List of Governors of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced.
There have been 39 governors; many have been influential nationwide in areas far-flung from politics. Leland Stanford founded Stanford University in 1891. Earl Warren, later Chief Justice of the United States, won an election with the nominations of the three major parties – the only person ever to run essentially unopposed for governor of California. Ronald Reagan, who was president of the Screen Actors Guild and later President of the United States, and Arnold Schwarzenegger both came to prominence through acting. Gray Davis was the first governor of California, and second governor in American history, to be recalled by voters. The longest term was Earl Warren's, who was elected three times and served nearly ten years. The shortest term was that of Milton Latham, who served only five days before being elected by the legislature to fill a vacant United States Senate seat. The current governor is Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr., who previously served as governor from 1975 to 1983. He is the son of former governor Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown, Sr. who served from 1959-1967.
Governors
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- For the governors prior to statehood, see the List of Governors of California before admission.
California was obtained by the United States in the Mexican Cession following the Mexican–American War. Unlike most other states, it was never organized as a territory, and was admitted as the 31st state on September 9, 1850.
The original California Constitution of 1849 called for elections every two years, with no set start date for the term. An amendment ratified in 1862 increased the term to four years,[9] and the 1879 constitution set the term to begin on the first Monday in January following an election. In 1990, Proposition 140 led to a constitutional amendment[10] implementing a term limit of two consecutive terms;[11] prior to this limit, only one governor, Earl Warren, served more than two terms. Jerry Brown was able to be elected to a third term in 2010 because his previous terms were before the term limit was enacted. The 1849 constitution also created the office of lieutenant governor, who, in cases of vacancy in the office of governor, becomes governor.[12] The governor and lieutenant governor are not elected on the same ticket.
Democratic (16)[lower-alpha 1] American (1) Republican (22)[lower-alpha 2] Progressive (1)[lower-alpha 2]
Other high offices held
Seventeen governors of California have served other high offices, including one President of the United States, a Chief Justice of the United States, and five ambassadors. Thirteen have served in the U.S. Congress, all representing California, though one of them also represented Ohio. Four (marked with *) resigned to take their other office, three in the U.S. Senate and one joining the U.S. Supreme Court. One (marked with †) resigned his seat in the Senate to take office as governor.
All representatives and senators listed represented California except where noted.
Governor | Gubernatorial term | Other offices held | Source |
---|---|---|---|
Bigler, JohnJohn Bigler | 1852–1856 | Minister to Chile | [13] |
Weller, John B.John B. Weller | 1858–1860 | Representative from Ohio, Senator, Minister to Mexico | [14] |
Latham, MiltonMilton Latham | 1860 | Representative, Senator* | [15] |
Stanford, LelandLeland Stanford | 1862–1863 | Senator | [16] |
Low, FrederickFrederick Low | 1863–1867 | Representative, Minister to the Great Qing Empire | [17] |
Booth, NewtonNewton Booth | 1871–1875 | Senator* | [18] |
Pacheco, RomualdoRomualdo Pacheco | 1875 | Representative, Minister to Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua | [19] |
Perkins, George ClementGeorge Clement Perkins | 1880–1883 | Senator | [20] |
Markham, HenryHenry Markham | 1891–1895 | Representative | [21] |
Budd, JamesJames Budd | 1895–1899 | Representative | [22] |
Gage, HenryHenry Gage | 1899–1903 | Minister to Portugal | [23] |
Gillett, JamesJames Gillett | 1907–1911 | Representative† | [24] |
Johnson, HiramHiram Johnson | 1911–1917 | Senator* | [25] |
Stephens, WilliamWilliam Stephens | 1917–1923 | Representative | [26] |
Warren, EarlEarl Warren | 1943–1953 | Chief Justice of the United States* | [27] |
Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan | 1967–1975 | President of the United States | [28] |
Wilson, PetePete Wilson | 1991–1999 | Senator† | [29] |
Living former governors
As of October 2013, there are four living former governors of California. The most recent death of a former governor was that of Ronald Reagan (1967–1975), on June 5, 2004.
Governor | Term of office | Date of birth |
---|---|---|
George Deukmejian | 1983–1991 | June 6, 1928 |
Pete Wilson | 1991–1999 | August 23, 1933 |
Gray Davis | 1999–2003 | December 26, 1942 |
Arnold Schwarzenegger | 2003–2011 | July 30, 1947 |
See also
Notes
- ↑ Includes one term served by a repeat governor.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Includes one partial term served by a governor who also represented another party during this term.
