Alabama Governors

For more information about the office of the governor, see the Encyclopedia of Alabama.

Number Governor County Term Party Comments
54 Kay Ivey Wilcox 2017 - Republican Lieutenant Governor Ivey became governor when Governor Robert Bentley resigned, and she was subsequently elected to a four-year term.
53 Robert J. Bentley Tuscaloosa 2011 - 2017 Republican
52 Robert “Bob” Riley Clay 2003 - 2011 Republican
51 Don Siegelman Mobile 1999 - 2003 Democrat
Forrest “Fob” James Lee January 16, 1995 -1999 Republican
50 James E. Folsom Jr. Cullman April 22, 1993 - 1995 Democrat Lieutenant Governor Folsom became governor when Governor Hunt was convicted for ethics violations.
49 Guy Hunt Cullman January 19, 1987 - April 22, 1993 Republican
George C. Wallace Barbour January 17, 1983 - 1987 Democrat
48 Forrest “Fob” James Lee January 15, 1979 - 1983 Democrat
Jere Beasley Barbour June 5 - July 7,1972 Democrat Lieutenant Governor Beasley became acting governor while Governor Wallace was recovering in Maryland from an assassination attempt.
George C. Wallace Barbour January 18, 1971 - 1979 Democrat
47 Albert P. Brewer Morgan May 7, 1968 - 1971 Democrat Lieutenant Governor Albert Brewer was acting governor for part of a day when Governor Wallace received out-of-state medical treatment for more than 20 days, and he became governor upon her death.
46 Lurleen B. Wallace Tuscaloosa January 16, 1967 - 1968 Democrat
45 George C. Wallace Barbour January 14, 1963 - 1967 Democrat
44 John M. Patterson Russell January 19, 1959 - 1963 Democrat
James E. Folsom Sr. Cullman January 17, 1955 - 1959 Democrat
43 Seth Gordon Persons Montgomery January 15, 1951 - 1955 Democrat
42 James E. Folsom Sr. Cullman January 20, 1947 - 1951 Democrat
41 Chauncey Sparks Barbour January 19, 1943 - 1947 Democrat
40 Frank M. Dixon Jefferson January 17, 1939 - 1943 Democrat
David Bibb Graves Montgomery January 14, 1935 - 1939 Democrat
39 Benjamin Meek Miller Wilcox January 19, 1931 - 1935 Democrat
38 David Bibb Graves Montgomery January 17, 1927 - 1931 Democrat
Charles S. McDowell Jr. Barbour July 10 - 11, 1924 Democrat Lieutenant Governor McDowell became acting governor when Governor Brandon was in New York City for 21 days to chair the state delegation to the 1924 Democratic Convention.
37 William W. Brandon Tuscaloosa January 15, 1923 - 1927 Democrat
36 Thomas E. Kilby Calhoun January 20, 1919 - 1923 Democrat
35 Charles Henderson Pike January 18, 1915 - 1919 Democrat
34 Emmet O’Neal Lauderdale January 17, 1911 - 1915 Democrat
33 Braxton Bragg Comer Jefferson January 14, 1907 - 1911 Democrat
Russell M. Cunningham Jefferson April 25, 1904 - March 5, 1905 Democrat Lieutenant Governor Cunningham became acting governor during Governor Jelks’s illness.
32 William D. Jelks Barbour June 11, 1901 - 1907 Democrat President of the Senate Jelks became governor upon the death of Governor Samford, and he was subsequently elected to a four-year term.
31 William J. Samford Lee December 26, 1900 - 1901 Democrat
William D. Jelks Barbour December 1 - 26, 1900 Democrat President of the Senate Jelks became acting governor when Governor Samford sought out-of-state medical treatment early in his administration, which began December 1, 1900.
30 Joseph F Johnston Jefferson December 1, 1896 - 1900
29 William Calvin Oates Henry December 1, 1894 - 1896 Democrat
28 Thomas Goode Jones Montgomery December 1, 1890 - 1894 Democrat
27 Thomas Seay Hale December 1, 1886 - 1890 Democrat
26 Edward A. O’Neal Lauderdale December 1, 1882 - 1886 Democrat
25 Rufus W. Cobb Shelby November 28, 1878 - 1882 Democrat
24 George S. Houston Limestone November 24, 1874 - 1878 Democrat
23 David P. Lewis Madison November 17, 1872 - 1874 Republican
22 Robert Burns Lindsay Colbert November 26, 1870 - 1872 Democrat
21 William Hugh Smith Randolph July 24, 1868 - 1870 Republican
Wager Swayne Montgomery 1867 - 1868 Appointed military governor.
20 Robert M. Patton Lauderdale December 13, 1865 - 1867 Whig
19 Lewis Eliphalet Parsons Talladega 1865 June - December Democrat Appointed provisional governor.
18 Thomas Hill Watts Montgomery December 1, 1863 - 1865 Democrat
17 John Gill Shorter Barbour December 2, 1861 - 1863 Democrat
16 Andrew B. Moore Perry December 1, 1857 - 1861 Democrat
15 John A. Winston Sumter December 20, 1853 - 1857 Democrat
14 Henry W. Collier Tuscaloosa December 17, 1849 - 1853 Democrat
13 Reuben Chapman Madison December 16, 1847 - 1849 Democrat
12 Joshua Lanier Martin Tuscaloosa December 10, 1845 - 1847 Democrat
11 Benjamin Fitzpatrick Autauga November 22, 1841 - 1845 Democrat
10 Arthur P. Bagby Monroe November 22 ,1837 - 1841 Democrat
9 Hugh McVay Lauderdale July 17 - November 22, 1837 Democrat President of the Senate McVay became governor when Governor Clay was appointed to the U.S. Senate.
8 Clement Comer Clay Madison November 21, 1835 - 1837 Democrat
7 John Gayle Greene November 26, 1831 - 1835 Democrat / Whig
6 Samuel B. Moore Jackson March 3 - November 1831 Democrat President of the Senate Samuel Moore became governor when Governor Gabriel Moore was elected to the U.S. Senate.
5 Gabriel Moore Madison November 25, 1829 - 1831 Democrat
4 John Murphy Monroe November 25, 1825 - 1829 Democrat
3 Israel Pickens Greene November 9, 1821 - 1825 Democrat
2 Thomas Bibb Limestone July 25, 1820 - 1821 Democrat
1 William Wyatt Bibb Autauga November 9, 1819 - 1820 Democrat
Notes:
  • Initially, the governor served a two-year term. The Alabama Constitution of 1901 set the term at four years and prohibited a governor from serving two consecutive terms. Constitutional Amendment No. 282, ratified in 1968, allows the governor to serve two consecutive terms.
  • The Constitution of 1901 designated the lieutenant governor as next in line to succeed the governor followed by the president pro tem of the Senate.
  • The Constitution of 1901 states that if the governor is absent from the state for more than 20 days, then the lieutenant governor shall assume the powers and duties of the governor until his return.
  • Individuals who served as acting governor or post-Civil War military governor are not numbered in the list above.