List of Governors of Alabama

Governor of Alabama

Incumbent
Robert J. Bentley
since January 17, 2011
Style The Honorable
Residence Alabama Governor's Mansion
Term length Four years, can succeed self once
Inaugural holder William Wyatt Bibb
Formation December 14, 1819
Deputy Lieutenant Governor of Alabama
Salary $119,950 (2013)[1]
Website http://www.governor.state.al.us

The Governor of Alabama is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Alabama. The governor is the head of the executive branch of Alabama's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Alabama Legislature, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment.[2] The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.

There have officially been 53 governors of the state of Alabama; this official numbering skips acting and military governors.[3] The first governor, William Wyatt Bibb, served as the only governor of the Alabama Territory. Five people have served as acting governor, bringing the total number of people serving as governor to 58, spread over 63 distinct terms. Four governors have served multiple non-consecutive terms: Bibb Graves, Jim Folsom, and Fob James each served two, and George Wallace served three non-consecutive periods. Officially, these non-consecutive terms are numbered only with the number of their first term. William D. Jelks also served non-consecutive terms, but his first term was in an acting capacity.

The longest-serving governor was George Wallace, who served sixteen years over four terms. The shortest term for a non-acting governor was that of Hugh McVay, who served four and a half months after replacing the resigning Clement Comer Clay. Lurleen Wallace, wife of George Wallace, was the first and so far only woman to serve as governor of Alabama, and the third woman to serve as governor of any state. The current governor is Republican Robert J. Bentley, who took office on January 17, 2011.

Governors

Governor of the Territory of Alabama

For the period before Alabama Territory was formed, see the list of Governors of Mississippi Territory.

Alabama Territory was formed on March 3, 1817, from Mississippi Territory. It had only one governor appointed by the President of the United States before it became a state; he became the first state governor.

PictureGovernorTerm in officeAppointed by
Portrait of a man facing the right. William Wyatt Bibb March 6, 1817[lower-alpha 1]
–
December 14, 1819		 James Monroe

Governors of the State of Alabama

Seal for use by the Governor-Elect
Governor's Flag 1868–1939

Alabama was admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819. It seceded from the Union on January 11, 1861 and was a founding member of the Confederate States of America on February 4, 1861; there was no Union Alabama government in exile, so there was a single line of governors. Following the end of the American Civil War, Alabama during Reconstruction was part of the Third Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections. Alabama was readmitted to the Union on July 14, 1868.

The first Alabama Constitution, ratified in 1819, provided that a governor be elected every two years, limited to serve no more than four out of every six years.[5] This limit remained in place until the constitution of 1868, which simply allowed governors to serve terms of two years.[6] The current constitution of 1901 increased terms to four years,[7] but prohibited governors from succeeding themselves.[8] Amendment 282 to the constitution, passed in 1968, allowed governors to succeed themselves once; a governor serves two consecutive terms can run again after waiting out the next term.[9] The constitution had no set date for the commencement of a governor's term until 1901, when it was set at the first Monday after the second Tuesday in the January following an election.[8]

The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1868,[10] abolished in 1875,[11] and recreated in 1901.[12] According to the current constitution, should the governor be out of the state for more than 20 days, the lieutenant governor becomes acting governor, and if the office of governor becomes vacant the lieutenant governor ascends to the governorship.[13] Earlier constitutions said the powers of the governor devolved upon the successor, rather than them necessarily becoming governor,[14] but the official listing includes these as full governors.[3] The governor and lieutenant governor are not elected on the same ticket.

Alabama was a strongly Democratic state before the Civil War, electing only candidates from the Democratic-Republican and Democratic parties. It had two Republican governors following Reconstruction, but after the Democratic Party re-established control, 112 years passed before voters chose another Republican.

