PolitiFinder

Oldest sitting governors (2026)

Every state governor in office today, ranked by age, with the year each was first elected to the job.

Kay Ivey of Alabama is the oldest sitting governor, 81 years old as of September 9, 2026. Next are Mike DeWine of Ohio (79) and Henry D. McMaster of South Carolina (79). The table below ranks 49 of the 50 sitting governors, from 81 down to 44, with an average age of 61.7; the rest are named in the note underneath.

Related: Longest-serving state governors.

Looking for the record over all of history rather than who holds the seat today? See Oldest governors elected since 1900.

Who is the oldest sitting governor?

Kay Ivey of Alabama, 81 years old as of September 9, 2026. Ivey was first elected to this office in 2018 and has won 2 elections for it.

How old is the oldest governor?

81. Kay Ivey was born October 15, 1944, which makes Ivey 81 as of September 9, 2026, 2 years older than Mike DeWine, the next oldest.

Who is the youngest sitting governor?

Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas, 44 years old as of September 9, 2026 — the youngest of the 49 sitting governors ranked here.

What is the average age of sitting governors?

61.7 years, across the 49 sitting governors ranked here, measured on September 9, 2026.

Oldest sitting governors
#GovernorAge todayBornStateFirst elected
1Kay IveyR81October 15, 1944Alabama2018
2Mike DeWineR79January 5, 1947Ohio2018
3Henry D. McMasterR79May 27, 1947South Carolina2018
4Janet MillsD78December 30, 1947Maine2018
5Laura KellyD76January 24, 1950Kansas2018
6Dan McKeeD75June 16, 1951Rhode Island2022
7Tony EversD74November 5, 1951Wisconsin2018
8Ned LamontD72January 3, 1954Connecticut2018
9Brad LittleR72February 15, 1954Idaho2018
10Mike BraunR72March 24, 1954Indiana2024
11Jim PillenR70December 31, 1955Nebraska2022
12Mark GordonR69March 14, 1957Wyoming2018
13Greg AbbottR68November 13, 1957Texas2014
14Phil ScottR68August 4, 1958Vermont2016
15Kathy HochulD68August 27, 1958New York2022
16Kim ReynoldsR67August 4, 1959Iowa2018
17Bill LeeR66October 9, 1959Tennessee2018
18Michelle Lujan GrishamD66October 24, 1959New Mexico2018
19Greg GianforteR65April 17, 1961Montana2020
20Mike DunleavyR65May 5, 1961Alaska2018
21Mike KehoeR64January 17, 1962Missouri2024
22Joe LombardoR63November 8, 1962Nevada2022
23Brian KempR62November 2, 1963Georgia2018
24Tim WalzD62April 6, 1964Minnesota2018
25JB PritzkerD61January 19, 1965Illinois2018
26Bob FergusonD61February 23, 1965Washington2024
27Josh SteinD59September 13, 1966North Carolina2024
28Tina KotekD59September 30, 1966Oregon2022
29Gavin NewsomD58October 10, 1967California2018
30Patrick MorriseyR58December 21, 1967West Virginia2024
31Kelly AyotteR58June 27, 1968New Hampshire2024
32Katie HobbsD56December 28, 1969Arizona2022
33Josh GreenD56February 11, 1970Hawaii2022
34Jeff LandryR55December 23, 1970Louisiana2023
35Maura HealeyD55February 8, 1971Massachusetts2022
36Gretchen WhitmerD55August 23, 1971Michigan2018
37Matt MeyerD54September 29, 1971Delaware2024
38Mikie SherrillD54January 19, 1972New Jersey2025
39Kevin StittR53December 28, 1972Oklahoma2018
40Josh ShapiroD53June 20, 1973Pennsylvania2022
41Tate ReevesR52June 5, 1974Mississippi2019
42Jared PolisD51May 12, 1975Colorado2018
43Spencer CoxR51July 11, 1975Utah2020
44Kelly ArmstrongR49October 8, 1976North Dakota2024
45Andy BeshearD48November 29, 1977Kentucky2019
46Ron DeSantisR47September 14, 1978Florida2018
47Wes MooreD47October 15, 1978Maryland2022
48Abigail SpanbergerD47August 7, 1979Virginia2025
49Sarah Huckabee SandersR44August 13, 1982Arkansas2022

How this ranking is measured

Every sitting governor with a recorded birth date, ranked by age on September 9, 2026 (the day this page was last rebuilt, so the ages move only when the site does). "First elected" is the earliest election for this office that the person won, which is why a governor who first reached the office by appointment or succession shows a later year than the year they took the seat. 1 sitting member is not ranked: Larry Rhoden (South Dakota). That member reached the seat by appointment, succession, or a special election PolitiFinder does not yet hold, so there is no election record to build a profile from. Where a birth date is published for them, none would displace the leader above.

Compiled by PolitiFinder · published June 14, 2026 · sources: Data & sources · data last verified September 9, 2026.