The Wyoming Constitution vests the executive power in the Governor. He is commander-in-chief of the military forces of the state except when they are called into the service of the United States. He transacts all necessary business with the officers of the government, civil and military.

He has the power to convene the Legislature on extraordinary occasions and every bill passed by the Legislature is presented to him for approval or veto. He reviews and presents to the Legislature the overall state budget. The Governor has the power to remit fines and forfeitures, to grant reprieves, commutations and pardons after conviction, for all offenses except treason and cases of impeachment.

The Governor is chairman of the Capitol Building Commission, Board of Charities and Reform, Board of Deposits, Farm Loan Board, Board of Land Commissioners, Wyoming Liquor Commission, Commission on Prison Labor, and Board of Wills and Trust. Also, he appoints many of the department heads and members of various state boards and commissions.

Governor's Cabinet and Boards

Territorial Governors

Between 1869 and 1890, Wyoming's territorial governors were appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by Congress.

The duties of the Territorial Governors, prescribed in the Organic Act of July 25, 1868, increased with the growth and development of the Territory. By this act, he was endowed with all executive power and authority in and over the Territory; was made Commander in Chief of the Militia thereof, and was named Superintendent of Indian Affairs, until 1870, when the Governor ceased to hold that office. ^[1] He convened the Legislative Assembly in extraordinary sessions, delivered a message to each Legislative Assembly giving information on the condition of the Territory and recommended such measures as he deemed expedient. All bills passed by the Assembly were submitted to him for approval, he having the power to veto.

In 1878 the Governor made a report to the Secretary of the Interior on the affairs, resources, progress, conditions and special needs of the Territory. This practice was continued each year until Statehood with the exception of the years 1882 and 1884. Prior to 1878 the Governor made occasional reports to the Secretary of State. Similar reports were made to the Department of the Interior by the Surveyor General of the Territory, the first being made October 7, 1870.

The Organic Act fixed the salary for the Governor at two thousand dollars annually and one thousand dollars a year as Superintendent of Indian Affairs. There were various changes in the salary throughout the Territorial period. At the time Wyoming became a State the Governor was receiving an annual salary of two thousand six hundred dollars. The Governor received no other compensation other than that provided by the laws of the United States. ^[2]

History of the Governor's Office

State of the Territory Addresses

	Governor (Party)	Date of Appointment	Oath of Office	Term Expired	Birth	Death	Notes
	John A. Campbell (R)	April 3, 1869	April 15, 1869	March 1, 1875	October 8, 1835	July 14, 1880	Sworn in in Washington, D.C. before heading west. He arrived in Cheyenne on May 7, 1869. Resigned.
	John M. Thayer (R)	February 10, 1875	March 1, 1875	May 29, 1878	January 24, 1820	March 19, 1906
	John W. Hoyt (R)	April 10, 1878	May 29, 1878	August 22, 1882	October 13, 1831	May 23, 1912
	William Hale (R)	August 3, 1882	August 22, 1882	January 13, 1885	November 18, 1837	January 13, 1885	Died in office
	E.S.N. Morgan (R)	(Acting)	January 13, 1885	February 28, 1885	January 1832	April 20, 1894	Secretary of the Territory, Acting Governor for 45 days
	Francis E. Warren (R)	February 27, 1885	February 28, 1885	November 11, 1886	June 20, 1844	November 24, 1929
	George W. Baxter (D)	November 5, 1886	November 11, 1886	December 20, 1886	January 7, 1855	December 1929	Resigned
	E.S.N. Morgan (R)	(Acting)	December 20, 1886	January 24, 1887	January 1832	April 20, 1894	Secretary of the Territory, Acting Governor for 35 days
	Thomas Moonlight (D)	Jan. 5, 1887	January 24, 1887	April 9, 1889	November 10, 1833	February 7, 1899	Appointed December 9, 1886, but appointment not confirmed until January 5, 1887
	Francis E. Warren (R)	March 27, 1889	April 9, 1889	October 11, 1890	June 20, 1844	November 24, 1929	Became State Governor on October 11, 1890

