The Governor of Michigan is the head of state and head of government in Michigan. The governor has the almost the same powers as the President of the United States America. Michigan has had a total of forty-nine governors; forty-seven men and two woman. The current governor of Michigan since 2019 is Gretchen Whitmer, who is a member of the Democratic Party.
Since 1992, all governors of Michigan are only eligible to serve two terms. After the two have passed, the incumbent governor is prohibited from running again for the same office for the rest of their lives. As of 2026, three governors (John Engler, Jennifer Granholm, and Rick Snyder) have served two terms and were prohibited from running again. Current governor Gretchen Whitmer is also term limited and will not be allowed to run for re-election in 2026, having been elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.
Governors of the State of Michigan (1837-Present)
| Number | Name (lifespan) | Term | Party | Elections | Lieutenant Governor |
| 1 | Steven T. Mason (1811-1843) | November 3, 1837 to January 7, 1840 (did not run) | Democrat | 1837 | Edward Mundy |
| 2 | William Woodbridge (1780-1861) | January 7, 1840 to February 24, 1841 (resigned) | Whig | 1839 | James W. Gordon |
| 3 | James W. Gordon (1809-1853) | February 24, 1841 to January 3, 1842 (did not run) | Whig | Unelected | Thomas Drake |
| 4 | John Barry (1802-1870) | January 3, 1842 to January 5, 1846 (did not run) | Democrat | 1841 1843 | O. D. Richardson |
| 5 | Alpheus Felch (1804-1896) | January 5, 1846 to March 3, 1847 (resigned) | Democrat | 1845 | William Greenly |
| 6 | William Greenly (1813-1883) | March 3, 1847 to January 3, 1848 (did not run) | Democrat | Unelected | Charles Bush |
| 7 | Epaphroditus Ransom (1798-1859) | January 3, 1848 to January 7, 1850 (did not run) | Democrat | 1847 | William Fenton |
| 8 | John Barry (1802-1870) | January 7, 1850 to January 1, 1852 (did not run) | Democrat | 1849 | William Fenton |
| 9 | Robert McClelland (1807-1880) | January 1, 1852 to March 6, 1853 (resigned) | Democrat | 1851 | Andrew Parsons |
| 10 | Andrew Parsons (1817-1855) | March 6, 1853 to January 3, 1855 (did not run) | Democrat | Unelected | George Griswold |
| 11 | Kinsley Bingham (1808-1861) | January 3, 1855 to January 3, 1859 (did not run) | Republican | 1854 1856 | George Coe |
| 12 | Moses Wisner (1815-1863) | January 3, 1859 to January 2, 1861 (did not run) | Republican | 1858 | Edmund B. Fairfield |
| 13 | Austin Blair (1814-1894) | January 2, 1861 to January 4, 1865 (did not run) | Republican | 1860 1862 | Henry T. Backus |
| 14 | Henry Crapo (1804-1869) | January 4, 1865 to January 1, 1869 (did not run) | Republican | 1864 1866 | Dwight May |
| 15 | Henry P. Baldwin (1814-1892) | January 1, 1869 to January 1, 1873 (did not run) | Republican | 1868 1870 | Morgan Bates |