- ↑ Since Jerry Brown is officially numbered 39th, repeat governors are officially numbered for each distinct term.[1]
- ↑ Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
- ↑ The fractional terms of some governors are not to be understood absolutely literally; rather, they are meant to show single terms during which multiple governors served, due to resignations, deaths and the like.
- ↑ A civilian government was formed in late 1849 prior to official statehood, and operated as the state government for ten months before official statehood was granted.[5]
- ↑ Resigned, citing personal reasons; he was reportedly unhappy with the legislature, and wanted more time to manage his business.[6]
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 As president of the senate, acted as lieutenant governor.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
- ↑ Elected president of the senate, therefore becoming new acting lieutenant governor.
- ↑ Low was the first governor elected under the provisions of an 1862 constitutional amendment, increasing terms from two to four years.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 Represented the Democratic Party.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Represented the Republican Party.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Died in office.
- ↑ As president pro tempore of the state senate, acted as lieutenant governor.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Appointed by governor to fill the vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor.
- ↑ Johnson was elected as a Republican for his first term and a Progressive for his second.[2]
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term, and was subsequently elected in his own right.
- ↑ Resigned to be District Attorney for Los Angeles County, California[4]
- ↑ Warren ran as a Republican for his first and third terms. For his second term, he won the nomination of the Republican, Democratic, and Progressive parties.
- ↑ Resigned to become Chief Justice of the United States.
- ↑ As president pro tempore of the state senate, filled unexpired term.
- ↑ Resigned to be U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.
- ↑ Resigned after being convicted of perjury.[3]
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 In a recall election, voters recalled Gray Davis and elected Arnold Schwarzenegger to replace him.[7]
- ↑ Elected in a special election, and subsequently elected to a full term.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Gavin Newsom delayed his swearing in as lieutenant governor until January 10, 2011, to remain as mayor of San Francisco. Abel Maldonado stayed on as lieutenant governor, with both sides agreeing that the constitution allows such a situation.[8]
- ↑ Governor Brown's third term expires on January 5, 2015; he is not term limited, since his two earlier terms predated the limit.
References
- General
- "Governors of California". California State Library. Official Site of the State of California. Retrieved July 18, 2007.
- "Governors of California". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on 2007-05-03. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
- "Chronology of California's Lieutenant Governors". Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Retrieved August 10, 2007.
- Constitutions
- "Constitution of the State of California". Legislative Counsel of California. 1879. Retrieved July 20, 2008.
- "Constitution of the State of California". California Secretary of State. 1849. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
- Specific
- ↑ "Inauguration of Governor Jerry Brown". Office of Governor Jerry Brown. Retrieved January 3, 2011.
- ↑ "California Governor Hiram Warren Johnson". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ Robinson, Jr., Timothy S. (October 3, 1974). "Reinecke Quits, Gets Suspended Sentence". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 18, 2008.
- ↑ "Fitts Submits His Resignation". Los Angeles Times. September 29, 1928. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "California Governor Peter Hardeman Burnett". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ Durham, Walter T. (1997). Volunteer Forty-niners: Tennesseans and the California Gold Rush. Vanderbilt University Press. p. 193. ISBN 0-8265-1298-4. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ↑ "Statewide Special Election". California Secretary of State. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ Van Oot, Torey. "The Buzz: With Newsom in the wings, Maldonado's still at work". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved January 9, 2011.
- ↑ Henning, W.F. (1899). Constitution of the State of California. C.W. Palm Company. Retrieved January 18, 2008.
- ↑ "California Ballot Propositions 1990-1999". Los Angeles County Law Library. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
- ↑ CA Const. art. V, § 2
- ↑ CA Const. art. V, § 10
- ↑ "California Governor John Bigler". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "Weller, John B.". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "Latham, Milton Slocum". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "Stanford, Leland". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "Low, Frederick Ferdinand". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "Booth, Newton". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "Pacheco, Romualdo". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "Perkins, George Clement". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "Markham, Henry Harrison". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "Budd, James Herbert". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "California Governor Henry Tifft Gage". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "Gillett, James Norris". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "Johnson, Hiram Warren". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "Stephens, William Dennison". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "California Governor Earl Warren". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "California Governor Ronald Wilson Reagan". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
- ↑ "Wilson, Pete". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
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