  Democratic-Republican   Democratic   Independent   Military   Republican

#[lower-alpha 2] Governor Term in office Party Term[lower-alpha 3] Lt. Governor[lower-alpha 4][lower-alpha 5]
1   William Wyatt Bibb December 14, 1819
–
July 10, 1820		 Democratic-
Republican		 1
(1819)
[lower-alpha 6]		 Office did not exist
2 Thomas Bibb July 10, 1820
–
November 9, 1821		 Democratic-
Republican
3 Israel Pickens November 9, 1821
–
November 25, 1825		 Democratic-
Republican		 2
(1821)
3
(1823)
4 John Murphy November 25, 1825
–
November 25, 1829		 Jackson
Democrat		 4
(1825)
5
(1827)
5 Gabriel Moore November 25, 1829
–
March 3, 1831		 Jackson
Democrat		 6
(1829)
[lower-alpha 7]
6 Samuel B. Moore March 3, 1831
–
November 26, 1831		 Democratic
7 John Gayle November 26, 1831
–
November 21, 1835		 Democratic 7
(1831)
8
(1833)
8 Clement Comer Clay November 21, 1835
–
July 17, 1837		 Democratic 9
(1835)
[lower-alpha 8]
9 Hugh McVay July 17, 1837
–
November 30, 1837		 Democratic
10 Arthur P. Bagby November 30, 1837
–
November 22, 1841		 Democratic 10
(1837)
11
(1839)
11 Benjamin Fitzpatrick November 22, 1841
–
December 10, 1845		 Democratic 12
(1841)
13
(1843)
12 Joshua L. Martin December 10, 1845
–
December 16, 1847		 Independent[lower-alpha 9] 14
(1845)
13 Reuben Chapman December 16, 1847
–
December 17, 1849		 Democratic 15
(1847)
14 Henry W. Collier December 17, 1849
–
December 20, 1853		 Democratic 16
(1849)
17
(1851)
15 John A. Winston December 20, 1853
–
December 1, 1857		 Democratic 18
(1853)
19
(1855)
16 Andrew B. Moore December 1, 1857
–
December 2, 1861		 Democratic 20
(1857)
21
(1859)
17 John Gill Shorter December 2, 1861
–
December 1, 1863		 Democratic 22
(1861)
18 Thomas H. Watts December 1, 1863
–
May 1, 1865		 Democratic 23
(1863)
[lower-alpha 10]
— Interregnum May 1, 1865
–
June 21, 1865		 —
19 Lewis E. Parsons June 21, 1865
–
December 13, 1865		 Democratic
20 Robert M. Patton December 13, 1865
–
July 24, 1868		 Pre-War Whig 24
(1865)
[lower-alpha 11]
— Wager Swayne March 2, 1867
–
January 11, 1868		 Military
21 William Hugh Smith July 24, 1868
–
November 26, 1870		 Republican 25
(1868)
[lower-alpha 12]
  Andrew J. Applegate
(took office August 13, 1868)
(died August 21, 1870)
Vacant
22 Robert B. Lindsay November 26, 1870
–
November 17, 1872		 Democratic 26
(1870)
[lower-alpha 12]		 Edward H. Moren
23 David P. Lewis November 17, 1872
–
November 24, 1874		 Republican 27
(1872)		 Alexander McKinstry
24 George S. Houston November 24, 1874
–
November 28, 1878		 Democratic 28
(1874)		 Robert F. Ligon
29
(1876)		 Office did not exist
25 Rufus W. Cobb November 28, 1878
–
December 1, 1882		 Democratic 30
(1878)
31
(1880)
26 Edward A. O'Neal December 1, 1882
–
December 1, 1886		 Democratic 32
(1882)
33
(1884)
27 Thomas Seay December 1, 1886
–
December 1, 1890		 Democratic 34
(1886)
35
(1888)
28 Thomas G. Jones December 1, 1890
–
December 1, 1894		 Democratic 36
(1890)
37
(1892)
29 William C. Oates December 1, 1894
–
December 1, 1896		 Democratic 38
(1894)
30 Joseph F. Johnston December 1, 1896
–
December 1, 1900		 Democratic 39
(1896)
40
(1898)
— William D. Jelks December 1, 1900
–
