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List of first women governors and chief ministers

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This is a list of reportedly first women who have been elected or appointed governor and/or chief minister of their respective states, provinces or dependent territories. It may or may not be accurate, given that in some countries the first woman governor may not be in reliable sources, specially ancient times female governors.

List

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  Denotes incumbent governors and/or chief ministers
  • Italics denotes acting governors and/or chief ministers that are either de facto (with limited to no international recognition) or defunct.
Name Image Country Continent Office Mandate start Mandate end Term length
Artemisia II of Caria     Achaemenid Empire Asia Governor of Caria 353 BC 351 BC 2 years
Margaret of Austria     Burgundy Europe Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands March 18, 1507 December 1, 1530 23 years, 258 days
Beatriz de la Cueva
(First female governor of North America and all the Americas) 		    Castile North America Governor of the Captaincy General of Guatemala 9 September 1541 11 September 1541 2 days
Sigrid Sture   Sweden Europe Governor of Stranda Hundred 1577 1613 36 years
Ana Francisca de Borja y Doria

(First female governor in South America)

  Habsburg Spain South America Governor of Viceroyalty of Peru 7 June 1668 12 November 1668 158 days
Nellie Tayloe Ross
(First female American governor) 		    United States North America Governor of
  Wyoming 		5 January 1925 3 January 1927 1 year, 363 days
Miriam A. Wallace Ferguson     United States North America Governor of
  Texas 		20 January 1925 17 January 1927 1 year, 362 days
17 January 1933 15 January 1935 1 year, 363 days
Olga Boettcher   Chile South America Governor of La Unión 1941 ?
Sarojini Naidu     India Asia Governor of United Provinces 15 August 1947 2 March 1949 1 year, 199 days
Josefina Valencia Muñoz     Colombia South America Governor of Valle del Cauca 21 September 1955 16 September 1956 361 days
Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit     India Asia Governor of Maharashtra 28 November 1962 18 October 1964 1 year, 324 days
Lurleen Wallace     United States North America Governor of
  Alabama 		16 January 1967 7 May 1968 1 year, 362 days
Elizabeth Marcos-Keon[1][citation needed]   Philippines Asia Governor of
Ilocos Norte 		30 December 1971 23 March 1983 11 years, 83 days
Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan     Pakistan Asia Governor of Sindh 15 February 1973 28 February 1976 3 years, 13 days
Ebba Lodden   Norway Europe Governor of Aust-Agder 1974 1983 9 years
Ella T. Grasso (First female governor in the US who was elected on her own right)[a]     United States North America Governor of
  Connecticut 		8 January 1975 31 December 1980 5 years, 358 days
Imelda Marcos     Philippines Asia Governor of
Metro Manila[b] 		27 February 1975 25 February 1986 10 years, 363 days
Dixy Lee Ray     United States North America Governor of
  Washington 		12 January 1977 14 January 1981 4 years, 2 days
Griselda Álvarez   Mexico North America Governor of Colima 1979 1985 6 years
Elmira Minita Gordon   Belize North America Governor-General of Belize 21 September 1981 17 November 1993 12 years, 57 days
Vesta M. Roy     United States North America Acting Governor of
  New Hampshire 		29 December 1982 6 January 1983 8 days
Gu Xiulian   China Asia Governor of Jiangsu 1983 1989 6 years
Martha Layne Collins     United States North America Governor of
  Kentucky 		13 December 1983 8 December 1987 3 years, 360 days
Madeleine Kunin     United States North America Governor of
  Vermont 		20 January 1985 20 January 1991 6 years, 0 days
Iolanda Fleming     Brazil South America Governor of
  Acre 		14 May 1986 15 March 1987 305 days
Kay A. Orr     United States North America Governor of
  Nebraska 		9 January 1987 9 January 1991 4 years, 0 days
Rose Mofford     United States North America Governor of
  Arizona 		4 April 1988 6 March 1991 2 years, 336 days
Rosemary Follett     Australia Oceania Chief Minister of the
  Australian Capital Territory 		11 May 1989 5 December 1989 208 days
