William Justus Goebel was an American Democratic politician who served as the 34th governor of Kentucky for four days, having been sworn in on his deathbed a day after being shot by an assassin. Goebel is the only sitting state governor in United States history to die by assassination.
William Goebel
Goebel's portrait by George Debereiner
Coverage of Goebel's assassination on The Anniston Hot Blast's cover page (February 4, 1900)
Monument in Frankfort Cemetery
The governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of government in Kentucky. Sixty-two men and one woman have served as governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-election once before becoming ineligible for four years. Throughout the state's history, four men have served two non-consecutive terms as governor, and four others have served two consecutive terms, the most recent being current governor Andy Beshear, who was re-elected to a second term on November 7, 2023. Kentucky is one of only five U.S. states that hold gubernatorial elections in odd-numbered years.
Governor of Kentucky
The governor's office
Happy Chandler created greater efficiency in state government under the Reorganization Act of 1936.
George Madison's death in 1813 occasioned the first instance of gubernatorial succession in Kentucky.