Governor of Alabama | |
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![]() Seal of the governor | |
![]() Standard of the governor | |
Government of Alabama | |
Style |
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Status | |
Residence | Alabama Governor's Mansion |
Term length | Four years, renewable once consecutively |
Precursor | Governor of Alabama Territory |
Inaugural holder | William Wyatt Bibb |
Formation | December 14, 1819 |
Deputy | Lieutenant Governor of Alabama |
Salary | $127,833 (2022) [1] |
Website | governor |
The governor of Alabama is the head of government 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.
There have officially been 54 governors of the state of Alabama; this official numbering skips acting and military governors. [2] 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 59, 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 16 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, the first wife of George Wallace, was the first woman to serve as governor of Alabama, and the third woman to serve as governor of any state. The current governor is Republican Kay Ivey, who took office on April 10, 2017 following Robert J. Bentley's resignation amidst a corruption scandal. She is the second female governor of Alabama.
Alabama Territory was formed on March 3, 1817, from Mississippi Territory. [3] It had only one governor appointed by the President of the United States before it became a state; he became the first state governor.
No. | Governor | Term in office | Appointed by | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | William Wyatt Bibb (1781–1820) [4] [5] [6] [7] | September 25, 1817 [lower-alpha 1] – November 9, 1819 (elected state governor) | James Monroe |
Alabama was admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819. [13] It seceded from the Union on January 11, 1861, [14] and was a founding member of the Confederate States of America on February 4, 1861. [15] 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. [16]
The first Alabama Constitution, ratified in 1819, provided that a governor be elected every two years, limited to serve no more than 4 out of every 6 years. This limit remained in place until the constitution of 1868, which simply allowed governors to serve terms of two years. The current constitution of 1901 increased terms to four years, but prohibited governors from succeeding themselves. An amendment in 1968 allowed governors to succeed themselves once; a governor serving two consecutive terms can run again after waiting out the next term. [17] 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. However, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in 1911 that a governor's term ends at midnight at the end of Monday, and the next governor's term begins the next day, regardless of if they were sworn in on Monday. [17] [18]
The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1868, abolished in 1875, and recreated in 1901. 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. [19] The governor and the lieutenant governor are elected at the same time but not 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.
No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor [lower-alpha 2] [lower-alpha 3] [20] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | William Wyatt Bibb (1781–1820) [4] [5] [6] [7] | November 9, 1819 [21] – July 10, 1820 (died in office) | Democratic- Republican [22] | 1819 | Office did not exist | |||
2 | ![]() | Thomas Bibb (1783–1839) [23] [24] [25] | July 10, 1820 [lower-alpha 4] – November 9, 1821 (did not run) [25] | Democratic- Republican [28] | Succeeded from president of the Senate | ||||
3 | ![]() | Israel Pickens (1780–1827) [29] [30] [31] | November 9, 1821 [32] – November 25, 1825 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 5] | Democratic- Republican [22] | 1821 | ||||
1823 | |||||||||
4 | ![]() | John Murphy (d. 1841) [34] [35] [36] | November 25, 1825 [37] – November 21, 1829 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 5] | Jackson Democrat [38] | 1825 | ||||
1827 | |||||||||
5 | ![]() | Gabriel Moore (1785–1844) [39] [40] [41] | November 21, 1829 [42] – March 3, 1831 (resigned) [lower-alpha 6] | Jackson Democrat [38] | 1829 | ||||
6 | ![]() | Samuel B. Moore (1789–1846) [43] [44] [45] | March 3, 1831 [46] – November 26, 1831 (lost election) | Jackson Democrat [28] | Succeeded from president of the Senate | ||||