6 June 1991 2 March 1995 3 years, 269 days
Carmen Lawrence     Australia Oceania Premier of
  Western Australia 		12 February 1990 16 February 1993 3 years, 4 days
Joan Kirner     Australia Oceania Premier of
  Victoria 		10 August 1990 6 October 1992 2 years, 57 days
Sharon Pratt     United States North America Mayor of the
  District of Columbia 		2 January 1991 2 January 1995 4 years, 0 days
Joan Finney   United States North America Governor of
  Kansas 		14 January 1991 9 January 1995 3 years, 360 days
Barbara Roberts     United States North America Governor of
  Oregon 		14 January 1991 9 January 1995 3 years, 360 days
Rita Johnston   Canada North America Premier of
  British Columbia 		2 April 1991 5 November 1991 217 days
Nellie Cournoyea     Canada North America Premier of
  Northwest Territories 		14 November 1991 22 November 1995 4 years, 8 days
Catherine Callbeck     Canada North America Premier of
  Prince Edward Island 		25 January 1993 9 October 1996 3 years, 258 days
María Antonia Martínez     Spain Europe President of the
  Region of Murcia 		28 April 1993 26 June 1995 2 years, 59 days
Laurette Onkelinx     Belgium Europe Minister-President of the
  French Community 		6 May 1993 13 July 1999 6 years, 68 days
Heide Simonis     Germany Europe Minister-President of
  Schleswig-Holstein 		19 May 1993 27 April 2005 11 years, 343 days
Agnes Lukudi[2]   Sudan Africa Governor of Bahr-al-Jabal 1994 1998 4 years
Hannele Pokka     Finland Europe Governor of Lapland 1994 2008 14 years
Christine Todd Whitman     United States North America Governor of
  New Jersey 		18 January 1994 16 January 2001 6 years, 364 days
Roseana Sarney     Brazil South America Governor of
  Maranhão 		1 January 1995 5 April 2002 7 years, 94 days
17 April 2009 10 December 2014 5 years, 237 days
Waltraud Klasnic     Austria Europe Governor of
  Styria 		23 January 1996 25 October 2005 9 years, 275 days
Valentina Bronevich     Russia Eurasia Governor of   Koryak Autonomous Okrug 17 November 1996 3 December 2000 4 years, 16 days
Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri   South Africa Africa Premier of
Free State 		18 December 1996 15 June 1999 2 years, 179 days
Jeanne Shaheen     United States North America Governor of
  New Hampshire 		9 January 1997 9 January 2003 6 years, 0 days
Dipuo Peters     South Africa Africa Premier of the
Northern Cape 		11 May 1998 6 May 2009 10 years, 360 days
Nancy Hollister   United States North America Governor of
  Ohio 		31 December 1998 11 January 1999 11 days
Fusae Ohta     Japan Asia Governor of
  Osaka 		5 February 2000 4 February 2008 7 years, 364 days
Yoshiko Shiotani   Japan Asia Governor of
  Kumamoto 		16 April 2000 15 April 2008 7 years, 365 days
Pat Duncan   Canada North America Premier of
  Yukon 		6 May 2000 30 November 2002 2 years, 208 days
Akiko Dōmoto     Japan Asia Governor of
  Chiba 		2001 2009 8 years, 0 days
Judy Martz     United States North America Governor of
  Montana 		1 January 2001 3 January 2005 4 years, 2 days
Sila María Calderón     United States North America Governor of
  Puerto Rico 		2 January 2001 2 January 2005 4 years, 0 days
Ruth Ann Minner     United States North America Governor of
  Delaware 		3 January 2001 20 January 2009 8 years, 17 days
Teresita S. Lazaro     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Laguna 		30 January 2001 30 June 2010 9 years, 151 days
Jane Swift     United States North America Governor of
  Massachusetts 		10 April 2001 2 January 2003 1 year, 267 days
Clare Martin     Australia Oceania Chief Minister of
  Northern Territory 		18 August 2001 26 November 2007 6 years, 100 days
Alicia Lemme     Argentina South America Governor of San Luis 23 December 2001 10 December 2003 1 year, 352 days
Dalva Figueiredo     Brazil South America Governor of
  Amapá 		5 April 2002 1 January 2003 271 days
Benedita da Silva     Brazil South America Governor of
  Rio de Janeiro 		6 April 2002 1 January 2003 270 days
Linda Lingle     United States Oceania Governor of
  Hawaii 		2 December 2002 6 December 2010 8 years, 4 days
Mirta Ramona Mendoza[3]   Paraguay South America Governor of Concepción 2003 2008 5 years
Wilma de Faria     Brazil South America Governor of
  Rio Grande do Norte 		1 January 2003 31 March 2010 7 years, 89 days
