List of Governors of Montana

Last updated
Governor of Montana
Montana-StateSeal.svg
Montana Governor Steve Bullock (28963844060) (cropped) (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Steve Bullock
since January 7, 2013
Style The Honorable
Residence Montana Governor's Residence
Term length Four years, renewable once (limited to eight years in a sixteen year period)
Constituting instrument Montana Constitution of 1889
Inaugural holder Joseph K. Toole
FormationNovember 8, 1889
(129 years ago) (1889-11-08)
SuccessionEvery four years, unless re-elected.
Salary$108,167 (2013) [1]
Website Official website

The Governor of Montana is the head of the executive branch of Montana's state government [2] and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. [3] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, [2] the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Montana State Legislature, [4] to convene the legislature at any time, [5] and to grant pardons and reprieves. [6]

U.S. state constituent political entity of the United States

In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are currently 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory and shares its sovereignty with the federal government. Due to this shared sovereignty, Americans are citizens both of the federal republic and of the state in which they reside. State citizenship and residency are flexible, and no government approval is required to move between states, except for persons restricted by certain types of court orders. Four states use the term commonwealth rather than state in their full official names.

The Montana National Guard consists of the Montana Army National Guard, and the Montana Air National Guard.

A pardon is a government decision to allow a person to be absolved of guilt for an alleged crime or other legal offense, as if the act never occurred. The pardon may be granted before or after conviction for the crime, depending on the laws of the jurisdiction.

Contents

The current Montana Constitution, ratified in 1972, calls for a four-year term for the governor, commencing on the first Monday in January following an election. [7] The governor is term-limited to 8 years in any 16-year period. [8] The constitution provides for the election of a lieutenant governor for the same term as the governor. The two offices are elected on the same ticket; [7] a provision which did not appear in the state's first constitution, ratified in 1889. In the event of a vacancy in the office of governor due to resignation, disqualification, or death, the lieutenant governor becomes governor for the remainder of the term. If the governor is unable to perform his duties for any other reason, the lieutenant governor may become acting governor at the discretion of the state legislature. [9] The 1889 constitution made the lieutenant governor president of the state senate, [10] but this provision was removed in the 1972 constitution.

Ticket (election)

A ticket refers to a single election choice which fills more than one political office or seat. For example, in Guyana, the candidates for President and Parliament run on the same "ticket", because they are elected together on a single ballot question — as a vote for a given party-list in the Parliamentary election counts as a vote for the party's corresponding presidential candidate — rather than separately.

Montana has had 24 governors (ten of whom were actually born within state boundaries), consisting of 9  Republicans and 15  Democrats. The longest-serving governor was Joseph Toole, who served from 1889 to 1893 and again from 1901 until his resignation in 1908 with 11 years in office. The shortest-serving governor was Elmer Holt, who served less than 13 months when the previous governor died. The current governor is Democrat Steve Bullock, who took office on January 7, 2013.

Republican Party (United States) Major political party in the United States

The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP, is one of the two major political parties in the United States; the other is its historic rival, the Democratic Party.

Democratic Party (United States) Major political party in the United States

The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. Tracing its heritage back to Thomas Jefferson and James Madison's Democratic-Republican Party, the modern-day Democratic Party was founded around 1828 by supporters of Andrew Jackson, making it the world's oldest active political party.

Joseph Toole Democrat politician from Montana, United States

Joseph Kemp Toole was a Democratic politician from Montana. He served as the first and fourth Governor of Montana.

Governors

Prior to the creation of Montana Territory (1864–1889), numerous areas of what is now Montana were areas of Oregon Territory (1848–1859), Washington Territory (1853–1863), Idaho Territory (1863–1864), and Dakota Territory (1861–1864).

Montana Territory territory of the USA between 1864-1889

The Territory of Montana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1864, until November 8, 1889, when it was admitted as the 41st state in the Union as the state of Montana.

The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries, the region was divided between the UK and US in 1846. When established, the territory encompassed an area that included the current states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, as well as parts of Wyoming and Montana. The capital of the territory was first Oregon City, then Salem, followed briefly by Corvallis, then back to Salem, which became the state capital upon Oregon's admission to the Union.

The Territory of Washington was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington. It was created from the portion of the Oregon Territory north of the lower Columbia River and north of the 46th parallel east of the Columbia. At its largest extent, it also included the entirety of modern Idaho and parts of Montana and Wyoming, before attaining its final boundaries in 1863.

