Governor of Maryland

Last updated

Governor of the
State of Maryland
Seal of Maryland.svg
Great Seal of the State of Maryland
Flag of Maryland.svg
Flag of the State of Maryland
Wes Moore Official Governor Portrait (9x12).jpg
Incumbent
Wes Moore
since January 18, 2023
Government of Maryland
Style
Status
Residence Government House
Seat Annapolis, Maryland
Term length Four years, renewable once consecutively
Constituting instrument Maryland Constitution of 1776
Inaugural holder Thomas Johnson
FormationMarch 21, 1777
(247 years ago) (1777-03-21)
Deputy Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
Salary$180,000 (2018) [1]
Website governor.maryland.gov

The governor of the State of Maryland is the head of government of Maryland, and is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The governor is the highest-ranking official in the state and has a broad range of appointive powers in both the state and local governments, as specified by the Maryland Constitution (1867, and revisions/amendments). Because of the extent of these constitutional powers, the governor of Maryland has been ranked as being among the most powerful governors in the United States. [2]

Contents

The current governor is Wes Moore, who has been in office since 2023. [3]

Selection and qualifications

Like most state chief executives in the United States, the governor is elected by the citizens of Maryland to serve a four-year term. Under the Constitution of Maryland, the governor can run any number of times, but not more than twice in a row. [4] This makes it possible for a two-term governor to run for the office again after remaining out of office for at least one term. An eligible candidate for governor must be at least 30 years old, and also a resident of and a registered voter in Maryland for the five years preceding the election. [4] Candidates meeting this minimum requirement must file his or her candidacy with the Maryland State Board of Elections, pay a filing fee, file a financial disclosure, and create a legal campaign financial body. [5] The governor, like all statewide officials in Maryland, is elected in the even-numbered years in which the election for president of the United States does not occur. [4]

Functions and responsibilities

As the chief executive of the State of Maryland, the governor heads the executive branch of government, which includes all state executive departments and agencies, as well as advisory boards, commissions, committees, and task forces. The main constitutional responsibility of the governor of Maryland, and any other state's chief executive, is to carry out the business of the state and to enforce the laws passed by the legislature. The governor also has some say in these laws, since the governor has the ability to veto any bill sent to his or her desk by the Maryland General Assembly, though the assembly may override that veto. The governor is also given a number of more specific powers as relates to appropriations of state funds, the appointment of state officials, and also a variety of less prominent and less commonly utilized powers. [4]

Appropriations

Every year, the governor must present a proposed budget to the Maryland General Assembly. After receiving the proposed budget, the assembly is then allowed to decrease any portion of the budget for the executive branch, but it may never increase it or transfer funds between executive departments. The assembly may, however, increase funds for the legislative and judicial branches of government. [6] The governor has the power to veto any law that is passed by the General Assembly, including a "line item veto", which can be used to strike certain portions of appropriations bills. The legislature then has the power to override a governor's veto by vote of three-fifths (60%) of the number of members in each house. [4]

The governor also sits on the board of public works, whose other two members are the comptroller and the treasurer. This board has broad powers in overseeing and approving the spending of state funds. They must approve state expenditures of all general funds and capital improvement funds, excluding expenditures for the construction of state roads, bridges, and highways. It has the power to solicit loans on its own accord either to meet a deficit or in anticipation of other revenues, in addition to approving expenditures of funds from loans authorized by the General Assembly. [7]

Appointment powers

The governor appoints almost all military and civil officers of the state government, subject to advice and consent of the Maryland State Senate. The governor also appoints certain boards and commissions in each of the 24 counties and in Baltimore City, such as local Boards of Elections, commissions notaries public, and appoints officers to fill vacancies in the elected offices of attorney general and comptroller. [4] Should a vacancy arise in either of the two houses of the General Assembly, the governor also fills that vacancy, though the governor must choose from among the recommendations of the local party organization to which the person leaving the vacancy belonged. [8] Any officer appointed by the governor, except a member of the General Assembly, is removable by him or her, if there is a legitimate cause for removal. Among the most prominent of the governor's appointees are the 24 secretaries and heads of departments that currently make up the governor's Cabinet, also known as the executive council. [4]

