The Governor of Illinois

Governor of Illinois

The Governor of Illinois is the chief executive of the State of Illinois and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state....

 is the head of the executive branch of Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 military forces

Illinois National Guard

The Illinois National Guard comprises both Army National Guard and Air National Guard components. The National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to function in a state status. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and...

. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto

Veto

A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...

 bills passed by the Illinois Legislature, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardon

Pardon

Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...

s.

Governor of the Territory of Illinois

For the period before Illinois Territory was formed, see the list of Governors of Indiana Territory.

Illinois Territory

Illinois Territory

The Territory of Illinois was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 1, 1809, until December 3, 1818, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Illinois. The area was earlier known as "Illinois Country" while under...

 was formed on March 1, 1809, from Indiana Territory

Indiana Territory

The Territory of Indiana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1800, until November 7, 1816, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Indiana....

. It had only one governor appointed by the President of the United States

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

 before it became a state.

Picture	Governor	Took office	Left office	Appointed by
	Ninian Edwards Ninian Edwards Ninian Edwards was a founding political figure of the state of Illinois. He served as the first and only governor of the Illinois Territory from 1809 to 1818, as one of the first two United States Senators from Illinois from 1818 to 1824, and as the third Governor of Illinois from 1826 to 1830...	March 1, 1809	October 6, 1818	James Madison James Madison James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...

Governors of the State of Illinois

Illinois was admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818, consisting of the southern portion of Illinois Territory; the remainder was assigned to Michigan Territory

Michigan Territory

The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan...

.

The first Illinois Constitution

Illinois Constitution

The Constitution of the State of Illinois is the governing document of the state of Illinois. There have been four Illinois Constitutions; the fourth and current version was adopted in 1970.-History:...

, ratified in 1818, provided that a governor be elected every four years for a term starting on the first Monday in the December following an election. The constitution of 1848 moved the start of the term to the second Monday in January. Governors were not allowed to succeed themselves until the 1870 constitution, which removed this limit.

The office of lieutenant governor

Lieutenant Governor of Illinois

The Lieutenant Governor of Illinois is the second highest executive of the State of Illinois. In Illinois, the lieutenant governor and governor run on a joint ticket, and are directly elected by popular vote. Candidates for lieutenant governor run separately in the primary from candidates for...

 was created in the first constitution, to exercise the power of governor if that office becomes vacant. The 1848 constitution changed this to say the power "devolves" upon the lieutenant governor in case of a vacancy. The current constitution of 1970 made it so that, in the event of a vacancy, the lieutenant becomes governor, and the governor and lieutenant governor are now elected on the same ticket

Ticket (election)

A ticket refers to a single election choice which fills more than one political office or seat. For example, in the U.S., the candidates for President and Vice President run on the same "ticket", because they are elected together on a single ballot question rather than separately.A ticket can also...

.

