Governor of Minnesota
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The Governor of Minnesota is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Thirty-eight different people have been governors of the state, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial governor, also served as state governor several years later. State governors are elected to office by popular vote, but territorial governors were appointed to the office by the United States president. The current governor of Minnesota is Tim Pawlenty.
Like the U.S. President, the governor has veto power over bills passed by the Minnesota State Legislature. As in most states, but unlike the U.S. President, the governor can also make line-item vetoes, where specific provisions in bills can be stripped out while allowing the overall bill to be signed into law.
Since a 1958 amendment to the Minnesota Constitution governors are elected to four-year terms. Previously, they served two-year terms. The governor has a cabinet consisting of the leaders of various state departments. The governor appoints these department heads, who are usually called commissioners. Cabinet-level departments include:
- Department of Administration
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Commerce
- Department of Corrections
- Department of Education
- Department of Employee Relations
- Department of Employment and Economic Development
- Department of Finance
- Department of Health
- Department of Human Rights
- Department of Human Services
- Iron Range Resources (Also known as the IRRB [pronounced "eye-triple-r-b"])
- Department of Labor and Industry
- Bureau of Mediation Services
- Metropolitan Council
- Department of Military Affairs
- Minnesota Higher Education Services Office
- Minnesota Housing Finance Agency
- Department of Natural Resources
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
- Department of Public Safety
- Department of Revenue
- Department of Transportation
- Department of Veterans Affairs
The governor's residence is located in Saint Paul, at 1006 Summit Avenue.
[edit] See also
- List of Governors of Minnesota
- List of Minnesota gubernatorial elections
- Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
- List of Lieutenant Governors of Minnesota
- Minnesota Secretary of State
- Minnesota Attorney General
- Minnesota State Auditor
- Minnesota State Treasurer(office abolished January 6, 2003)