State Governors

History of the Governor's Office

State of the State Addresses

Inaugural Addresses

	Governor (Party)	Years Served	Hometown	Birth	Death	Notes
	Francis E. Warren (R)	1890	Cheyenne	June 20, 1844	November 24, 1929	Resigned about one month into office to accept the U. S. Senate seat to which he was elected by the Wyoming Legislature
	Amos W. Barber (R)	1890-1893	Cheyenne	April 26, 1861	May 19, 1915	Served as acting governor from Nov. 24, 1890, upon the resignation of Warren
	John E. Osborne (D)	1893-1895	Rawlins	June 19, 1858	April 24, 1943
	William A. Richards (R)	1895-1899	Red Bank	March 9, 1849	July 25, 1912
	DeForest Richards (R)	1899-1903	Douglas	August 6, 1846	April 28, 1903	Died in office
	Fenimore Chatterton (R)	1903-1905	Saratoga	July 21, 1860	May 9, 1958	Served as acting governor from April 28, 1903, following the death of DeForest Richards.
	Bryant B. Brooks (R)	1905-1911	Casper	February 5, 1861	Dec. 8, 1944	Elected to complete the last two years of DeForest Richards’ unexpired term.
	Joseph M. Carey (D)	1911-1915	Cheyenne	January 19, 1845	February 5, 1924
	John B. Kendrick (D)	1915-1917	Sheridan	September 6, 1857	November 3, 1933	Resigned Feb. 26, 1917, after election to the U. S. Senate
	Frank Houx (D)	1917-1919	Cody	December 12, 1860	April 3, 1941	Served as acting governor on resignation of Kendrick.
	Robert D. Carey (R)	1919-1923	Careyhurst	August12, 1878	January 17, 1937
	William B. Ross (D)	1923-1924	Cheyenne	December 4, 1873	October 2, 1924	Died in office, Oct. 2, 1924
	Frank Lucas (R)	1924-1925	Buffalo	August 4, 1876	November 26, 1948	Served as acting governor from Oct. 2, 1924 following Ross’ death
	Nellie Tayloe Ross (D)	1925-1927	Cheyenne	November 29, 1876	December 19, 1977	Widow of William Ross, was elected to complete the final two years of her husband’s unexpired term. She was first woman elected governor in the nation
	Frank C. Emerson (R)	1927-1931	Cheyenne	May 26, 1882	February 18, 1931	Died in office Feb. 18, 1931
	Alonzo M. Clark (R)	1931-1933	Gillette	August 13, 1868	October 12, 1952	Served as acting governor from Feb. 18, 1931, on the death of Emerson
	Leslie A. Miller (D)[22]	1933-1939	Cheyenne	January 29, 1886	September 29, 1970	First elected to complete the final two years of Emerson’s unexpired term. He was subsequently elected to a four-year term
	Nels H. Smith (R)	1939-1943	Horton	August 27, 1884	July 5, 1976
	Lester C. Hunt (D)	1943-1949	Lander	July 8, 1892	June 19, 1954	Resigned Jan. 3, 1949, after election to the U. S. Senate
	A. G. Crane (R)	1949-1951	Cheyenne	September 1, 1877	August 11, 1955	Served as acting governor following Hunt’s resignation
	Frank A. Barrett (R)	1951-1953	Lusk	November 10, 1892	May 30, 1962	Resigned Jan. 3, 1953, after election to the U. S. Senate
	C. J. “Doc” Rogers (R)	1953-1955	Cheyenne	December 20, 1897	May 18, 1962	Served as acting governor upon the resignation of Barrett
	Milward Simpson (R)	1955-1959	Cody	November 12, 1897	June 10, 1993
	J. J. Hickey (D)	1959-1961	Rawlins	August 22, 1911	September 22, 1970	Resigned Jan. 2, 1961, to accept appointment to the U. S. Senate following the death of Senator-elect Keith Thomson
	Jack R. Gage (D)	1961-1963	Sheridan	January 13, 1899	March 14, 1970	Served as acting governor after the resignation of J. J. Hickey
	Clifford P. Hansen (R)	1963-1967	Jackson	October 16, 1912	October 20, 2009
	Stanley K. Hathaway (R)	1967-1975	Torrington	July 19, 1924	October 4, 2005
	Ed Herschler (D)	1975-1987	Kemmerer	October 27, 1918	February 6, 1990	Only Wyoming governor to serve 3 consecutive terms in office
	Mike Sullivan (D)	1987-1995	Casper	September 22, 1939
	Jim Geringer (R)	1995-2003	Wheatland	April 24, 1944
	Dave Freudenthal (D)	2003-2011	Thermopolis	October 12, 1950
	Matthew H. Mead (R)	2011-2019	Jackson	March 11, 1962
	Mark Gordon (R)	2019-	Buffalo	March 14, 1957

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Wyoming Governors Born in Wyoming

1. Robert D. Carey (Cheyenne, 8/12/1878)
2. Milward L. Simpson (Jackson, 11/12/1897)
3. J. J. “Joe” Hickey (Rawlins, 8/22/1911)
4. Clifford P. Hansen (Teton County, 10/16/1912)
5. Ed Herschler (Kemmerer, 10/27/1918)
6. Jim Geringer (Wheatland, 4/24/1944)
7. Dave Freudenthal (Thermopolis, 10/12/1950)
8. Matthew H. Mead (Jackson, 3/11/1962)



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Wyoming First Ladies

1. Helen Warren
2. Aurelia Barber
3. Harriet Richards (Mrs. W.A.)
4. Elise Richards (Mrs. DeForest)
5. Stella Chatterton
6. Mary Brooks
7. Louisa Carey
8. Eula Kendrick
9. Ida Houx
10. Julia Carey
11. Ina Belle Lucas
12. Nellie Tayloe Ross +
13. Zennia Emerson
14. Lucy Clark
15. Margaret Miller
16. Marie Christensen Smith ++
17. Emily Hunt
18. Lura May Crane
19. Alice Barrett
20. Mabel Rogers
21. Lorna Kooi Simpson
22. Winifred Hickey
23. Leona Gage
24. Martha Close Hansen
25. Roberta “Bobbi” Hathaway
26. Kathleen “Casey” Herschler
27. Jane Sullivan
28. Sherri Geringer
29. Nancy Freudenthal
30. Carol Mead
31. Jennie Gordon
    

+ Also served as governor

++ First native-born first lady, born in Weston County.

 

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Additional Resources

• Governor's Office website
• Contact information: 2323 Carey Avenue, Cheyenne 82002-0010 Phone (307) 777-7434, Fax (307) 632-3909

 

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1. Until 1876, an additional appropriation of $1,000 per year was made for the governor to serve as Superintendent of Indian Affairs in the territory. (See Federal Statues, 1870 - 1876) National Archives, Washington, D.C., P.M. Hammer, Chief of Division of Reference, letter to author [Virginia Trenholm], December 12, 1941.

 

2. Ref 3: Revised Statues, U.S. 1878, p. 328, Chapter 1, Section 1855.