Governor of California

Last updated
Governor of California
SEAL gov california.svg
Flag of the Governor of California.svg
Gavin Newsom by Gage Skidmore (3x4b).jpg
Incumbent
Gavin Newsom
since January 7, 2019
Government of California
Type Chief executive
Status Head of state
Head of government
Member of Cabinet
Regents of the University of California
Residence Governor's Mansion
Seat California State Capitol
(principal workplace)
Stanford Mansion
(workplace and reception center)
Nominator Political parties
Appointer Popular vote
Term length Four-year term, renewable once
Constituting instrument Constitution of California
Precursor
Inaugural holder Peter Hardeman Burnett
FormationDecember 20, 1849
Deputy Lieutenant Governor of California
Salary US$$224,020 (2022) [1]
Website Official website OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The governor of California is the head of government of the U.S. state of California. The governor is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard and the California State Guard.

Contents

Established in the Constitution of California, the governor's responsibilities also include making the annual State of the State address to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced. The position was created in 1849, the year before California became a state.

The current governor of California is Democrat Gavin Newsom, who was inaugurated on January 7, 2019.

Gubernatorial elections, oath, and term of office

Qualifications

A candidate for governor must be a U.S. citizen and a registered voter within the state, must not have been convicted of a felony involving bribery, embezzlement, or extortion, and must not have served two terms since November 6, 1990. [2]

Election and oath of office

Governors are elected by popular ballot and serve terms of four years, with a limit of two terms, if served after November 6, 1990. [3] Governors take the following oath:

I (Governor) do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California, that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter.

Governors take office on the first Monday after January 1 after their election.

Gubernatorial removal

The California Governor's Mansion, official residence of the governor. Governor's Mansion State Historic Park - exterior 1 (cropped).JPG
The California Governor's Mansion, official residence of the governor.

Two methods exist to remove a governor.

Impeachment and removal by the legislature

The governor can be impeached for "misconduct in office" by the State Assembly and removed by a two-thirds vote of the State Senate.

Recall by the voters

Petitions signed by California state voters equal to 12% of the last vote for the office of governor (with signatures from each of five counties equal to 1% of the last vote for governor in the county) can launch a gubernatorial recall election. The voters can then vote on whether or not to recall the incumbent governor, and on the same ballot can vote for a potential replacement. If a majority of the voters in the election vote to recall the governor, then the person who gains a plurality of the votes in the replacement race will become governor.

Only two governor recall attempts have ever gained enough signatures to make the ballot in California. The 2003 recall election began with a petition drive that forced Democratic governor Gray Davis into a recall election, which he lost. He was replaced by Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger. It was the first time that a California governor was voted out of office. [4]

In addition to the successful 2003 recall, current governor Gavin Newsom faced a recall election in 2021, which he defeated. [5]

Relationship with the lieutenant governor

Bronze statue of a California Grizzly Bear outside of the governor's office, inside of the California Capitol. California Grizzly Bear Statue Capitol Museum (cropped).jpg
Bronze statue of a California Grizzly Bear outside of the governor's office, inside of the California Capitol.

The lieutenant governor of California is separately elected during the same election, not jointly as the running mate of the gubernatorial candidate. As such, California had governors and lieutenant governors of different parties for nearly 27 of the 33 years between 1978 and 2011, whereas previously, this had only occurred in 1875, 1887, 1895 and 1916–1917 due to the resignation or death of an incumbent governor or lieutenant governor.

This occasionally becomes significant, since the California Constitution provides that all the powers of the governor fall to the lieutenant governor whenever the governor is not in the state of California, with the lieutenant governor sometimes signing or vetoing legislation or making political appointments whenever the governor leaves the state.

In practice, there is a gentlemen's agreement for the lieutenant governor not to perform more than perfunctory duties while the governor is away from the state: this agreement was violated when Mike Curb was in office, as he signed several executive orders at odds with the Brown administration when Brown was out of the state. Court rulings have upheld the lieutenant governor's right to perform the duties and assume all of the prerogatives of governor while the governor is out of the state. [6]

The lieutenant governor is also the president of the California State Senate.

Official residence and workplace

Stanford Mansion is the official reception center for the California government and one of the official workplaces for the governor. Stanford Mansion (Sacramento, California).jpg
Stanford Mansion is the official reception center for the California government and one of the official workplaces for the governor.