#	Picture		Governor	Took office	Left office	Party	Lt. Governor Lieutenant Governor of Illinois The Lieutenant Governor of Illinois is the second highest executive of the State of Illinois. In Illinois, the lieutenant governor and governor run on a joint ticket, and are directly elected by popular vote. Candidates for lieutenant governor run separately in the primary from candidates for...		TermsThe fractional terms of some governors are not to be understood absolutely literally; rather, they are meant to show single terms during which multiple governors served, due to resignations, deaths and the like.
1			Shadrach Bond Shadrach Bond Shadrach Bond was a representative from Illinois Territory to the United States Congress. In 1818, he was elected the first Governor of Illinois, becoming the new state's first chief executive...	October 6, 1818	December 5, 1822	Democratic- Republican		Pierre Menard Pierre Menard Pierre Menard was a fur trader and U.S. political figure. Pierre Menard was born at St. Antoine-sur-Richelieu, near Montreal, Canada, third in a family of ten children...	1
2			Edward Coles Edward Coles Edward Coles manumitted his slaves in 1819, was secretary to James Madison , neighbor and anti-slavery associate of Thomas Jefferson and was the second Governor of Illinois, serving from 1822 to 1826...	December 5, 1822	December 6, 1826	Democratic- Republican		Adolphus Hubbard	1
3			Ninian Edwards Ninian Edwards Ninian Edwards was a founding political figure of the state of Illinois. He served as the first and only governor of the Illinois Territory from 1809 to 1818, as one of the first two United States Senators from Illinois from 1818 to 1824, and as the third Governor of Illinois from 1826 to 1830...	December 6, 1826	December 6, 1830	Adams-Clay Republican		William Kinney	1
4			John Reynolds John Reynolds (U.S. politician) John Reynolds was a United States politician from the state of Illinois. He was one of the original four justices of the Illinois Supreme Court, 1818–1825, a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1826–1830, 1846–1848, and 1852–1854 , and the 4th Illinois Governor from 1830–1834...	December 6, 1830	November 17, 1834	Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...		Zadok Casey Zadok Casey Zadok Casey was an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois from 1833 to 1843. He founded the city of Mount Vernon around 1817. He was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1822 and to the Illinois State Senate in 1826, and was elected the fourth... Resigned.	Resigned to take elected seat in the United States House of Representatives United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution... .
								William Lee D. Ewing William Lee D. Ewing William Lee Davidson Ewing was a politician from Illinois who served partial terms as the fifth governor of the state and as U.S. Senator....
5			William Lee D. Ewing William Lee D. Ewing William Lee Davidson Ewing was a politician from Illinois who served partial terms as the fifth governor of the state and as U.S. Senator....	November 17, 1834	December 3, 1834	Democratic	Vacant		As acting lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term.
6			Joseph Duncan Joseph Duncan (politician) Joseph Duncan was a U.S. politician. He served as the sixth Governor of Illinois from 1834 to 1838. He was a Democrat and a two-term U.S. Representative....	December 3, 1834	December 7, 1838	Whig Whig Party (United States) The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...		Alexander JenkinsResigned.	1
								William H. DavidsonRepresented the Democratic Party Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... .
7			Thomas Carlin Thomas Carlin Thomas Carlin was the seventh Governor of Illinois, serving from 1838 to 1842. Born in 1789 in Frankfort, Kentucky, he served in both houses of the Illinois General Assembly, and was instrumental in obtaining passage of a bill in January 1829 creating Macoupin County. The city of Carlinville,...	December 7, 1838	December 8, 1842	Democratic		Stinson Anderson	1
8			Thomas Ford Thomas Ford (politician) Thomas Ford was the eighth Governor of Illinois, and served in this capacity from 1842 to 1846. A Democrat, he is remembered largely for his involvement in the death of Joseph Smith, Jr., and the subsequent Illinois Mormon War...	December 8, 1842	December 9, 1846	Democratic		John Moore	1