Governors of Montana Territory

NOTE: Term dates are for the full, official term of office, see notes column for clarification of dates when men served as governor.

Parties

Dem Democratic (3) Rep Republican (6)

Governors of Montana Territory
#ImageGovernorPartyTerm startTerm endAppointed byNotes
1 SEdgerton.jpg Sidney Edgerton RepJune 22, 1864July 12, 1866 Abraham Lincoln Left for Washington, DC in September 1865 to settle federal accounts, obtain federal funding, and obtain reimbursement for personal funds spent on behalf of Montana's government. Resigned after funding issue remained unresolved. [11]
— Meagher4s.jpg Thomas Francis Meagher (acting) DemSeptember 1865October 3, 1866—As Secretary of the Territory, he acted as governor in place of Gov. Edgerton while he was out of the Territory. He also acted in place of Gov. Smith until he arrived to assume his duties. [12] [13] [14] [15]
2 Green Clay Smith - Brady-Handy.jpg Green Clay Smith DemOctober 3, 1866April 9, 1869 Andrew Johnson Left Montana in July 1868 to settle federal accounts and obtain federal funds following Thomas F. Meagher's death; remained in Washington, DC. He was ordained as a Baptist minister and became a temperance activist. Officially resigned in April 1869. [16] [17]
— James Tufts (Montana Governor).jpg James Tufts (acting) RepMarch 1869April 9, 1869—Acted as governor from July 1868, when Green Clay Smith left for Washington, DC to April 1869 when James M. Ashley arrived. [18]
3 James Mitchell Ashley - Brady-Handy.jpg James Mitchell Ashley RepApril 9, 1869July 12, 1870 Ulysses S. Grant Refusal to include Democrats in appointments made him unpopular; opponents then accused him of criticizing Grant administration policies, resulting in Grant removing him. [19] [20]
— No image.svg Wiley Scribner (acting) RepDecember 1869August 1870—Acted as governor until arrival of Benjamin F. Potts. [21]
4 Benjamin F Potts.jpg Benjamin F. Potts RepJuly 13, 1870January 14, 1883 Ulysses S. Grant Term expired, July 1882. Potts remained in office until successor J. Schuyler Crosby arrived in Montana in January 1883. [22] [23]
5 John Schuyler Crosby.jpg John Schuyler Crosby RepJanuary 15, 1883December 15, 1884 Chester A. Arthur Resigned to accept appointment as First Assistant Postmaster General. [24]
6 Benjamin Platt Carpenter (Montana Territorial Governor).jpg B. Platt Carpenter RepDecember 16, 1884July 13, 1885 Chester A. Arthur Replaced when Democrat Grover Cleveland succeeded Republican President Chester A. Arthur. [25]
7 Samuel Thomas Hauser.gif Samuel Thomas Hauser DemJuly 14, 1885February 7, 1887 Grover Cleveland Resigned in order to concentrate on management of business and banking interests. [26]
8 PHLeslie.jpg Preston Hopkins Leslie DemFebruary 8, 1887April 8, 1889 Grover Cleveland Pro-temperance stance and policy disagreements with Republicans in territorial legislature caused legislators to request his replacement. Later served as Montana's U.S. Attorney and president of the state bar association. [27] [28]
9 Benjamin Franklin White (Montana Territory Governor).jpg Benjamin F. White RepApril 9, 1889November 8, 1889 Benjamin Harrison Term ended when Montana attained statehood. Later served as Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives and a member of the Montana Senate. [29]

Governors of Montana

Parties

Dem Democratic (15) Rep Republican (9)