7 | ![]() | John Gayle (1792–1859) [47] [48] [49] | November 26, 1831 [50] – November 21, 1835 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 5] | Jackson Democrat [51] | 1831 | ||||
Democratic [51] | 1833 | ||||||||
8 | ![]() | Clement Comer Clay (1789–1866) [52] [53] [54] | November 21, 1835 [55] – July 17, 1837 [lower-alpha 7] (resigned) [lower-alpha 8] | Democratic [51] | 1835 | ||||
9 | ![]() | Hugh McVay (1766–1851) [58] [59] [60] | July 17, 1837 [lower-alpha 7] – November 21, 1837 (successor took office) | Democratic [28] | Succeeded from president of the Senate | ||||
10 | ![]() | Arthur P. Bagby (1794–1858) [61] [62] [63] | November 21, 1837 [64] – November 22, 1841 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 5] | Democratic [65] | 1837 | ||||
1839 | |||||||||
11 | ![]() | Benjamin Fitzpatrick (1802–1869) [66] [67] [68] | November 22, 1841 [69] – December 9, 1845 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 5] | Democratic [70] | 1841 | ||||
1843 | |||||||||
12 | ![]() | Joshua L. Martin (1799–1856) [71] [72] [73] | December 9, 1845 [74] – December 16, 1847 (did not run) [lower-alpha 9] | Independent [lower-alpha 10] | 1845 | ||||
13 | ![]() | Reuben Chapman (1799–1882) [77] [78] [79] | December 16, 1847 [80] – December 17, 1849 (lost nomination) [81] | Democratic [76] | 1847 | ||||
14 | ![]() | Henry W. Collier (1801–1855) [82] [83] [84] | December 17, 1849 [85] – December 20, 1853 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 5] | Democratic [86] | 1849 | ||||
1851 | |||||||||
15 | ![]() | John A. Winston (1812–1871) [87] [88] [89] | December 20, 1853 [90] – December 1, 1857 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 5] | Democratic [91] | 1853 | ||||
1855 | |||||||||
16 | ![]() | Andrew B. Moore (1807–1873) [92] [93] [94] | December 1, 1857 [95] – December 2, 1861 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 5] | Democratic [96] | 1857 | ||||
1859 | |||||||||
17 | ![]() | John Gill Shorter (1818–1872) [97] [98] [99] | December 2, 1861 [100] – December 1, 1863 (lost election) [99] | Democratic [28] | 1861 | ||||
18 | ![]() | Thomas H. Watts (1819–1892) [101] [102] [103] | December 1, 1863 [104] – May 3, 1865 [lower-alpha 11] (arrested and removed) [lower-alpha 12] | Whig [28] | 1863 | ||||
— | Vacant | May 3, 1865 [lower-alpha 11] – June 21, 1865 | Office vacated after civil war | ||||||
19 | ![]() | Lewis E. Parsons (1817–1895) [107] [108] [109] | June 21, 1865 [110] – December 13, 1865 (successor took office) | Provisional governor appointed by President [28] | |||||
20 | ![]() | Robert M. Patton (1809–1885) [111] [112] [113] | December 13, 1865 [114] – July 13, 1868 [lower-alpha 13] (did not run) | Nonpartisan [lower-alpha 14] | 1865 | ||||
— | ![]() | Wager Swayne (1834–1902) [122] | March 2, 1867 [lower-alpha 15] – January 11, 1868 (removed) [lower-alpha 16] | Military occupation [lower-alpha 17] | |||||
21 | ![]() | William Hugh Smith (1826–1899) [118] [123] [124] | July 13, 1868 [lower-alpha 13] – November 26, 1870 [lower-alpha 18] (lost election) | Republican [28] | 1868 | Andrew J. Applegate (died August 21, 1870) | |||
Vacant | |||||||||
22 | ![]() | Robert B. Lindsay (1824–1902) [126] [127] [128] | November 26, 1870 [129] – November 25, 1872 (did not run) [128] | Democratic [28] | 1870 [lower-alpha 18] | Edward H. Moren | |||
23 | ![]() | David P. Lewis (1820–1884) [130] [131] [132] | November 25, 1872 [133] [134] – November 24, 1874 (lost election) | Republican [28] | 1872 | Alexander McKinstry | |||
24 | ![]() | George S. Houston (1811–1879) [135] [136] [137] | November 24, 1874 [138] – November 27, 1878 (did not run) [lower-alpha 19] | Democratic [28] | 1874 | Robert F. Ligon | |||
1876 | Office did not exist | ||||||||
25 | ![]() | Rufus W. Cobb (1829–1913) [139] [140] [141] | November 27, 1878 [142] – December 1, 1882 (did not run) | Democratic [28] | 1878 | ||||
1880 | |||||||||
26 | ![]() | Edward A. O'Neal (1818–1890) [143] [144] [145] | December 1, 1882 [146] – December 1, 1886 (did not run) | Democratic [28] | 1882 | ||||
1884 | |||||||||
27 | | Thomas Seay (1846–1896) [147] [148] [149] | December 1, 1886 [150] – December 1, 1890 (did not run) [lower-alpha 20] | Democratic [28] | 1886 | ||||
1888 | |||||||||
28 | ![]() | Thomas G. Jones (1844–1914) [151] [152] [153] | December 1, 1890 [154] – December 1, 1894 (did not run) [153] | Democratic [28] | 1890 | ||||