Jennifer Granholm     United States North America Governor of
  Michigan 		1 January 2003 1 January 2011 8 years, 0 days
Harumi Takahashi   Japan Asia Governor of
  Hokkaido 		23 April 2003 22 April 2019 15 years, 364 days
Valentina Matviyenko     Russia Eurasia Governor of   Saint Petersburg 15 October 2003 22 August 2011 7 years, 311 days
Olene Walker     United States North America Governor of
  Utah 		5 November 2003 3 January 2005 1 year, 59 days
Esperanza Aguirre     Spain Europe President of the
  Community of Madrid 		8 November 2003 26 September 2012 8 years, 323 days
Kathleen Blanco     United States North America Governor of
  Louisiana 		1 January 2004 1 January 2008 4 years, 2 days
Catherine Mabuza     South Africa Africa Acting Premier of
Limpopo 		22 April 2004 26 April 2004 4 days
Nosimo Balindlela     South Africa Africa Premier of
Eastern Cape 		26 April 2004 25 July 2008 4 years, 90 days
Gabi Burgstaller     Austria Europe Governor of
  Salzburg 		28 April 2004 19 June 2013 9 years, 52 days
Edna Molewa     South Africa Africa Premier of
North West 		30 April 2004 6 May 2009 5 years, 6 days
Gwendolyn Garcia     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Cebu 		30 June 2004 30 June 2013 9 years, 0 days
Grace Padaca   Philippines Asia Governor of
  Isabela 		30 June 2004 30 June 2010 6 years, 0 days
Iryna Syniavska     Ukraine Europe Governor of
  Zhytomyr Oblast 		3 February 2005 16 June 2006 1 year, 133 days
Ratu Atut Chosiyah     Indonesia Asia Governor of
  Banten 		20 October 2005 13 May 2014 8 years, 205 days[c]
Nadiia Dieieva     Ukraine Europe Governor of
  Dnipropetrovsk Oblast 		11 November 2005 3 September 2007 1 year, 296 days
Maria de Lourdes Abadia     Brazil South America Governor of the
  Brazilian Federal District 		31 March 2006 1 January 2007 276 days
Vira Ulianchenko     Ukraine Europe Governor of
  Kyiv Oblast 		16 June 2006 20 May 2009 2 years, 338 days
Yukiko Kada     Japan Asia Governor of
  Shiga 		20 July 2006 19 July 2014 7 years, 364 days
Sarah Palin     United States North America Governor of
  Alaska 		4 December 2006 26 July 2009 4 years, 2 days
Ana Júlia Carepa     Brazil South America Governor of
  Pará 		1 January 2007 1 January 2011 4 years, 0 days
Yeda Crusius     Brazil South America Governor of
  Rio Grande do Sul 		1 January 2007 1 January 2011 4 years, 0 days
Jum Jainudin Akbar     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Basilan 		30 June 2007 30 June 2016 9 years, 0 days
Vilma Santos     Philippines Asia Governor of
Batangas 		30 June 2007 30 June 2016 9 years, 0 days
Louise Lake-Tack     Antigua and Barbuda North America Governor of Antigua and Barbuda 17 July 2007 14 August 2014 7 years, 28 days
Anna Bligh     Australia Oceania Premier of
  Queensland 		13 September 2007 26 March 2012 4 years, 195 days
Lynne Brown     South Africa Africa Premier of
Western Cape 		25 July 2008 6 May 2009 1 year, 11 days
Eva Aariak     Canada North America Premier of
  Nunavut 		19 November 2008 19 November 2013 5 years, 0 days
Bev Perdue     United States North America Governor of
  North Carolina 		10 January 2009 5 January 2013 3 years, 361 days
Mieko Yoshimura     Japan Asia Governor of
  Yamagata 		14 February 2009 Incumbent 15 years, 286 days
Nomvula Mokonyane     South Africa Africa Premier of
Gauteng 		6 May 2009 21 May 2014 5 years, 15 days
Margaret Alva     India Asia Governor of Uttarakhand 6 August 2009 14 May 2012 2 years, 282 days
Christine Lieberknecht     Germany Europe Minister-President of
  Thuringia 		30 October 2009 5 December 2014 5 years, 36 days
Kristina Keneally     Australia Oceania Premier of
  New South Wales 		4 December 2009 28 March 2011 1 year, 114 days
Natalya Komarova     Russia Eurasia Governor of   Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug 1 March 2010 30 May 2024 14 years, 90 days
Lilia Pineda     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Pampanga 		30 June 2010 30 June 2019 9 years, 0 days
Carmencita Reyes     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Marinduque 		30 June 2010 7 January 2019 8 years, 191 days
Sharee Ann Tan     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Samar 		30 June 2010 30 June 2019 9 years, 0 days