Governors of Montana
#ImageGovernorPartyTook officeLeft office Lt. Governor and TermNotes
1 JosephKToole.JPG Joseph Toole DemNovember 8, 1889January 1, 1893 [30]
2 John E Rickards.jpg John E. Rickards RepJanuary 2, 1893January 3, 1897
  • Alexander C. Botkin (Rep) – 2
3 Robert Burns Smith (Montana Governor).jpg Robert Burns Smith DemJanuary 4, 1897January 7, 1901
  • A. E. Spriggs (Pop) – 3
4 JosephKToole.JPG Joseph Toole DemJanuary 7, 1901April 1, 1908Resigned due to declining health.
5 Edwin L. Norris (Montana Governor).jpg Edwin L. Norris DemApril 1, 1908January 5, 1913As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term, and was later elected in his own right.
6 Sam V. Stewart.jpg Sam V. Stewart DemJanuary 6, 1913January 2, 1921
7 Joseph M. Dixon.jpg Joseph M. Dixon RepJanuary 3, 1921January 4, 1925
  • Nelson Story, Jr. (Rep) - 9
 [31]
8 John Erickson.jpg John E. Erickson DemJanuary 4, 1925March 13, 1933Resigned so that his successor would appoint him to the United States Senate.
9 Frank Henry Cooney.jpg Frank Henry Cooney DemMarch 13, 1933December 15, 1935
  • Tom Kane (Rep) - 12
  • Ernest T. Eaton (Rep) - 12
  • Elmer Holt (Dem) - 12
As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term. Died in office while governor.
10 No image.svg Elmer Holt DemDecember 15, 1935January 4, 1937
  • William P. Pilgeram (Dem) - 12
As president of the state senate, filled unexpired term.
11 Roy E. Ayers.jpg Roy E. Ayers DemJanuary 4, 1937January 6, 1941
  • Hugh R. Adair (Dem) - 13
12 No image.svg Sam C. Ford RepJanuary 6, 1941January 3, 1949
  • Ernest T. Eaton (Rep) - 14, 15
13 No image.svg John W. Bonner DemJanuary 3, 1949January 5, 1953
  • Paul Cannon (Dem) - 16
14 No image.svg J. Hugo Aronson RepJanuary 5, 1953January 2, 1961
  • George M. Gosman (Rep) - 17
  • Paul Cannon (Dem) - 18
 [32]
15 No image.svg Donald Grant Nutter RepJanuary 2, 1961January 25, 1962Died in office.
16 No image.svg Tim M. Babcock RepJanuary 25, 1962January 6, 1969
  • David F. James (Dem) - 19
  • Ted James (Rep) - 20
As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term, and was later elected in his own right.
17 No image.svg Forrest H. Anderson DemJanuary 6, 1969January 1, 1973
18 No image.svg Thomas Lee Judge DemJanuary 1, 1973January 5, 1981
19 No image.svg Ted Schwinden DemJanuary 5, 1981January 2, 1989
20 No image.svg Stan Stephens RepJanuary 2, 1989January 4, 1993
21 Marc Racicot 2008 (cropped).JPG Marc Racicot RepJanuary 4, 1993January 1, 2001 [33] [34]
22 Judy Martz 2003 (cropped).jpg Judy Martz RepJanuary 1, 2001January 3, 2005 [35]
23 Brian Schweitzer official photo.jpg Brian Schweitzer DemJanuary 3, 2005January 7, 2013
24 Montana Governor Steve Bullock 2016.jpg Steve Bullock DemJanuary 7, 2013IncumbentGovernor Bullock's term will expire on January 4, 2021; he will be subject to term limits

Other high offices held

This is a table of the equivalent or higher state and federal offices and other governorships held by governors. All representatives and senators represented Montana. * denotes cases where the governor resigned the governship to accept the other office.

Other high offices held by Montanans
GovernorGubernatorial termHigher offices held
Joseph Toole 1889–1893
1901–1908		 Territorial Delegate
Joseph M. Dixon 1921–1925 U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator
John Edward Erickson 1925–1933 U.S. Senator*
Sam C. Ford 1929–1933 Montana Supreme Court Associate Justice
Sam V. Stewart 1933-1939 Montana Supreme Court Associate Justice
Roy E. Ayers 1937–1941 U.S. Representative
Forrest H. Anderson 1953–1956 Montana Supreme Court Associate Justice
John W. Bonner 1969-1970 Montana Supreme Court Associate Justice

Living former governors of Montana

As of October 2017, there are four former governors of Montana who are currently living at this time, the oldest former governor of Montana being Ted Schwinden (served 1981–1989, born 1925). The most recent death of a former governor of Montana, was Judy Martz (served 2001–2005, born 1943), on October 30, 2017. Martz is also the most recently serving former governor of Montana to die.

Theodore "Ted" Schwinden is an American politician. He served as the 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Montana and the 19th Governor of Montana.

Judy Martz American speed skater and politician

Judith Helen Martz was an American politician who served as the 22nd Governor of Montana, the first and to date only woman to have held the office. She served from January 1, 2001 to January 3, 2005. She previously served as the 31st Lieutenant Governor of Montana from 1997 to 2001 under the governorship of Marc Racicot.

