonies at Carson". Reno Gazette-Journal. January 4, 1971. p. 1. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
87. "Nev. Const. art. V, § 3". www.stateconstitutions.umd.edu. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
88. "Robert Frank List". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
89. Volek, Sue (January 1, 1979). "It's Official – List Now Governor". Reno Gazette-Journal. p. 1. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
90. "Richard H. Bryan". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
91. McFarren, Jack (January 3, 1983). "Bryan Officially Becomes Nevada's 25th Governor". Reno Gazette-Journal. p. 1. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
92. "Bob Miller". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
93. Melton, Wayne (January 4, 1989). "Nearly 100 Nevadans on Hand As Bryan Takes Senate Oath". Reno Gazette-Journal. p. 1A. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
94. "Kenny Guinn". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
95. O'Driscoll, Bill (January 5, 1999). "Guinn Takes Oath As Nevada's 28th Governor". Reno Gazette-Journal. p. 1A. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
96. "Jim Gibbons". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
97. Hagar, Ray (January 2, 2007). "Incoming Chief Fills Top Security Posts After Taking Oath Just After Midnight". Reno Gazette-Journal. p. 1A. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
98. "Brian Sandoval". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
99. Hagar, Ray (January 4, 2011). "Sandoval Issues Call for Optimism". Reno Gazette-Journal. p. 1A. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
100. "Steve Sisolak". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
101. DeHaven, James. "Nevada Gov. Sisolak Delivers Emotional Inaugural Address on the Steps of the Capitol". Retrieved April 7, 2023.
102. "Joe Lombardo". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
103. Stern, Gabe (January 3, 2023). "Nevada Gov. Lombardo Stresses Unity in Inaugural Address". Associated Press. Retrieved April 7, 2023.

External links

• Office of the Governor of Nevada