1892 | |||||||||
29 | ![]() | William C. Oates (1835–1910) [155] [156] [157] | December 1, 1894 [158] – December 1, 1896 (did not run) [157] | Democratic [28] | 1894 | ||||
30 | ![]() | Joseph F. Johnston (1843–1913) [159] [160] [161] | December 1, 1896 [162] – December 1, 1900 (did not run) [lower-alpha 21] | Democratic [28] | 1896 | ||||
1898 | |||||||||
— | ![]() | William D. Jelks (1855–1931) [163] [164] [165] | December 1, 1900 – December 26, 1900 (acting) [lower-alpha 22] | Democratic [28] | President of the Senate acting | ||||
31 | ![]() | William J. Samford (1844–1901) [167] [169] [170] | December 1, 1900 [lower-alpha 22] – June 11, 1901 (died in office) | Democratic [28] | 1900 | ||||
32 | ![]() | William D. Jelks (1855–1931) [163] [164] [165] | June 11, 1901 [171] – January 14, 1907 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | Succeeded from president of the Senate | ||||
1902 | Russell McWhortor Cunningham (acted as governor April 25, 1904–March 5, 1905) [lower-alpha 24] | ||||||||
33 | ![]() | B. B. Comer (1848–1927) [176] [177] [178] | January 14, 1907 [179] – January 16, 1911 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | 1906 | Henry B. Gray | |||
34 | ![]() | Emmet O'Neal (1853–1922) [180] [181] [182] | January 17, 1911 [lower-alpha 25] – January 18, 1915 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | 1910 | Walter D. Seed Sr. | |||
35 | ![]() | Charles Henderson (1860–1937) [185] [186] [187] | January 19, 1915 [188] [lower-alpha 25] – January 20, 1919 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | 1914 | Thomas Kilby | |||
36 | ![]() | Thomas Kilby (1865–1943) [189] [190] [191] | January 21, 1919 [192] [lower-alpha 25] – January 15, 1923 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | 1918 | Nathan Lee Miller | |||
37 | ![]() | William W. Brandon (1868–1934) [193] [194] [195] | January 16, 1923 [196] [lower-alpha 25] – January 17, 1927 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | 1922 | Charles S. McDowell (acted as governor July 10, 1924–July 11, 1924) [lower-alpha 26] | |||
38 | ![]() | Bibb Graves (1873–1942) [197] [198] [199] | January 18, 1927 [200] [lower-alpha 25] – January 19, 1931 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | 1926 | William C. Davis | |||
39 | ![]() | Benjamin M. Miller (1864–1944) [201] [202] [203] | January 20, 1931 [204] [lower-alpha 25] – January 14, 1935 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | 1930 | Hugh Davis Merrill | |||
(38) | ![]() | Bibb Graves (1873–1942) [197] [198] [199] | January 15, 1935 [205] [lower-alpha 25] – January 16, 1939 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | 1934 | Thomas E. Knight (died May 17, 1937) | |||
Vacant | |||||||||
40 | ![]() | Frank M. Dixon (1892–1965) [206] [207] [208] | January 17, 1939 [209] [lower-alpha 25] – January 18, 1943 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | 1938 | Albert A. Carmichael | |||
41 | ![]() | Chauncey Sparks (1884–1968) [210] [211] [212] | January 19, 1943 [213] [lower-alpha 25] – January 20, 1947 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | 1942 | Leven H. Ellis | |||
42 | ![]() | Jim Folsom (1908–1987) [214] [215] [216] | January 21, 1947 [217] [lower-alpha 25] – January 15, 1951 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | 1946 | James C. Inzer | |||
43 | ![]() | Gordon Persons (1902–1965) [218] [219] [220] | January 16, 1951 [221] [lower-alpha 25] – January 17, 1955 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | 1950 | James Allen | |||
(42) | ![]() | Jim Folsom (1908–1987) [214] [215] [216] | January 18, 1955 [222] [lower-alpha 25] – January 19, 1959 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | 1954 | William G. Hardwick | |||
44 | ![]() | John M. Patterson (1921–2021) [223] [224] [225] | January 20, 1959 [226] [lower-alpha 25] – January 14, 1963 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | 1958 | Albert Boutwell | |||
45 | ![]() | George Wallace (1919–1998) [227] [228] [229] | January 15, 1963 [230] [lower-alpha 25] – January 16, 1967 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 23] | Democratic [28] | 1962 | James Allen | |||
46 | ![]() | Lurleen Wallace (1926–1968) [227] [231] [232] | January 17, 1967 [233] [lower-alpha 25] – May 7, 1968 (died in office) | Democratic [28] | 1966 | Albert Brewer (acted as governor July 25, 1967) [lower-alpha 27] | |||