The official residence of the California governor is the California Governor's Mansion, in Sacramento. The mansion has served as the residence of 14 governors, while others have declined to reside in the mansion, preferring to arrange for private residential arrangements. It is also one of the official workplaces for the governor.

The governor's primary official workplace is located within the California State Capitol in Sacramento.

The Stanford Mansion, in Sacramento, serves as one of the official workplaces for the governor, as well as the official reception center for the California government.

Timeline

Gavin NewsomArnold SchwarzeneggerGray DavisPete WilsonGeorge DeukmejianJerry BrownRonald ReganPat BrownGoodwin KnightEarl WarrenCulbert OlsonFrank MerriamJames RolphC. C. YoungFriend RichardsonWilliam Stephens (American politician)Hiram JohnsonJames GilletGeorge PardeeHenry Tifft GageJames BuddHenry MarkhamRobert Waterman (governor)Washington BartlettGeorge StonemanGeorge Clement PerkinsWilliam Irwin (California politician)Romualdo PachecoNewton BoothHenry Huntly HaightFrederick LowLeland StanfordJohn G. DowneyMilton LathamJohn B. WellerJ. Neely JohnsonJohn BiglerJohn McDougalPeter Hardeman BurnettGovernor of California

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor of Oklahoma</span> Head of state and of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma

The governor of Oklahoma is the head of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor serves as the head of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma. The governor is the ex officio commander-in-chief of the Oklahoma National Guard when not called into federal use. Despite being an executive branch official, the governor also holds legislative and judicial powers. The governor's responsibilities include making yearly "State of the State" addresses to the Oklahoma Legislature, submitting the annual state budget, ensuring that state laws are enforced, and that the peace is preserved. The governor's term is four years in length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor of Wisconsin</span> Head of state and of government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin

The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin and the commander-in-chief of the state's army and air forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Wisconsin Legislature, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment. The position was first filled by Nelson Dewey on June 7, 1848, the year Wisconsin became a state. Prior to statehood, there were four governors of Wisconsin Territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 California gubernatorial recall election</span>

The 2003 California gubernatorial recall election was a special election permitted under California state law. It resulted in voters replacing incumbent Democratic Governor Gray Davis with Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger. The recall effort spanned the latter half of 2003. Seven of the nine previous governors, including Davis, had faced unsuccessful recall attempts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gavin Newsom</span> Governor of California since 2019

Gavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician and businessman serving since 2019 as the 40th governor of California. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 49th lieutenant governor of California from 2011 to 2019 and the 42nd mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lieutenant Governor of California</span> Statewide officer and vice-executive

The lieutenant governor of California is the second highest executive officer of the government of the U.S. state of California. The lieutenant governor is elected to serve a four-year term and can serve a maximum of two terms. In addition to largely ministerial roles, serving as acting governor in the absence of the governor of California and as President of the California State Senate, the lieutenant governor either sits on many of California's regulatory commissions and executive agencies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Padilla</span> American politician (born 1973)

Alejandro "Alex" Padilla is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from California, a seat he has held since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Padilla served as the 30th secretary of state of California from 2015 to 2021 and was a member of the California State Senate and the Los Angeles City Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John H. Cox</span> American attorney, businessman, broadcaster, and political activist

John Herman Cox is an American businessman, housing developer, and political activist, who has run for public office several times, mostly recently for Governor of California as a Republican Party candidate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elections in California</span> Overview of the procedure of elections in the U.S. state of California

Elections in California are held to fill various local, state and federal seats. In California, regular elections are held every even year ; however, some seats have terms of office that are longer than two years, so not every seat is on the ballot in every election. Special elections may be held to fill vacancies at other points in time. Recall elections can also be held. Additionally, statewide initiatives, legislative referrals and referendums may be on the ballot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lieutenant governor (United States)</span> State government official, typically second highest officer after the governor

A lieutenant governor is an official in state governments of 45 out of 50 of the United States. In most cases, the lieutenant governor is the highest officer of state after the governor, standing in for that officer when they are absent from the state or temporarily incapacitated. In the event a governor dies, resigns or is removed from office, the lieutenant governor typically becomes governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1911 California Proposition 8</span> Amendment to the Constitution of California allowing the recall of public officials