Executive council

The governor of Maryland is the chairman of the governor's executive council (or Cabinet) which coordinates all state government functions. This is composed of the following members, all of whom, except the lieutenant governor, are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Maryland State Senate as heads of executive departments: [9]

Other members of the governor's staff may be invited to Cabinet meetings as "attendees". [9]

The governor also oversees several sub-cabinets that coordinate the activities of a certain function of state government that involves several state departments or agencies. Currently, these are the Base Realignment and Closure Subcabinet, BayStat Subcabinet, Chesapeake Bay cabinet, Children's Cabinet, Governor's Subcabinet for International Affairs, Smart Growth Subcabinet, and Workforce Creation Subcabinet. [12]

Other powers and responsibilities

The governor is the commander-in-chief of the military forces of the state: the Maryland Army National Guard and Air National Guard and the Maryland Defense Force, except when the former of these forces have been called into federal service, which the President of the United States has the authority to do. In times of public emergency, the governor may exercise emergency powers, including the mobilization of these military forces. In the area of criminal justice, the governor may grant pardons to criminals, commute the sentences of prisoners, or remit fines and forfeitures imposed on people who have been convicted, jailed, or fined for violations of state laws.

In both these areas, and a variety of others, the governor sits on state and interstate boards and commissions with varying powers. The governor is also obligated to report on the conditions of the state at any time during the year, though this traditionally happens in a "State of the State" address each January at the beginning of the annual General Assembly session. [4]

The governor's staff

In addition to the various departments and agencies under gubernatorial control, the governor has an executive administrative staff that assist in coordinating the executive duties. This staff is led by a chief of staff, and includes five offices: Intergovernmental Relations, Legal Counsel, Legislative and Policy, Press, and the Governor's Office in Washington, D.C. The chief of staff has a number of deputies to assist in running these departments. The governor's staff is appointed and therefore largely exempt from state civil service laws. [4]

History and evolution of the office

1600s–1800s

Thomas Johnson, the first governor of Maryland after independence. He served from 1777 to 1779. Thomas Johnson (governor).jpeg
Thomas Johnson, the first governor of Maryland after independence. He served from 1777 to 1779.

During the colonial period, Maryland's proprietors, the Barons and Lords of Baltimore, who generally remained in the Kingdom of England, chose who would serve as the proprietary governor of Maryland on their behalf. Leonard Calvert (1606–1647), youngest brother of the second Lord Baltimore, Cecilius Calvert (1605–1675), and the first lord proprietor, came with the first settlers in March 1634 to serve as the first governor of the colonial Province of Maryland until his death in 1647. Between 1692, when the Baltimores lost control, and 1715, Maryland was a direct royal colony, and the governor was appointed by the British monarch. The Lords of Baltimore regained their royal charter in 1715, under the British monarchs of the House of Hanover, and then under the fifth and sixth Lord Baltimores, they resumed choosing the governors until the beginning of the American Revolution (1775–1783). [4] The first governor of an independent state chosen to break this chain of colonial governors was Thomas Johnson (1732–1819) of Frederick County, who took office on March 21, 1777. [13] [14]

Under the first Maryland Constitution of 1776 for the independent state, the governor was chosen for one-year terms by both houses of the General Assembly. An 1838 constitutional amendment allowed voters to elect the governor to a three-year term from one of three rotating gubernatorial districts: eastern, southern, and western parts of the state. At each election, only voters from a single gubernatorial election district selected the governor. A four-year term was established by the second Maryland Constitution of 1851, and geographic requirements were removed by the third Constitution of 1864 during the American Civil War. [15] The fourth and current constitution was ratified by the people after the war in 1867. An amendment in 1922, added article XVII, title "Quadrennial Elections", to the 1867 state constitution and set the next election year to be 1926 and every four years thereafter, [16] thereby shifting from the historical off-year cycle (...1915, 1919, 1923) to the present mid-term election cycle.

