The U.S. Will Break Its Record for Most Female Governors Serving at Once: Meet the 13 Women Sharing the Win

For the first time in history, the United States will soon have 13 female governors serving at the same time — a considerable feat in a nation whose executive roles have long been male-dominated.

The share of women leading U.S. states has gradually increased in recent elections. For about 15 years, the record was nine women governing at the same time. After the 2022 midterms, when women led major party tickets in 20 of the 36 gubernatorial races, the new record became 12 women serving concurrently.

Following the 2024 elections, one new woman is set to join the ranks when she takes the office in January.

Here are the 12 female governors and one governor-elect sharing the historic moment.

Kay Ivey (Alabama)

At 80 years old, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is currently the oldest U.S. governor in office. She's the second woman to lead Alabama — the first only served for 16 months back in the '60s — and the first Republican woman to do so. She has held the office since 2017, when she was bumped up from lieutenant governor upon her boss's resignation.

Katie Hobbs (Arizona)

Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, came out victorious in her battleground 2022 gubernatorial race against far-right challenger Kari Lake, who baselessly claimed that the election was fraudulent. Hobbs, 54, is the first social worker to serve as a U.S. governor, and the fifth female governor of Arizona. Prior to assuming the office, she served in the Arizona state Senate and as Arizona's secretary of state.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Arkansas)

Former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, 42, was sworn in as the first female governor of Arkansas, following the career path of her father, former Gov. Mike Huckabee (and President Bill Clinton, who twice held the title before running for higher office). The governorship is Sanders' first elected position, made possible by the connections she formed while supporting her father's campaigns and defending President Donald Trump in press briefings.

Kathy Hochul (New York)

Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, 66, made history in 2021 as New York's first female governor, though she first assumed the office because she was Andrew Cuomo's lieutenant governor when he resigned amid scandal. In 2022, Hochul earned the distinction of the state's first elected female governor, fortifying her place in Albany.

Kim Reynolds (Iowa)

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, 65, was elevated from lieutenant governor in 2017, when her predecessor resigned to become the Ambassador to China under Trump. After carrying out the remainder of his term as the state's first female governor, Reynolds was elected to the position in 2018 and reelected in 2022, extending the GOP's control of Iowa's top seat.

Laura Kelly (Kansas)

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly won her 2022 bid for reelection in Republican-leaning Kansas, earning an additional four years at the helm of the Sunflower State. The former Kansas state senator, now 74, began her career as a recreation therapist.

Janet Mills (Maine)

Democrat Janet Mills, 76, paved a path for women to hold Maine's highest office when she became the state's first female governor in 2019. The former attorney general of Maine, who also served in the state House of Representatives, is now in her second term.

Maura Healey (Massachusetts)

Democrat Maura Healey, 53, was the first openly lesbian attorney general in the United States, and now touts a greater accomplishment for LGBTQ+ visibility as the first openly lesbian governor in the nation, sharing the title Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, who was also elected in 2022. She is Massachusetts' first female governor.

Gretchen Whitmer (Michigan)

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, 53, entered the national consciousness in 2020 when, in quick succession, she entered a feud with Trump over her COVID-19 shutdowns and made it on Joe Biden's shortlist for vice president. She quickly became a divisive figure — Biden's fans developed a fondness for her and Trump's fans mimicked his anger toward her — and in fall of 2020 it was revealed that the FBI had thwarted a plot to kidnap Whitmer and overthrow Michigan's government. She was reelected to her second term in 2022.

Kelly Ayotte (New Hampshire)

Republican Kelly Ayotte, 56, will become the nation's newest female governor in January 2025 after she defeated Democratic nominee Joyce Craig in New Hampshire's 2024 gubernatorial election. Ayotte is a former state prosecutor who became New Hampshire's first and only female attorney general before serving one term in the U.S. Senate.

Michelle Lujan Grisham (New Mexico)

Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, 65, is partway through her second term in office. The former U.S. representative and New Mexico secretary of health was reelected in 2022, allowing her to continue serving the land she says her ancestors have inhabited for 12 generations.

Tina Kotek (Oregon)

Oregon got its second female governor in a row in 2022 after Democrat Tina Kotek, now 58, clinched a victory in an uncharacteristically close race between her and two other women. Kotek — who previously earned the title of first openly lesbian woman to serve as a state House speaker — brought representation to a new level by sharing the title of first openly lesbian woman elected as U.S. governor with Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey.

Kristi Noem (South Dakota)

Republican Kristi Noem, South Dakota's first woman governor, is serving her second and final term in office after easily winning reelection in 2022. The former U.S. representative, 52, was once rumored to be considering a presidential run in 2024, ultimately opting out and deciding to back her party's primary winner.