Proposition 8 of 1911 was an amendment of the Constitution of California that introduced, for the first time, the recall of public officials. This allows the governor, state senators and assemblymen, and other elected officials to be removed from office early by a public vote. It was approved by voters in a referendum held as part of a special election on 10 October. On the same day voters approved two other major political reforms, Proposition 4, which granted women the vote, and Proposition 7, which introduced the initiative and the optional referendum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 California gubernatorial election</span> Election for the governorship of the U.S. state of California

The 2014 California gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the Governor of California, concurrently with elections for the rest of California's executive branch, as well as elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Dahle</span> American politician (born 1965)

Brian Dwain Dahle is an American politician and farmer who has served as a member of the California State Senate from the 1st district since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, Dahle served as a member of the California State Assembly from the 1st district from 2012 to 2019, and as Assembly minority leader from 2017 to 2018. Before his election to the state legislature, Dahle served on the Lassen County Board of Supervisors from 1997 to 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 California lieutenant gubernatorial election</span>

The 2014 California lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the lieutenant governor of California. Incumbent Democratic lieutenant governor Gavin Newsom ran for re-election to a second term in office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 California elections</span>

In California state elections, 2014 was the first year in which the top statewide offices were elected under the nonpartisan blanket primary, pursuant to Proposition 14, which passed with 53% voter approval in June 2010. Under this system, which first went into effect during the 2012 election year, all candidates appear on the same ballot, regardless of party. In the primary, voters may vote for any candidate, regardless of their party affiliation. The top two finishers, regardless of party, then advance to face each other in the general election in November.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 California gubernatorial election</span> Election for the governorship of the U.S. state of California

The 2018 California gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the Governor of California, concurrently with elections for the rest of California's executive branch, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic Governor Jerry Brown was ineligible to run for re-election for a third consecutive term due to term limits from the Constitution of California. The race was between the incumbent Democratic Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom and businessman John H. Cox, a Republican, who qualified for the general election after placing first and second in the June 5, 2018, primary election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Kiley (politician)</span> American politician (born 1985)

Kevin Patrick Kiley is an American politician, attorney, and former educator serving as the U.S. representative for California's 3rd congressional district since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he represented the 6th district in the California State Assembly from 2016 to 2022. Kiley was a candidate to replace California governor Gavin Newsom in the voter-initiated recall election on September 14, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 United States gubernatorial elections</span>

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 2, 2021, in two states, New Jersey and Virginia, and a recall election was held in California on September 14. These elections form part of the 2021 United States elections. The last gubernatorial elections for New Jersey and Virginia were in 2017, and the last regular gubernatorial election for California was in 2018. Going into the elections, all three seats were held by Democrats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 California gubernatorial election</span> Re-election of Gavin Newsom as Governor of California

The 2022 California gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of California, with the statewide top-two primary election taking place on June 7, 2022. Incumbent Democratic Party Governor Gavin Newsom was re-elected to a second term after surviving a recall election in 2021, during his first term.

California Senate Bill 27, alternatively known as the Presidential Tax Transparency and Accountability Act, is a California law that requires candidates running for either President of the United States or Governor of California to publicly release their tax return of the previous five years in order to be listed on the primary ballot. The law does not place the requirement to publicly release tax returns on candidates running as write-in candidates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 California gubernatorial recall election</span> 2021 attempt to remove Governor Gavin Newsom from office

The 2021 California gubernatorial recall election was a special recall election that began in August 2021 and concluded on September 14, 2021, when California voters chose not to recall incumbent Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, elected for the term January 2019 to January 2023.

References

  1. "Gavin Newsom Is Highest-Paid Governor In The United States". October 22, 2019.
  2. "Summary of Qualifications and Requirements for the Offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor | California Secretary of State". www.sos.ca.gov.
  3. Shelley, Kevin (October 2003). "Summary of Qualifications and Requirements for the Office of Governor" (PDF). California Secretary of State Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 28, 2008. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
  4. "Recall History in California (1913 to June 30, 2022)". California Secretary of State. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  5. "California Gov. Gavin Newsom stays in power as recall fails". AP NEWS. September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  6. In re Governorship, 26Cal.3d110 , 401(Supreme Court of California1979)("we conclude that the Lieutenant Governor has authority to exercise all gubernatorial powers of appointment while the Governor is physically absent from the state and that the Governor has authority to withdraw the appointment until the confirmation of appointment becomes effective.").