From 1777 to 1870, the governor resided in the Jennings House in Annapolis. Located on the site of the future expanded campus of the adjacent United States Naval Academy (founded 1845), the house was later sold to the academy in 1869 after it returned from its northern hiatus in Rhode Island during the American Civil War (1861–1865). It was razed in 1901 for additional USNA buildings. Since 1870, the governor of Maryland has resided in the Government House, originally a Victorian style architecture red brick mansion (later rebuilt/renovated in the 1930s into a Georgian-styled mansion to match other colonial/Georgian-Federal era styled architecture state buildings and residences in the historic city). It is located on State Circle adjacent to the colonial era Maryland State House built 1772–1797. In addition to being the residence of the governor and his family, Government House has a number of public rooms that are used by the governor on official occasions. [17]

1900s–present

Former Maryland governor and U.S. vice president Spiro Agnew Spiro Agnew.jpg
Former Maryland governor and U.S. vice president Spiro Agnew

Spiro Agnew, who was the 55th governor of Maryland from 1967 to 1969, later served as the 39th vice president of the United States under President Richard M. Nixon. Agnew is, thus far, the highest-ranking Marylander (along with 19th-century chief justice Roger B. Taney) in public service in the history of the United States. [18] He resigned after pleading "no contest" to federal legal charges of corruption during his terms as Baltimore County executive, Maryland governor and vice president. In 1979, his gubernatorial portrait was removed from the Maryland State House Governor's Reception Room. In 1995, then-governor Parris Glendening re-included the portrait, stating that it was not up to anyone to alter history, whether for good or bad, citing the famous novel by George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four . [19]

As of 2023, Maryland has not yet had a female governor. [18] However, women were the runners-up in four gubernatorial elections (in 1974, 1994, 1998, and 2002), three Republicans and one Democrat. [20] In addition, two women have been the lieutenant governor; Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, under Democratic governor Parris Glendening from 1995 to 2003; and Aruna Miller, under Democratic governor Wes Moore since 2023. [18] Another woman, Kristen Cox, who was the Secretary of Disabilities, unsuccessfully ran for lieutenant governor as the running mate of then incumbent Republican governor Robert Ehrlich, when the lieutenant governor at that time, Michael Steele, left office to run for the U.S. Senate. Cox was a unique person to run for that office, not only because she is a woman, but also because she is legally blind. [21]

Lieutenant governor

In 1971, the office of Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, which had existed for only a few years in the 1860s, was re-instituted by an amendment to the Maryland Constitution. The lieutenant governor is a weak office compared to other counterparts (in other states including Texas, the lieutenant governor is the president of the state's Senate, while in California the lieutenant governor assumes all of the governor's powers when the sitting governor is out of the state), as it only possesses the powers and duties that the governor assigns to him or her. The lieutenant governor is elected on the same ballot with the governor, and to the same term of office as the governor. The lieutenant governor succeeds to the governorship only if there is a vacancy in that office. [22]

Despite the governor and lieutenant governor being elected on the same party ticket, very often there have been public rifts between the two; for instance Gov. Marvin Mandel and Lt. Gov. Blair Lee III; Gov. Harry R. Hughes and Lt. Gov. Samuel W. Bogley III; Gov. Schaefer and Lt. Gov. Melvin A. Steinberg., and Gov. Parris Glendening and Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. [23] No lieutenant governor of Maryland has yet been elected as the governor in future elections, or permanently succeeded to the governor's office due to a vacancy (which would be created by the resignation, death, or removal of the sitting governor), although Blair Lee III served as acting governor from June 4, 1977, until January 15, 1979, while Governor Marvin Mandel was serving a sentence for mail fraud and racketeering (consequently, in a modern example of Damnatio memoriae , Mandel's official gubernatorial portrait was not hung in the Maryland State House Governor's Reception Room until 1993). [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

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

The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the New York Legislature, to convene the legislature and grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment and treason. The governor is the highest paid governor in the country.

<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 Tennessee</span> Head of state and the government of the U.S. state of Tennessee

The governor of Tennessee is the head of government of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor is the only official in the Tennessee state government who is directly elected by the voters of the entire state.