9			Augustus C. French Augustus C. French Augustus Chaflin French was the ninth Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1846 until 1853. He is best known for his fiscal policies, which eliminated the state's debt by the end of his administration, and for the lack of scandals during his administration...	December 9, 1846	January 10, 1853	Democratic		Joseph Wells Joseph Wells Joseph Algernon Wells was a British track and field athlete who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics.He was born and died in Ware....	2French was the first governor elected under the provisions of the 1848 constitution, which shifted the election year, shortening his first term to two years. The constitutional convention called for new elections, and despite falling under the term limit he was allowed to run.http://books.google.com/books?id=6_ctAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA311&dq=augustus+french+election&hl=en&ei=7XqFTdu6BMGCtgeq_cDHBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CEIQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=augustus%20french%20election&f=false
								William McMurtry William McMurtry William McMurtry was a Lieutenant Governor of Illinois and Civil War colonel.McMurtry was born in Mercer County, Kentucky. William's parents were James and Elizabeth McMurtry. His great-grandfather, John McMurtry, who descended from French Huguenots, fought in the American Revolution; dying in...
10			Joel Aldrich Matteson Joel Aldrich Matteson Joel Aldrich Matteson was the tenth Governor of Illinois, serving from 1853 to 1857. In 1855, he became the first governor to reside in the Illinois Executive Mansion. After his term as governor ended he was for many years the president of the Chicago and Alton Railroad...	January 10, 1853	January 12, 1857	Democratic		Gustavus Koerner	1
11			William Henry Bissell William Henry Bissell William Henry Bissell was the 11th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1857 until his death. He was one of the first successful Republican Party candidates, winning the election of 1856 just two years after the founding of his party.Bissell was born in Hartwick, Otsego County, New York...	January 12, 1857	March 18, 1860	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...		John Wood John Wood (governor) John Wood was the 12th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1860 to 1861. Wood was a founder and the first settler of Quincy, Illinois....	Died in office.
12			John Wood John Wood (governor) John Wood was the 12th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1860 to 1861. Wood was a founder and the first settler of Quincy, Illinois....	March 18, 1860	January 14, 1861	Republican		Thomas Marshall Thomas Marshall Thomas Marshall may refer to:*Thomas Marshall , abbot of Colchester*Thomas Marshall , English scholar...	As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term.
13			Richard Yates	January 14, 1861	January 16, 1865	Republican		Francis Hoffmann	1
14based on Rod R. Blagojevich, 40th governor and Jim Edgar is the 38th, Oglesby was the 14th governor all three occasions.			Richard J. Oglesby Richard James Oglesby Richard James Oglesby was an Illinois statesman and U.S. Army officer. He served in the Mexican-American War and was a major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He also served Illinois in the legislature. Near the end of the civil war, he was elected the 14th Governor of...	January 16, 1865	January 11, 1869	Republican		William Bross	1
15			John M. Palmer John M. Palmer (politician) John McAuley Palmer , was an Illinois resident, an American Civil War General who fought for the Union, the 15th Governor of Illinois, and presidential candidate of the National Democratic Party in the 1896 election on a platform to defend the gold standard, free trade, and limited...	January 11, 1869	January 13, 1873	Republican		John Dougherty John Dougherty John Dougherty was a U.S. Representative from Missouri.Born in Iatan, Missouri, Dougherty moved with his parents the same year to Liberty, Missouri.He attended the public schools and William Jewell College, Liberty, Mo,....	1