30 June 2022 Incumbent 2 years, 149 days
Total time in office 10 years, 515 days
Hannelore Kraft     Germany Europe Minister-President of
  North Rhine-Westphalia 		14 July 2010 27 June 2017 6 years, 348 days
Kathy Dunderdale     Canada North America Premier of
  Newfoundland and Labrador 		3 December 2010 24 January 2014 3 years, 52 days
Susana Martinez     United States North America Governor of
  New Mexico 		1 January 2011 1 January 2019 8 years, 0 days
Mary Fallin     United States North America Governor of
  Oklahoma 		10 January 2011 14 January 2019 8 years, 4 days
Nikki Haley     United States North America Governor of
  South Carolina 		12 January 2011 24 January 2017 6 years, 12 days
Lara Giddings     Australia Oceania Premier of
  Tasmania 		24 January 2011 31 March 2014 3 years, 66 days
María Dolores de Cospedal     Spain Europe President of the Government of
  Castilla–La Mancha 		22 June 2011 1 July 2015 4 years, 9 days
Yolanda Barcina     Spain Europe President of the Government of
  Navarre 		23 June 2011 20 July 2015 4 years, 27 days
Luisa Fernanda Rudi     Spain Europe President of the Government of
  Aragon 		13 July 2011 3 July 2015 3 years, 355 days
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer     Germany Europe Minister-President of
  Saarland 		10 August 2011 28 February 2018 6 years, 202 days
Alison Redford     Canada North America Premier of
  Alberta 		7 October 2011 23 March 2014 2 years, 167 days
Marina Kovtun     Russia Eurasia Governor of   Murmansk Oblast 13 April 2012 21 March 2019 7 years, 8 days
Pauline Marois     Canada North America Premier of
  Quebec 		19 September 2012 23 April 2014 1 year, 216 days
Christina Scott     United Kingdom North America Governor of Anguilla 2013 2017 4 years
Malu Dreyer     Germany Europe Minister-President of
  Rhineland-Palatinate 		16 January 2013 Incumbent 11 years, 315 days
Kathleen Wynne     Canada North America Premier of
  Ontario 		11 February 2013 29 June 2018 5 years, 138 days
Angelica Amante     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Agusan del Norte 		30 June 2013 30 June 2019 6 years, 0 days
Daisy A. Fuentes   Philippines Asia Governor of
  South Cotabato 		30 June 2013 30 June 2019 6 years, 0 days
Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza   Philippines Asia Governor of
  Cotabato 		30 June 2013 30 June 2019 6 years, 0 days
Rebecca Ynares     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Rizal 		30 June 2013 30 June 2022 9 years, 0 days
Susana Díaz     Spain Europe President of the Government of
  Andalusia 		5 September 2013 18 January 2019 5 years, 135 days
Svetlana Orlova     Russia Eurasia Governor of   Vladimir Oblast 23 September 2013 8 October 2018 5 years, 15 days
Iryna Sekh     Ukraine Europe Governor of
  Lviv Oblast 		2 March 2014 14 August 2014 165 days
Nicola Sturgeon     United Kingdom Europe First Minister of
  Scotland 		20 November 2014 28 March 2023 8 years, 128 days
Suely Campos     Brazil South America Governor of
  Roraima 		1 January 2015 10 December 2018 3 years, 343 days
Gina Raimondo     United States North America Governor of
  Rhode Island 		6 January 2015 2 March 2021 6 years, 55 days
Rhodora Cadiao     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Antique 		29 January 2015 Incumbent 9 years, 302 days
Francina Armengol     Spain Europe President of the Government of the
  Balearic Islands 		2 July 2015 Incumbent 9 years, 147 days
Arlene Foster     United Kingdom Europe First Minister of
  Northern Ireland 		11 January 2016 9 January 2017 364 days
11 January 2020 14 June 2021 1 year, 154 days
Natalia Zhdanova     Russia Eurasia Governor of   Zabaykalsky Krai 18 February 2016 11 October 2018 2 years, 235 days
Nang Khin Htwe Myint     Myanmar Asia Chief Minister of
  Kayin 		30 March 2016 1 February 2021 4 years, 308 days
Lae Lae Maw     Myanmar Asia Chief Minister of
  Tanintharyi 		30 March 2016 11 March 2019 2 years, 346 days
Bedjoria Soraya Adiong     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Lanao del Sur 		30 June 2016 30 June 2019 3 years, 0 days
Maria Jocelyn Bernos     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Abra 		30 June 2016 Incumbent 8 years, 149 days
Marilou Cayco     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Batanes 		30 June 2016 Incumbent 8 years, 149 days
