Wesley Bolin
| Wesley Bolin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A view of the Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza | |
| 15th Governor of Arizona | |
| In office October 20, 1977 – March 4, 1978 | |
| Preceded by | Raul Hector Castro |
| Succeeded by | Bruce Babbitt |
| 11th Secretary of State of Arizona | |
| In office January 3, 1949 – October 20, 1977 | |
| Governor | Dan Edward Garvey John Howard Pyle Ernest McFarland Paul Fannin Samuel Pearson Goddard, Jr. Jack Williams Raul Hector Castro |
| Preceded by | Curtis Williams |
| Succeeded by | Rose Perica Mofford |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 1, 1909 near Butler, Missouri |
| Died | March 4, 1978 (aged 68) Phoenix, Arizona |
| Resting place | Arizona State Capitol Grounds |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Marion Elizabeth Wallinder |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | Phoenix College |
| Profession | Business |
| Religion | Congregationalist |
Wesley Bolin (July 1, 1909 – March 4, 1978) was a Democratic Party politician who served as the 15th Governor of the U.S. state of Arizona between 1977 and 1978. His five months in office mark the shortest term in office for any Arizona governor.
Born on a farm near Butler, Missouri, Bolin moved with his family to Phoenix, Arizona, at the age of six. He worked with several business firms in the Salt River Valley before being elected constable of West Phoenix Precinct in 1938. From 1943 until 1948, Bolin was justice of the peace of the West Phoenix Precinct court.
He served for a total of 28 years, 9 months, 18 days (or 10,518 days), and remains the longest-serving Secretary of State in Arizona history.[1] He was first elected to the state's second highest-post in 1948 and was re-elected every two years between 1950 and 1968, when executive offices had two year terms, and twice more in 1970 and 1974, when four-year terms began. Only in his last three runs did he encounter significant challenges, culminating in him almost losing his thirteenth campaign in 1974.
He succeeded to the governorship after the previous governor, Raul Hector Castro, was named ambassador to Argentina by President Jimmy Carter. Under Arizona law, the Secretary of State was first in line to fill a vacancy in the governor's office if they were elected to that position. Bolin was Secretary of State for Arizona from 1949 until he assumed the office of Governor, and was the second Secretary to fill the remaining years in the governors office, after Dan Edward Garvey.
Bolin died in office at the age of 68 on March 4, 1978 and was succeeded by Attorney General Bruce Babbitt. Rose Mofford, was appointed to finish Bolin's term as Secretary of State, and thus was ineligible to succeed Bolin until she was elected to the office. Babbitt, being second in line and an elected official, finished the remaining nine months of Castro and Bolin's term.
The Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza near the capitol in Phoenix, Arizona, was named after him, and has been designated as a Phoenix Point of Pride.[2]
References
- ↑ Arizona Secretaries of State Since Statehood
- ↑ "Phoenix Points of Pride". Retrieved October 18, 2006.
External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Curtis Williams |
Secretary of State of Arizona January 3, 1949 – October 20, 1977 |
Succeeded by Rose Perica Mofford |
| Preceded by Raúl Héctor Castro |
Governor of Arizona October 20, 1977 – March 4, 1978 |
Succeeded by Bruce Babbitt |
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