December 26, 1900		 Democratic 41
(1900)
[lower-alpha 13]
31 William J. Samford December 1, 1900
–
June 11, 1901		 Democratic
32 William D. Jelks June 11, 1901
–
January 14, 1907		 Democratic
42
(1902)
[lower-alpha 14]		 Russell M. Cunningham
— Russell M. Cunningham April 25, 1904
–
March 5, 1905		 Democratic —
[lower-alpha 15]		 Acting as governor
33 B. B. Comer January 14, 1907
–
January 17, 1911		 Democratic 43
(1906)		 Henry B. Gray
34 Emmet O'Neal January 17, 1911
–
January 18, 1915		 Democratic 44
(1910)		 Walter D. Seed, Sr.
35 Charles Henderson January 18, 1915
–
January 20, 1919		 Democratic 45
(1914)		 Thomas Kilby
36 Thomas Kilby January 20, 1919
–
January 15, 1923		 Democratic 46
(1918)		 Nathan Lee Miller
37 William W. Brandon January 15, 1923
–
January 17, 1927		 Democratic 47
(1922)		 Charles S. McDowell
— Charles S. McDowell July 10, 1924
–
July 11, 1924		 Democratic —
[lower-alpha 16]		 Acting as governor
38 Bibb Graves January 17, 1927
–
January 19, 1931		 Democratic 48
(1926)		 William C. Davis
39 Benjamin M. Miller January 19, 1931
–
January 14, 1935		 Democratic 49
(1930)		 Hugh Davis Merrill
38 Bibb Graves January 14, 1935
–
January 17, 1939		 Democratic 50
(1934)		 Thomas E. Knight
(died May 17, 1937)
Vacant
40 Frank M. Dixon January 17, 1939
–
January 19, 1943		 Democratic 51
(1938)		 Albert A. Carmichael
41 Chauncey Sparks January 19, 1943
–
January 20, 1947		 Democratic 52
(1942)		 Leven H. Ellis
42 Jim Folsom January 20, 1947
–
January 15, 1951		 Democratic 53
(1946)		 James C. Inzer
43 Gordon Persons January 15, 1951
–
January 17, 1955		 Democratic 54
(1950)		 James Allen
42 Jim Folsom January 17, 1955
–
January 19, 1959		 Democratic 55
(1954)		 William G. Hardwick
44 John M. Patterson January 19, 1959
–
January 14, 1963		 Democratic 56
(1958)		 Albert Boutwell
45 George Wallace January 14, 1963
–
January 16, 1967		 Democratic 57
(1962)		 James Allen
46 Lurleen Wallace January 16, 1967
–
May 7, 1968		 Democratic 58
(1966)
[lower-alpha 17]		 Albert Brewer
47 Albert Brewer May 7, 1968
–
January 18, 1971		 Democratic Vacant
45 George Wallace January 18, 1971
–
January 15, 1979		 Democratic 59
(1970)		 Jere Beasley
60
(1974)
— Jere Beasley June 5, 1972
–
July 7, 1972		 Democratic —
[lower-alpha 18]		 Acting as governor
48 Fob James January 15, 1979
–
January 17, 1983		 Democratic 61
(1978)		 George McMillan
45 George Wallace January 17, 1983
–
January 19, 1987		 Democratic 62
(1982)		 Bill Baxley
49 H. Guy Hunt January 19, 1987
–
April 22, 1993		 Republican 63
(1986)		 Jim Folsom, Jr.[lower-alpha 19]
64
(1990)
[lower-alpha 20]
50 Jim Folsom, Jr. April 22, 1993
–
January 16, 1995		 Democratic Vacant
48 Fob James January 16, 1995
–
January 18, 1999		 Republican 65
(1994)		 Don Siegelman[lower-alpha 19]
51 Don Siegelman January 18, 1999
–
January 20, 2003		 Democratic 66
(1998)		 Steve Windom[lower-alpha 21]
52 Bob Riley January 20, 2003
–
January 17, 2011		 Republican 67
(2002)		 Lucy Baxley[lower-alpha 19]
68
(2006)		 Jim Folsom, Jr.[lower-alpha 19]
53 Robert J. Bentley January 17, 2011
–
Incumbent		 Republican 69
(2010)		 Kay Ivey
70
(2014)
[lower-alpha 22]

