List of governors of North Carolina

The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina and commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.

There have been 69 governors of North Carolina, with six serving non-consecutive terms, totaling 75 terms. The current governor is Democrat Roy Cooper, who took office on January 1, 2017.

Presidents of the Council
Prior to declaring its independence, North Carolina was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain. The 13-member Provincial Council, renamed the Council of Safety in April 1776, was essentially the executive authority during the second year of the revolution, and was appointed by the Provincial Congress. The Presidency of the Council and the Presidency of the Congress could each be considered the highest offices in the state during this time, but the council was supreme when the congress was not in session.

Cornelius Harnett served as the first president from October 18, 1775, to August 21, 1776. Samuel Ashe then served until September 27, 1776, and Willie Jones until October 25, 1776, at which time a state government had been formed.

State governors
North Carolina was one of the original Thirteen Colonies, and was admitted as a state on November 21, 1789. It seceded from the Union on May 20, 1861, and joined the Confederate States of America on February 4, 1861. Following the end of the American Civil War, North Carolina during Reconstruction was part of the Second Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections. North Carolina was readmitted to the Union on July 4, 1868.

The first constitution of 1776 created the office of governor, to be chosen by the legislature annually, and whom may only serve up to three out of every six years. An amendment in 1835 changed this to popular election for a term of two years, allowing them to succeed themselves once. The 1868 constitution lengthened terms to four years, to commence on the first day of January after the election, but they could not succeed themselves, a limit that was changed in 1977 to allow them to succeed themselves once.

The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1868, to act as governor when that office is vacant; in 1971 this was changed so that the lieutenant governor becomes governor. Before the office was created, the speaker of the senate would act as governor should it be vacant. The governor and the lieutenant governor are not officially elected on the same ticket.