14			Richard J. Oglesby Richard James Oglesby Richard James Oglesby was an Illinois statesman and U.S. Army officer. He served in the Mexican-American War and was a major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He also served Illinois in the legislature. Near the end of the civil war, he was elected the 14th Governor of...	January 13, 1873	January 23, 1873	Republican		John Lourie Beveridge John Lourie Beveridge John Lourie Beveridge was the 16th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1873 to 1877.- References :...	Resigned so that Lieutenant Governor Beveridge would appoint him to the United States Senate United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each... .
16			John Lourie Beveridge John Lourie Beveridge John Lourie Beveridge was the 16th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1873 to 1877.- References :...	January 23, 1873	January 8, 1877	Republican		John Early John Early John Early was a Methodist prelate and one of the founders of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.He was born in Bedford County, Virginia. He became a founder and one of the members of the board of Randolph Macon College. He was one of the founders of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and...
								Archibald Glenn Archibald Glenn Sir Archibald Glenn OBE is an Australian industrialist and founding Chancellor of La Trobe UniversityJoseph Robert Archibald Glenn was educated at Scotch College, Melbourne and studied engineering at the University of Melbourne and later in London.He joined ICI where he became managing director...
17			Shelby Moore Cullom Shelby Moore Cullom Shelby Moore Cullom was a U.S. political figure, serving in various offices, including the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate and the 17th Governor of Illinois....	January 8, 1877	February 16, 1883	Republican		Andrew Shuman	Resigned to take elected seat in the United States Senate United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each... .
								John Marshall Hamilton John Marshall Hamilton John Marshall Hamilton was the 18th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1883 to 1885.- References :...
18			John Marshall Hamilton John Marshall Hamilton John Marshall Hamilton was the 18th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1883 to 1885.- References :...	February 16, 1883	January 30, 1885	Republican		William Campbell
14			Richard J. Oglesby Richard James Oglesby Richard James Oglesby was an Illinois statesman and U.S. Army officer. He served in the Mexican-American War and was a major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He also served Illinois in the legislature. Near the end of the civil war, he was elected the 14th Governor of...	January 30, 1885	January 14, 1889	Republican		John Smith	1
19			Joseph W. Fifer Joseph W. Fifer Joseph Wilson Fifer was the 19th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1889 to 1893. He also served as a member of the Illinois Senate, 1881–83.“Private Joe” Fifer was born at Staunton, Virginia on October 28, 1840...	January 14, 1889	January 10, 1893	Republican		Lyman Ray	1
20			John Peter Altgeld John Peter Altgeld John Peter Altgeld was the 20th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1893 until 1897. He was the first Democratic governor of that state since the 1850s...	January 10, 1893	January 11, 1897	Democratic		Joseph B. Gill	1
21			John R. Tanner John Riley Tanner John Riley Tanner was the 21st Governor of Illinois, from 1897 until 1901. He was one of the most remarkable governors of the late nineteenth century....	January 11, 1897	January 14, 1901	Republican		William Northcott	1
22			Richard Yates, Jr.	January 14, 1901	January 9, 1905	Republican		William Northcott	1
23			Charles S. Deneen Charles S. Deneen Charles Samuel Deneen was the 23rd Governor of Illinois, serving from 1905 to 1913, and was the first to serve two terms. He served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois, 1925–1931. Deneen also served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives in 1892...	January 9, 1905	February 3, 1913	Republican		Lawrence Sherman	2
								John G. Oglesby John G. Oglesby John Gillett Oglesby was the 29th and 31st Lieutenant Governor of Illinois from 1909 to 1913, and again from 1917 to 1921....
24			Edward F. Dunne Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne was an American politician who was the 24th Governor of Illinois from 1913 to 1917 and previously served as the 38th mayor of Chicago from April 5, 1905 to 1907.-Early years:...	February 3, 1913	January 8, 1917	Democratic		Barratt O'Hara Barratt O'Hara Barratt O'Hara of Chicago was the 30th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois from 1913 to 1917 and a U.S. Representative from Illinois from 1949 to 1951 and from 1953 to 1969.-External links: Retrieved on 2008-02-09...	1