Notes

  1. ↑ Records are scarce as to when Bibb was actually appointed. The territory was formed on March 3, 1817, but he was appointed by President James Monroe, who did not take office until the next day. Other resources indicate that other major appointments for the territory were made on March 6, 1817.[4]
  2. ↑ Repeat governors are officially numbered only once; subsequent terms are marked with their original number italicized.
  3. ↑ Each term for which a governor is elected is listed here; if multiple governors served in a single term, due to resignations, deaths, and the like, then that term will be shared among those governors. If a governor was elected multiple times, then there will be multiple terms listed for that governor.
  4. ↑ The office of Lieutenant Governor was created in the 1868 constitution,[10] abolished in the 1875 Constitution,[11] and recreated in the 1901 Constitution.[12]
  5. ↑ Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
  6. ↑ William Wyatt Bibb died in office; as president of the senate, Thomas Bibb became governor.
  7. ↑ Gabriel Moore resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate. As president of the senate, Samuel B. Moore became governor.
  8. ↑ Clay resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate. As president of the senate, McVay became governor.
  9. ↑ Martin was a Democrat who opposed party leaders and ran as an independent.[15]
  10. ↑ Watts was arrested by Union forces soon after the American Civil War ended; he was released a few weeks later.[16] Parsons was appointed provisional governor by the Union occupation. Between Watts's arrest and Parsons's appointment, Alabama had no governor, and was under the direct rule of General George Henry Thomas.[17]
  11. ↑ The United States Congress stripped Patton of most of his authority in March 1867, after which time the state was effectively under the control of Major General Swayne.[18] The start date given for Swayne is the date of the first Reconstruction Act, which placed Alabama into the Third Military District; all references only say "March 1867"[18] and "when the Reconstruction Acts were passed".[19] In December 1867, President Andrew Johnson ordered the removal of General Swayne, and he was replaced on January 11, 1868, by General Julius Hayden.[20]
  12. 1 2 Lindsay was sworn into office on November 26, 1870, but Smith refused to leave his seat for two weeks, claiming Lindsay was fraudulently elected, finally leaving office on December 8, 1870, when a court so ordered.[21]
  13. ↑ At the start of Samford's term, he was out of state seeking medical treatment. As president of the senate, Jelks acted as governor in his absence. Samford later died in office, and Jelks became governor.[22]
  14. ↑ The 1901 constitution increased term lengths from two to four years.
  15. ↑ Jelks was out of state for medical treatment for nearly a year, thus Cunningham acted as governor for that time.[23]
  16. ↑ McDowell, as lieutenant governor, acted as governor for two days when Brandon was out of state for 21 days as a delegate for the 1924 Democratic National Convention.[3]
  17. ↑ Wallace left the state for 20 days for medical treatment; as lieutenant governor, Brewer became acting governor on July 25, 1967. Wallace returned to the state later that day.[3][24] Wallace later died in office, and Brewer became governor.
  18. ↑ Beasley was lieutenant governor when Wallace spent 52 days in Maryland for medical treatment following an assassination attempt while campaigning for President of the United States; thus he was acting governor for 32 days.[3]
  19. 1 2 3 4 Represented the Democratic Party.
  20. ↑ Hunt was removed from office upon being convicted of illegally using campaign and inaugural funds to pay personal debts; he was later pardoned by the state parole board based on innocence.[25] As lieutenant governor, Folsom became governor.
  21. ↑ Represented the Republican Party.
  22. ↑ Governor Bentley's second term expires on January 14, 2019; he will be term limited.

References

General
Constitutions
Specific
  1. ↑ "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  2. ↑ AL Const., art. V.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Alabama Governors". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  4. ↑ Shearer, Benjamin. The Uniting States – The Story of Statehood for the Fifty United States, Volume 1: Alabama to Kentucky. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. p. 41. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  5. ↑ 1819 Const. art. IV, § 4
  6. ↑ 1868 Const. art. V, § 2
  7. ↑ AL Const. art. V, § 114
  8. 1 2 AL Const. art. V, § 116
  9. ↑ AL Const. amendment 282
  10. 1 2 1868 Const. art. V, § 1
  11. 1 2 1875 Const. art. V, § 1
  12. 1 2 AL Const. art. V, § 112
  13. ↑ AL Const. art. V, § 127
  14. ↑ 1819 Const. art. IV, § 18; 1861 Const. art. IV, § 18; 1865 Const. art V, § 19; 1868 Const. art. V, § 15; 1875 Const. art. V § 15
  15. ↑ "Joshua Lanier Martin". National Governors Association. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Thomas Hill Watts". National Governors Association. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Lewis Eliphalet Parsons". National Governors Association. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  18. 1 2 "Robert Miller Patton". National Governors Association. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Alabama Governor Robert Patton". Alabama Department of Archives & History. Retrieved October 13, 2008.
  20. ↑ "Wager T. Swayne". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  21. ↑ White, James Terry (1900). The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. James T. White & Company. p. 435. Retrieved January 18, 2008.
  22. ↑ "Alabama Governor William Jelks". Alabama Department of Archives & History. Retrieved October 13, 2008.
  23. ↑ "Alabama Governor Russell Cunningham". Alabama Department of Archives & History. Retrieved October 13, 2008.
  24. ↑ Owen, Thomas McAdory (1979). Alabama Official and Statistical Register. Alabama Department of Archives & History. p. 17. Retrieved September 28, 2008.
  25. ↑ Nossiter, Adam (12 June 1997). "Ex-Gov. Hunt of Alabama Cleared by Pardon Board". The New York Times. p. 18. Retrieved September 28, 2008.
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