List of Governors of Minnesota
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Party | Governors |
|---|---|
| Republican/Independent-Republican | 26 |
| Democratic-Farmer-Labor | 5 |
| Democratic | 4 |
| Farmer-Labor | 3 |
| Reform/Independence | 1 |
The following is a list of Governors of the State of Minnesota and Minnesota Territory. The governor serves as head of the executive branch of the state's government and is charged with ensuring the faithful execution of the state's laws.[a] He or she is empowered to name state commissioners and department heads and to approve or veto bills passed by the legislature.[b] The governor also serves as commander-in-chief of the state's military and navy forces.
Henry H. Sibley was elected the first governor in a statewide election held on October 13, 1857 and took office following Minnesota's entry into the Union as the 32nd state on May 11, 1858. At the time, the governor and lieutenant governor were elected on separate ballots to terms lasting two years. With the passage of a 1958 state constitutional amendment, the terms of governor and lieutenant governor increased to four-years in 1963.[b] A 1972 state constitutional amendment provided for the joint election of the governor and lieutenant governor. Prior to 1886, statewide elections were held on odd years. Because of this change (the result of an 1883 state constitutional amendment), Lucius F. Hubbard's second term as governor lasted three years.
The numerals indicate the consecutive time in office served by a single person. For example, William R. Rainey served two consecutive terms and is counted as the fifth state governor (not the fifth and sixth). Henry A. Swift assumed the governorship after the resignation of Alexander Ramsey, serving out the remainder of what would have been Ramsey's second term. The fact that Swift was not voted into office does not affect the numbering, which makes him the 3rd governor. Rudy Perpich served two non-consecutive terms and is counted chronologically as both the 34th and the 36th governor. Because of this, the list below contains 39 governorships, but only 38 people.
Prior to its organization as a territory, portions of Minnesota were part of the Northwest Territory, Indiana Territory, Louisiana Territory (later renamed Missouri Territory), Illinois Territory, Michigan Territory, Wisconsin Territory, and Iowa Territory; see the lists of governors of Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa for this period.
Contents |
[edit] Territorial Governors
| # | Governor | Took office | Left office | Party | Appointed by | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexander Ramsey |  |
June 1, 1849 | May 15, 1853 | Whig | Zachary Taylor | |
| 2 | Willis A. Gorman |  |
May 15, 1853 | April 23, 1857 | Democratic | Franklin Pierce | |
| 3 | Samuel Medary |  |
April 23, 1857 | May 24, 1858 | Democratic | James Buchannan | |
[edit] State Governors
[edit] Notes
- ^ Table lists John Lind as a member of the Democratic Party. He was also endorsed by the Populist Party and the Silver Republican Party. Jesse Ventura left the Reform Party in the middle of his term and later joined the Independence Party of Minnesota.
- ^ a b c d e f Resigned.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Succeeded to office following death or resignation of previous officeholder.
- ^ a b c Died in office of natural causes.
- ^ Served as acting lieutenant governor and never took the oath of office.
- ^ a b A recount and subsequent litigation lasting 139 days delayed Karl Rolvaag's inauguration as governor.
[edit] Notes on Minnesota political party names
- Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party: In 1944 the state Democratic Party and the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party merged and created the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL). It is affiliated with the national Democratic Party.
- Republican Party of Minnesota: From November 1975 to September 1995 the name of the state Republican party was the Independent-Republican party (I-R). The party has always been affiliated with the national Republican Party.
- Independence Party of Minnesota: The party was founded under this name in 1992. In 1995 the IPM affiliated with the national Reform Party and renamed itself the Reform Party of Minnesota. In 2000 the Reform Party of Minnesota disaffiliated with the national Reform Party and returned to the name Independence Party.
[edit] Other high offices held
This is a table of congressional and other federal offices held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Minnesota expect where noted. * denotes offices that the governor resigned to take.
| Name | Gubernatorial term | U.S. Congress | Other offices held | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House | Senate | |||
| Alexander Ramsey | 1849–1853 (territorial) 1860–1863 |
H | S* | U.S. Secretary of War |
| Willis A. Gorman | 1853–1857 (territorial) | U.S. Representative (Indiana) | ||
| Henry H. Sibley | 1858–1860 | U.S. Congressional Delegate (Wisconsin Territory, Minnesota Territory) | ||
| Cushman K. Davis | 1874–1876 | S | ||
| Knute Nelson | 1893–1895 | H | S* | |
| John Lind | 1899–1901 | H | ||
| Winfield S. Hammond | 1915 | H | ||
| Theodore Christianson | 1925–1931 | H | ||
| Elmer A. Benson | 1937–1939 | S | ||
| Edward J. Thye | 1943–1947 | S | ||
| Luther W. Youngdahl | 1947–1951 | U.S. District Court Judge* | ||
| Orville L. Freeman | 1955–1961 | U.S. Secretary of Agriculture | ||
| Karl F. Rolvaag | 1963–1967 | U.S. Ambassador to Iceland | ||
| Wendell R. Anderson | 1971–1976 | S* | ||
| Al Quie | 1979–1983 | H | ||
[edit] Living former governors
As of August 2007, four former governors were alive, the oldest being Al Quie (1979–1983, born 1923). The most recent governor to die was Elmer L. Andersen (1961–1963), on November 15, 2004. The most recently-serving governor to die was Rudy Perpich (1976–1979, 1983–1991), on September 21, 1995.
| Name | Gubernatorial term | Date of birth |
|---|---|---|
| Wendell R. Anderson | 1971–1976 | February 1, 1933 |
| Al Quie | 1979–1983 | September 18, 1923 |
| Arne H. Carlson | 1991–1999 | September 24, 1934 |
| Jesse Ventura | 1999–2003 | July 15, 1951 |
[edit] See also
- List of Minnesota gubernatorial elections
- List of Lieutenant Governors of Minnesota
- Minnesota Governor's Residence
- U.S. Congressional Delegations from Minnesota
[edit] References
- General
- Governors of Minnesota. Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved on 2007-05-17.
- Lieutenant Governors of Minnesota. Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved on 2007-05-17.
- Minnesota Governors, 1849 - Present. Office of the Governor, State of Minnesota. Retrieved on 2007-05-17.
- Specific
- ^ Constitution of the State of Minnesota. Retrieved on 2007-05-18.
- 1 2 Amendments to the Minnesota Constitution Proposed to the Voters since 1858. Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved on 2007-05-18.
- ^ 2007-2008 MN Legislative Manual. Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved on 2007-05-18.
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