List of governors of South Carolina

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Governor of South Carolina

The governor leads the state government and is the commander-in-chief of South Carolina’s forces. The current governor is Henry McMaster, in office since January 24, 2017, and the longest-serving governor in the state’s history. The governor serves a four-year term and can be re-elected once in a row.

History in brief:
- South Carolina was one of the original Thirteen Colonies and became a state on May 23, 1788.
- It seceded from the United States on December 20, 1860 and joined the Confederacy on February 4, 1861.
- After the Civil War, Reconstruction placed the state under federal military oversight until it rejoined the Union on July 9, 1868.
- The constitution changed how long governors could serve: early terms were two years with no immediate re-election; the 1865 constitution briefly allowed four-year terms; the 1868 constitution returned to two years; the 1926 reform set four-year terms but barred consecutive terms; the 1981 reform allowed governors to serve two consecutive terms.
- The office began as president in 1776 and was renamed lieutenant governor in 1778, who could succeed to the governorship if the office became vacant.