An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Fifty-nine individuals have held the office of Governor of Kentucky. Prior to a 1992 amendment to the state's constitution, a Governor was prohibited from succeeding himself in office, though four men – Isaac Shelby, John LaRue Helm, James B. McCreary and A.B. "Happy" Chandler – served multiple non-consecutive terms. Paul E. Patton was the first Kentucky Governor eligible for a second consecutive term under the amendment and won his reelection bid in 1999. Steve Beshear also was elected to a second term in 2011. James Garrard succeeded himself in 1800, prior to the constitutional provision prohibiting it. First adopted in 1792, the Kentucky Constitution has been rewritten three times and amended many more. Governor Andy Beshear is the first child of a previous Governor to be elected to the office.
The portrait paintings shown below are courtesy of the Kentucky Historical Society and can be viewed in the Kentucky Hall of Governors at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History.
2019-Present
2015 – 2019
2007 – 2015
2003 – 2007
1995 – 2003
1991 – 1995
1987 – 1991
1983 – 1987
1979 – 1983
1974 – 1979
1971 – 1974
1967 – 1971
1963 – 1967
1959 – 1963
1955 – 1959
1950 – 1955
1947 – 1950
1943 – 1947
1939 – 1943
1935 – 1939
1931-1935
1927 – 1931
1923 – 1927
1919 – 1923
1919
1915 – 1919
1911 – 1915
1907 – 1911
1900 – 1907
1900
1899 – 1900
1895 – 1899
1891 – 1895
1887 – 1891
1883 – 1887
1879 – 1883
1875 – 1879
1871 – 1875
1867 – 1871
1867
1863 – 1867
1862 – 1863
1859 – 1862
1855 – 1859
1851 – 1855
1850 – 1851
1848 – 1850
1844 – 1848
1840 – 1844
1839 – 1840
1836 – 1839
1834 – 1836
1832 – 1834
1828 – 1832
1824 – 1828
1820 – 1824
1816 – 1820
1816
1812 – 1816
1808 – 1812
1804 – 1808
1796 – 1804
1792 – 1796