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

The governor of Indiana is the head of government of the U.S. state of Indiana. The governor is elected to a four-year term and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the functions of many agencies of the Indiana state government. The governor also shares power with other statewide executive officers, who manage other state government agencies. The governor works out of the Indiana Statehouse and holds official functions at the Indiana Governor's Residence in the state capital of Indianapolis.

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

The governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of government in Kentucky. Sixty-two men and one woman have served as governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-election once before becoming ineligible for four years. Throughout the state's history, four men have served two non-consecutive terms as governor, and four others have served two consecutive terms, the most recent being current governor Andy Beshear, who was re-elected to a second term on November 7, 2023. Kentucky is one of only five U.S. states that hold gubernatorial elections in odd-numbered years.

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

The governor of South Carolina is the head of government of South Carolina. The governor is the ex officio commander-in-chief of the National Guard when not called into federal service. The governor's responsibilities include making yearly "State of the State" addresses to the South Carolina General Assembly, submitting an executive budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Ehrlich</span> Governor of Maryland from 2003 to 2007 (born 1957)

Robert Leroy Ehrlich Jr. is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 60th governor of Maryland from 2003 to 2007. A Republican, Ehrlich represented Maryland's 10th legislative district in the House of Delegates from 1987 to 1995 and Maryland's 2nd Congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Council of State</span> Collective decision-making body of the state

The North Carolina Council of State is the collective body of ten elective executive offices in the state government of North Carolina, all of which are established by the state constitution. The Council of State includes the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture, Commissioner of Labor, and Commissioner of Insurance. Together with the North Carolina Cabinet and several independent agencies, the Council of State offices constitute the executive branch of North Carolina's state government.

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

The governor of Oregon is the head of government of Oregon and serves as the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Maryland</span> State government of the United States

The government of Maryland is conducted according to the Maryland Constitution. The United States is a federation; consequently, the government of Maryland, like the other 49 state governments, has exclusive authority over matters that lie entirely within the state's borders, except as limited by the Constitution of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marvin Mandel</span> 56th Governor of Maryland

Marvin Mandel was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 56th Governor of Maryland from January 7, 1969, to January 17, 1979, including a one-and-a-half-year period when Lt. Governor Blair Lee III served as the state's acting Governor from June 1977 to January 15, 1979. He was a member of the Democratic Party, as well as Maryland's first, and to date, only Jewish governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland Senate</span> Upper house of the state legislature

The Maryland Senate, sometimes referred to as the Maryland State Senate, is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. Composed of 47 senators elected from an equal number of constituent single-member districts, the Senate is responsible, along with the Maryland House of Delegates, for passage of laws in Maryland, and for confirming executive appointments made by the Governor of Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan C. Lee</span> American politician from Maryland

Susan Clair Lee is an American politician. She has served as the 72nd Maryland Secretary of State since 2023. She was previously a member of the Maryland State Senate from 2015 to 2023, and of the Maryland House of Delegates from 2002 to 2015. She represented District 16, which is located in Montgomery County, and was the first Asian American elected to the Maryland State Senate and the first Asian American woman and first Chinese American to be elected to the Maryland legislature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey</span> Elected official in the U.S. state of New Jersey

The lieutenant governor of New Jersey is an elected constitutional officer in the executive branch of the state government of New Jersey in the United States. The lieutenant governor is the second highest-ranking official in the state government and is elected concurrently on a ticket with the governor for a four-year term. The position itself does not carry any powers or duties other than to be next in the order of succession, but the state constitution requires that the lieutenant governor also be appointed to serve as the head of a cabinet-level department or administrative agency within the governor's administration, other than the position of Attorney General.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dana Stein</span> American politician

Dana Max Stein is an American politician who has served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing District 11B in Baltimore County, since 2007. A member of the Democratic Party, he has served as the speaker pro tempore of the Maryland House of Delegates since 2024.