25			Frank O. Lowden	January 8, 1917	January 10, 1921	Republican		John G. Oglesby John G. Oglesby John Gillett Oglesby was the 29th and 31st Lieutenant Governor of Illinois from 1909 to 1913, and again from 1917 to 1921....	1
26			Len Small Len Small Lennington Small was the 26th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1921 to 1929. He also served as a member of the Illinois state senate from the 16th District from 1901 to 1903 and was Illinois state treasurer, 1905–07 and 1917-19.Small was born in Kankakee County, Illinois.Lennington Small was...	January 10, 1921	January 14, 1929	Republican		Fred Sterling	2
27			Louis L. Emmerson Louis Lincoln Emmerson Louis Lincoln Emmerson was the Secretary of State of Illinois, 1917 to 1929. At the end of his term, he was elected the 27th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1929 to 1933. Emmerson was born in Albion, Edwards County, Illinois and died in Mt. Vernon, Jefferson County, Illinois. He was buried at...	January 14, 1929	January 9, 1933	Republican		Fred Sterling	1
28			Henry Horner Henry Horner Henry Horner was the 28th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1933 to 1940, when he died in office. Horner was the first Jewish governor of Illinois.- Political biography :...	January 9, 1933	October 6, 1940	Democratic		Thomas Donovan Thomas Donovan Thomas Patrick "Paddy" Donovan is a former New Zealand boxer.He won the bronze medal in the men's 57-60 kg division at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games...
								John Henry Stelle John Henry Stelle John Henry Stelle was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 34th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois for more than three and a half years in 1937-1940, and served as the 29th Governor of Illinois for three months in 1940-1941 upon the death of Governor Henry Horner in October 1940.-Biography:He...
29			John H. Stelle John Henry Stelle John Henry Stelle was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 34th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois for more than three and a half years in 1937-1940, and served as the 29th Governor of Illinois for three months in 1940-1941 upon the death of Governor Henry Horner in October 1940.-Biography:He...	October 6, 1940	January 13, 1941	Democratic	Vacant
30			Dwight H. Green Dwight H. Green Dwight Herbert Green was the 30th Governor of the US state of Illinois, serving from 1941 to 1949.- From childhood to early adulthood :...	January 13, 1941	January 10, 1949	Republican		Hugh W. Cross	2
31			Adlai E. Stevenson II	January 10, 1949	January 12, 1953	Democratic		Sherwood Dixon Sherwood Dixon John Sherwood Dixon was an American politician from Illinois, member of the Democratic Party.Born in Dixon...	1
32			William G. Stratton William Stratton William Grant Stratton , known as "Billy the Kid", was the 32nd Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1953 to 1961, succeeding Adlai Stevenson II in that office. He was born on in Ingleside in Lake County, Illinois, the son of William J...	January 12, 1953	January 9, 1961	Republican		John William Chapman John William Chapman John William Chapman was the 37th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. Chapman was born in Crete, Nebraska September 8, 1894. Chapman attended Public school in Chicago. He graduated from the University of Chicago in 1915 and received a Juris Doctor from University of Chicago Law School in 1917...	2
33			Otto Kerner, Jr. Otto Kerner, Jr. Otto Kerner, Jr. was the 33rd Governor of Illinois from 1961 to 1968. He is best known for chairing the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders and for accepting bribes....	January 9, 1961	May 21, 1968	Democratic		Samuel H. Shapiro Samuel H. Shapiro Samuel Harvey Shapiro was the 34th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1968 to 1969. He was a member of the Democratic Party....	Resigned to take seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the courts in the following districts:* Central District of Illinois* Northern District of Illinois... .
34			Samuel H. Shapiro Samuel H. Shapiro Samuel Harvey Shapiro was the 34th Governor of Illinois, serving from 1968 to 1969. He was a member of the Democratic Party....	May 21, 1968	January 13, 1969	Democratic	Vacant