Living former governors of Montana
GovernorGubernatorial termDate of birth (and age)
Ted Schwinden 1981–1989August 31, 1925 (age 93)
Stan Stephens 1989–1993September 16, 1929 (age 89)
Marc Racicot 1993–2001July 24, 1948 (age 70)
Brian Schweitzer 2005–2013September 4, 1955 (age 63)

Notes

  1. ↑ "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Montana Constitution, Article VI, Section 4.
  3. ↑ Montana Constitution, Article VI, Section 7.
  4. ↑ Montana Constitution, Article VI, Section 10.
  5. ↑ Montana Constitution, Article VI, Section 11.
  6. ↑ Montana Constitution, Article VI, Section 12.
  7. 1 2 Montana Constitution, Article VI, Section 1.
  8. ↑ Montana Constitution, Article IV, Section 8.
  9. ↑ Montana Constitution, Article VI, Section 14.
  10. ↑ Montana Constitution (1889), Article VII, Section 1.
  11. ↑ Goodspeed, Weston Arthur (1904). The Province and the States: Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota. VI. Madison, WI: Western Historical Association. pp. 419–420.
  12. ↑ Wylie, Paul R. (2007). The Irish General: Thomas Francis Meagher. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 252–272, 303–312, 365–375. ISBN   978-0-8061-3847-3.
  13. ↑ "A Memorial to Thomas Francis Meagher on the Levee at Fort Benton, Montana" (PDF). Hibernian. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Montana Vigilantes". Montana Travel. Archived from the original on August 27, 2011. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
  15. ↑ Burnham, Patricia M.; Susan R. Near (2002). Montana's State Capitol - The People's House. Montana Historical Society. p. 80. ISBN   978-0-917298-83-7 . Retrieved August 15, 2011.
  16. ↑ Malone, Michael P. (1976). Montana: A History of Two Centuries. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. p. 105. ISBN   978-0-295-97129-2.
  17. ↑ Appletons' Annual Cyclopedia and Register of Important Events. XXXV. New York, NY: D. Appleton and Company. 1896. p. 593.
  18. ↑ Burlingame, Merrill Gildea (1942). The Montana Frontier. Helena, MT: State Publishing Company. p. 166.
  19. ↑ Eblen, Jack Ericson (1968). The First and Second United States Empires: Governors and Territorial Government, 1784-1912. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press. p. 283.
  20. ↑ Toole, Kenneth Ross (1959). Montana: An Uncommon Land. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 109.
  21. ↑ Robison, Ken (2013). Montana Territory and the Civil War: A Frontier Forged on the Battlefield. Charleston, SC: History Press. p. 36. ISBN   978-1-62619-175-4.
  22. ↑ Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States. XXIII. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1902. p. 497.
  23. ↑ Contributions to the Historical Society of Montana. 2. Helena, MT: State Publishing Company. 1896. p. 387.
  24. ↑ The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. XI. New York, NY: James T. White & Company. 1909. p. 80.
  25. ↑ Spence, Clark C. (1978). Montana: A History. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company. p. 86. ISBN   978-0-393-34856-9.
  26. ↑ Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 35-36. Seattle, WA: University of Washington. 1944. p. 340.
  27. ↑ Harrison, Lowell H. (2004). Kentucky's Governors. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky. pp. 103–104. ISBN   978-0-8131-2326-4.
  28. ↑ "News of the Profession: Montana Bar Association". Law Notes. Edward Thompson Company: Northport, NY: 236. March 1, 1904.
  29. ↑ McMullin, Thomas A.; Walker, David Allan (1984). Biographical Directory of American Territorial Governors. Westport, CT: Meckler Publishing. p. 221.
  30. ↑ Tribune Staff. "125 Montana Newsmakers: Joseph K. Toole". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  31. ↑ Tribune Staff. "125 Montana Newsmakers: Joseph M. Dixon". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  32. ↑ Tribune Staff. "125 Montana Newsmakers: J. Hugo Aronson". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  33. ↑ Lewis, Charles (December 20, 2001). "The GOP's New Lobbyist in Chief". Washington Post. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
  34. ↑ Tribune Staff. "125 Montana Newsmakers: Marc Racicot". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  35. ↑ Tribune Staff. "125 Montana Newsmakers: Judy Martz". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved August 28, 2011.

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References

General
Constitutions

See also

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