The government of Virginia combines the executive, legislative and judicial branches of authority in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The current governor of Virginia is Glenn Youngkin. The State Capitol building in Richmond was designed by Thomas Jefferson, and the cornerstone was laid by Governor Patrick Henry in 1785. Virginia currently functions under the 1971 Constitution of Virginia. It is Virginia's seventh constitution. Under the Constitution, the government is composed of three branches: the legislative, the executive and the judicial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Kansas</span>

The government of the U.S. state of Kansas, established by the Kansas Constitution, is a republican democracy modeled after the Federal Government of the United States. The state government has three branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. Through a system of separation of powers, or "checks and balances," each of these branches has some authority to act on its own, and also some authority to regulate the other two branches, so that all three branches can limit and balance the others' authority.

In the United States, each state and territory has constitutional officers who lead the state governments of the United States. These officers may be elected or appointed, depending on the position. The number and powers of state constitutional officers varies from state to state, based on the constitution and statutes of each state. State constitutional officers may reside in the executive or legislative branch, while state constitutions also establish the judicial system of the state, including state supreme courts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1994 Maryland gubernatorial election</span>

The 1994 Maryland gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994. Incumbent Democratic Governor William Donald Schaefer was ineligible for re-election. Prince George's County Executive Parris Glendening emerged victorious from the Democratic primary after defeating several candidates. Maryland House minority leader Ellen Sauerbrey, who would also be the 1998 Republican nominee for governor, won her party's nomination.

References

  1. ↑ "Governor's Salary Commission". Maryland Manual On-Line. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  2. ↑ Prah, Pamela (March 9, 2007). "Massachusetts Gov Rated Most Powerful". Stateline. Archived from the original on April 12, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  3. ↑ Cox, Erin; Wiggins, Ovetta (January 18, 2023). "Wes Moore to be sworn in, making history as Md.'s first Black governor". The Washington Post . Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Maryland Governor: Origins and Functions". Maryland Manual On-Line. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Requirements for Filing Candidacy". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Budget and Fiscal Policy". Department of Legislative Services. June 15, 2007. Archived from the original on June 15, 2007. Retrieved July 11, 2007.
  7. ↑ "Maryland Board of Public Works: Origin and Functions". Maryland Manual On-Line. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  8. ↑ Tallman, Douglas (October 26, 2005). "Lawton Appointed to District 18 Seat". Gazette.net. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved June 27, 2007.
  9. 1 2 "Governor's Executive Council (Cabinet)". Maryland Manual On-Line. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  10. ↑ Ford, William J. (April 24, 2024). "Md. Board of Education picks Carey Wright as permanent public schools superintendent". Maryland Matters . Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  11. ↑ Wood, Pamela (April 3, 2023). "Gov. Moore names Paul Monteiro as the first state secretary of service". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Subcabinets & Cabinet Councils". Maryland Manual On-Line. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Thomas Johnson (1732-1819)". Archives of Maryland (Biographical Series). Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Governor Thomas Johnson". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Archives of Maryland, Historical List, Gubernatorial Elections in Maryland 1838–2014". Maryland State Archives. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Amendments to Maryland Constitutions". Archives of Maryland Online. Archived from the original on May 11, 2018. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Government House: Maryland Treasure". Maryland State Archives. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  18. 1 2 3 4 "Archives of Maryland, Historical List, Governors of Maryland, 1634--". Maryland State Archives. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  19. ↑ Governor Glendening (April 13, 1995). [Governor Glendening's Press Conference on the opening of the Exhibit of Governors' Portraits in the Governor's Reception Room, Maryland State House, Annapolis, 10 a.m., April 13, 1995] (Speech). Maryland State Archives. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Elections by Year". State Board of Elections. Retrieved March 15, 2022. and Duggan, Paul (October 7, 2005), "Louise Gore, Force in Md. GOP, Dies", Washington Post , retrieved February 19, 2012
  21. ↑ Otto, Mary; Aratani, Lori (June 30, 2006). "Ehrlich Picks Cabinet Member Cox for Ticket". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 27, 2007.
  22. ↑ "Lieutenant Governor: Origins and Functions". Maryland Manual On-Line. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  23. ↑ Koenig, Sarah (November 26, 2002). "For This Pair, the Talking Is Over". The Baltimore Sun . Archived from the original on May 22, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
Official
General information

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.