Imelda Dimaporo     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Lanao del Norte 		30 June 2016 Incumbent 8 years, 149 days
Maria Luisa Romualdo   Philippines Asia Governor of
  Camiguin 		30 June 2016 Incumbent 8 years, 149 days
Czarina Umali     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Nueva Ecija 		30 June 2016 30 June 2019 3 years, 0 days
Susan Yap     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Tarlac 		30 June 2016 Incumbent 8 years, 149 days
Yuriko Koike     Japan Asia Governor of
  Tokyo 		1 August 2016 Incumbent 8 years, 117 days
Yuliya Svitlychna     Ukraine Europe Governor of
  Kharkiv Oblast 		15 October 2016 5 November 2019 3 years, 21 days
Johanna Mikl-Leitner     Austria Europe Governor of
  Lower Austria 		19 April 2017 Incumbent 7 years, 221 days
Kim Reynolds     United States North America Governor of
  Iowa 		24 May 2017 Incumbent 7 years, 186 days
Manuela Schwesig     Germany Europe Minister-President of
  Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 		4 July 2017 Incumbent 7 years, 145 days
Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane     South Africa Africa Premier of
  Mpumalanga 		20 March 2018 Incumbent 6 years, 251 days
Cida Borghetti     Brazil South America Governor of
  Paraná 		6 April 2018 1 January 2019 270 days
Janet Mills     United States North America Governor of
  Maine 		2 January 2019 Incumbent 5 years, 329 days
Kristi Noem     United States North America Governor of
  South Dakota[4] 		5 January 2019 Incumbent 5 years, 326 days
Lou Leon Guerrero     United States Oceania Governor of
  Guam 		7 January 2019 Incumbent 5 years, 324 days
Khofifah Indar Parawansa     Indonesia Asia Governor of
  East Java 		13 February 2019 13 February 2024 5 years, 0 days
Bai Mariam Mangudadatu     Philippines Asia Governor of
  Maguindanao 		30 June 2019 13 October 2022 3 years, 105 days
Liesbeth Homans     Belgium Europe Minister-President of
  Flanders 		2 July 2019 1 October 2019 91 days
Concha Andreu     Spain Europe President of
  La Rioja 		29 August 2019 29 June 2023 3 years, 304 days
Anna Kovalenko     Ukraine Europe Governor of
  Chernihiv Oblast 		13 October 2020 4 August 2021 295 days
Mariya Chorna     Ukraine Europe Governor of
  Kirovohrad Oblast 		27 May 2021 7 March 2022 284 days
Svitlana Onyshchuk     Ukraine Europe Governor of
  Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast 		8 July 2021 Incumbent 3 years, 141 days
Kathy Hochul     United States North America Governor of
  New York[5] 		24 August 2021 Incumbent 3 years, 94 days
Julie Thomas     Saint Helena Africa Chief Minister 25 October 2021 Incumbent 3 years, 32 days
Kristina Moore     Jersey Europe Chief Minister 12 July 2022 30 January 2024 1 year, 202 days
Maura Healey     United States North America Governor of
  Massachusetts[6] 		5 January 2023 Incumbent 1 year, 326 days
Maryam Nawaz     Pakistan Asia Chief Minister of
  Punjab 		26 February 2024 Incumbent 274 days
Eluned Morgan     United Kingdom Europe First Minister of
  Wales 		6 August 2024 Incumbent 112 days

Notes

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  1. ^ No special election, no due to husband, etc.
  2. ^ The only holder of the position.
  3. ^ Acting governor until 11 January 2007.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Marcos's mother, and her hospital bill, are left behind". New York Times. 30 Mar 1986. Section 1, p. 12.
  2. ^ Hoile, David (19 July 2002). "Women in Sudan". Media Monitors Network. Retrieved 11 Dec 2023.
  3. ^ Rojas, Aldo (30 Apr 2023). "Colorados recuperan gobernación de Concepción" [Colorados win again governorship of Concepción]. ABC. Retrieved 14 Nov 2023.
  4. ^ Nord, James (January 5, 2019). "Kristi Noem sworn in as South Dakota's 1st female governor". AP.
  5. ^ Ferré-Sadurní, Luis (August 24, 2021). "Kathy Hochul Is Sworn In as New York's First Female Governor". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  6. ^ Glueck, Katie; Astor, Maggie (2022-09-06). "Live Updates: Maura Healey Could Make History in Run for Massachusetts Governor". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved 2022-09-07.
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