35			Richard Buell Ogilvie Richard B. Ogilvie Richard Buell Ogilvie was the 35th Governor of Illinois from 1969 to 1973. A wounded combat veteran of World War II, he achieved fame as the mafia-fighting Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois in the 1960s....	January 13, 1969	January 8, 1973	Republican		Paul Simon Paul Simon (politician) Paul Martin Simon was an American politician from Illinois. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1985 and United States Senate from 1985 to 1997. He was a member of the Democratic Party...	1
36			Daniel Walker Daniel Walker Daniel Walker was the 36th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1973 to 1977.-Early life and career:He was born in Washington, D.C. and raised near San Diego, California. He was the second Governor of Illinois to graduate from the United States Naval Academy. He served as a naval officer in...	January 8, 1973	January 10, 1977	Democratic		Neil Hartigan Neil Hartigan Neil F. Hartigan is an Illinois Democrat who has served as Illinois Attorney General, the 40th Lieutenant Governor, and a judge of the Illinois Appellate Court. Hartigan also was the Democratic nominee for governor in 1990 but lost the race to Republican Jim Edgar.-Background:Hartigan grew up in...	1
37			James R. Thompson James R. Thompson James Robert Thompson, Jr. , also known as Big Jim Thompson, was the 37th and longest serving Governor of the US state of Illinois...	January 10, 1977	January 14, 1991	Republican		Dave O'Neal Dave O'Neal David C. O’Neal was the 41st Lieutenant Governor of Illinois from 1977 to 1981. For six years he served as Saint Clair County Sheriff, the first Republican to hold that office in twenty years.-Background:...	4James Thompson's first term was only 2 years because a constitutional amendment had passed moving gubernatorial elections to coincide with Congressional midterms
								George H. Ryan
38			Jim Edgar Jim Edgar James Edgar is an American politician who was the 38th Governor of Illinois from 1991 to 1999 and Illinois Secretary of State from 1981 to 1991. As a moderate Republican in a largely blue-leaning state, Edgar was a popular and successful governor, leaving office with high approval ratings...	January 14, 1991	January 11, 1999	Republican		Bob Kustra	2
39			George H. Ryan George Ryan George Homer Ryan, Sr. was the 39th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1999 until 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. Ryan became nationally known when in 2000 he imposed a moratorium on executions and "raised the national debate on capital punishment"...	January 11, 1999	January 13, 2003	Republican		Corinne Wood Corinne Wood Corinne J. Wood served as the 44th Lieutenant Governor of the US state of Illinois from 1999 to 2003. Graduating Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Illinois and Loyola University School of Law, Wood was named general counsel to the Illinois Commissioner of Banks and Trusts.-Background:Born as...	1
40			Rod Blagojevich Rod Blagojevich Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...	January 13, 2003	January 29, 2009	Democratic		Pat Quinn Pat Quinn (politician) Patrick Joseph "Pat" Quinn III is the 41st and current Governor of Illinois. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Previously elected three times to statewide office, Quinn was the sitting lieutenant governor and became governor on January 29, 2009, when the previous governor, Rod Blagojevich,...	Impeached and removed from office on charges of corruption.
41			Pat Quinn Pat Quinn (politician) Patrick Joseph "Pat" Quinn III is the 41st and current Governor of Illinois. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Previously elected three times to statewide office, Quinn was the sitting lieutenant governor and became governor on January 29, 2009, when the previous governor, Rod Blagojevich,...	January 29, 2009	Incumbent	Democratic		Sheila Simon Sheila Simon Sheila J. Simon is an American politician and educator who is the 46th and current Lieutenant Governor of the state of Illinois. She was a Professor of Law at the Southern Illinois University School of Law. Simon is the daughter of former U.S...	1 As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term and was subsequently elected in his own right.Governor Quinn's first full term expires on January 12, 2015; he is not term limited.

Other high offices held

This is a table of congressional seats and other federal offices held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Illinois. * denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.

Governor	Gubernatorial term	Other offices held	Sources
Ninian Edwards Ninian Edwards Ninian Edwards was a founding political figure of the state of Illinois. He served as the first and only governor of the Illinois Territory from 1809 to 1818, as one of the first two United States Senators from Illinois from 1818 to 1824, and as the third Governor of Illinois from 1826 to 1830...	1809–1818, 1826–1830	Senator
Shadrach Bond Shadrach Bond Shadrach Bond was a representative from Illinois Territory to the United States Congress. In 1818, he was elected the first Governor of Illinois, becoming the new state's first chief executive...	1818–1822	Delegate from Illinois Territory
John Reynolds John Reynolds (U.S. politician) John Reynolds was a United States politician from the state of Illinois. He was one of the original four justices of the Illinois Supreme Court, 1818–1825, a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1826–1830, 1846–1848, and 1852–1854 , and the 4th Illinois Governor from 1830–1834...	1830–1834	Representative*
William Lee D. Ewing William Lee D. Ewing William Lee Davidson Ewing was a politician from Illinois who served partial terms as the fifth governor of the state and as U.S. Senator....	1834	Senator
Joseph Duncan Joseph Duncan (politician) Joseph Duncan was a U.S. politician. He served as the sixth Governor of Illinois from 1834 to 1838. He was a Democrat and a two-term U.S. Representative....	1834–1838	Representative
William Henry Bissell William Henry Bissell William Henry Bissell was the 11th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1857 until his death. He was one of the first successful Republican Party candidates, winning the election of 1856 just two years after the founding of his party.Bissell was born in Hartwick, Otsego County, New York...	1857–1860	Representative
Richard Yates	1861–1865	Representative, Senator
Richard J. Oglesby Richard James Oglesby Richard James Oglesby was an Illinois statesman and U.S. Army officer. He served in the Mexican-American War and was a major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He also served Illinois in the legislature. Near the end of the civil war, he was elected the 14th Governor of...	1865–1869, 1873, 1885–1889	Senator*
John M. Palmer John M. Palmer (politician) John McAuley Palmer , was an Illinois resident, an American Civil War General who fought for the Union, the 15th Governor of Illinois, and presidential candidate of the National Democratic Party in the 1896 election on a platform to defend the gold standard, free trade, and limited...	1869–1873	Senator
Shelby Moore Cullom Shelby Moore Cullom Shelby Moore Cullom was a U.S. political figure, serving in various offices, including the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate and the 17th Governor of Illinois....	1877–1883	Representative, Senator*
Richard Yates Richard Yates (son) Richard Yates, Jr. was the 22nd Governor of Illinois from 1901 to 1905. From 1919 to 1933, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois. Although he failed to receive his party's nomination in 1928 to the Seventy-first Congress, he was later appointed nominee and elected in place...	1901–1905	Representative
Charles S. Deneen Charles S. Deneen Charles Samuel Deneen was the 23rd Governor of Illinois, serving from 1905 to 1913, and was the first to serve two terms. He served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois, 1925–1931. Deneen also served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives in 1892...	1905–1913	Senator
Frank O. Lowden Frank Orren Lowden Frank Orren Lowden was a Republican Party politician from Illinois, who served as the 25th Governor of Illinois and as a United States Representatives from Illinois...	1917–1921	Representative
Adlai Stevenson	1949–1953	Ambassador to the United Nations United States Ambassador to the United Nations The United States Ambassador to the United Nations is the leader of the U.S. delegation, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. The position is more formally known as the "Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador...
William Stratton William Stratton William Grant Stratton , known as "Billy the Kid", was the 32nd Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1953 to 1961, succeeding Adlai Stevenson II in that office. He was born on in Ingleside in Lake County, Illinois, the son of William J...	1953–1961	Representative
Otto Kerner, Jr. Otto Kerner, Jr. Otto Kerner, Jr. was the 33rd Governor of Illinois from 1961 to 1968. He is best known for chairing the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders and for accepting bribes....	1961–1968	Seventh Circuit Court Judge United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the courts in the following districts:* Central District of Illinois* Northern District of Illinois... *
Rod Blagojevich Rod Blagojevich Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...	2003–2009	Representative

Living former governors

, five former governors were alive. The most recent death of a former governor was that of William Stratton

William Stratton

William Grant Stratton , known as "Billy the Kid", was the 32nd Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1953 to 1961, succeeding Adlai Stevenson II in that office. He was born on in Ingleside in Lake County, Illinois, the son of William J...

 (1953–1961), who died on March 2, 2001.

Governor	Term	Date of birth
Daniel Walker Daniel Walker Daniel Walker was the 36th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1973 to 1977.-Early life and career:He was born in Washington, D.C. and raised near San Diego, California. He was the second Governor of Illinois to graduate from the United States Naval Academy. He served as a naval officer in...	1973–1977	6 August 1922 (age 89)
James R. Thompson James R. Thompson James Robert Thompson, Jr. , also known as Big Jim Thompson, was the 37th and longest serving Governor of the US state of Illinois...	1977–1991	8 May 1936 (age 75)
Jim Edgar Jim Edgar James Edgar is an American politician who was the 38th Governor of Illinois from 1991 to 1999 and Illinois Secretary of State from 1981 to 1991. As a moderate Republican in a largely blue-leaning state, Edgar was a popular and successful governor, leaving office with high approval ratings...	1991–1999	22 July 1946 (age 65)
George Ryan George Ryan George Homer Ryan, Sr. was the 39th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1999 until 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. Ryan became nationally known when in 2000 he imposed a moratorium on executions and "raised the national debate on capital punishment"...	1999–2003	24 February 1934 (age 77)
Rod Blagojevich Rod Blagojevich Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...	2003–2009	10 December 1956 (age 55)