47 | ![]() | Albert Brewer (1928–2017) [235] [236] [237] | May 7, 1968 [238] – January 18, 1971 (lost nomination) [235] | Democratic [28] | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | |||
(45) | ![]() | George Wallace (1919–1998) [227] [228] [229] | January 19, 1971 [239] [lower-alpha 25] – January 15, 1979 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 28] | Democratic [28] | 1970 | Jere Beasley (acted as governor June 5, 1972–July 7, 1972) [lower-alpha 29] | |||
1974 | |||||||||
48 | ![]() | Fob James (b. 1934) [243] [244] | January 16, 1979 [245] [lower-alpha 25] – January 17, 1983 (did not run) [244] | Democratic [244] | 1978 | George McMillan | |||
(45) | ![]() | George Wallace (1919–1998) [227] [228] [229] | January 18, 1983 [246] [lower-alpha 25] – January 19, 1987 (did not run) [229] | Democratic [229] | 1982 | Bill Baxley | |||
49 | ![]() | H. Guy Hunt (1933–2009) [247] [248] | January 20, 1987 [249] [lower-alpha 25] – April 22, 1993 (removed from office) [lower-alpha 30] | Republican [248] | 1986 | Jim Folsom Jr. [lower-alpha 31] | |||
1990 | |||||||||
50 | ![]() | Jim Folsom Jr. (b. 1949) [252] [253] | April 22, 1993 [250] – January 16, 1995 (lost election) | Democratic [253] | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | |||
(48) | ![]() | Fob James (b. 1934) [243] [244] | January 17, 1995 [254] [lower-alpha 25] – January 18, 1999 (lost election) | Republican [244] | 1994 | Don Siegelman [lower-alpha 31] | |||
51 | ![]() | Don Siegelman (b. 1946) [255] [256] | January 19, 1999 [257] [lower-alpha 25] – January 20, 2003 (lost election) | Democratic [256] | 1998 | Steve Windom [lower-alpha 32] | |||
52 | ![]() | Bob Riley (b. 1944) [258] [259] | January 21, 2003 [260] [lower-alpha 25] – January 17, 2011 (term-limited) [lower-alpha 28] | Republican [259] | 2002 | Lucy Baxley [lower-alpha 31] | |||
2006 | Jim Folsom Jr. [lower-alpha 31] | ||||||||
53 | ![]() | Robert J. Bentley (b. 1943) [261] [262] | January 18, 2011 [263] [lower-alpha 25] – April 10, 2017 (resigned) [lower-alpha 33] | Republican [262] | 2010 | Kay Ivey | |||
2014 | |||||||||
54 | ![]() | Kay Ivey (b. 1944) [265] [266] | April 10, 2017 [267] – Incumbent [lower-alpha 34] | Republican [266] | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | |||
2018 | Will Ainsworth | ||||||||
2022 |
The governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the chief executive officer of the government of Massachusetts. The governor is the head of the state cabinet and the commander-in-chief of the commonwealth's military forces.
The lieutenant governor of Alabama is the president of the Alabama Senate, elected to serve a four-year term. The office was created in 1868, abolished in 1875, and recreated in 1901. 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 governor dies, resigns or is removed from office, the lieutenant governor ascends to the governorship. Earlier constitutions said the powers of the governor devolved upon the successor, rather than them necessarily becoming governor, but the official listing includes these as full governors. The governor and lieutenant governor are not elected on the same ticket.
The governor of Colorado is the head of government of the U.S. state of Colorado. The governor is the head of the executive branch of Colorado's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Colorado General Assembly, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason or impeachment. The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.
The Georgia Journal says that Dr. Bibb has been appointed Governor of the Alabama Territory.
On the 3d instant, Gabriel Moore, Governor of the State of Alabama and United States' Senator elect, resigned his office as Governor into the hands of Samuel B. Moore, of Jackson County, President of the Senate...
Gov. Martin, the Independent Democratic candidate for Governor of Alabama, has retired from the contest...
Gen. Meade has issued orders appointing ... Wm. H. Smith to be Governor of Alabama, vice Patton removed, and A.J. Poplegate[sic] Lieutenant Governor, to take effect July 12th.
July 13 — Gov. Smith and Lieut. Gov. Applegate were sworn in to-day.
Governor Smith and Lieutenant Governor Applegate were sworn in to-day as provisional officers.
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your order of 14th inst., removing me from the office of Secretary of State...
D. P. Lewis qualified for Governor of Alabama on the 25th inst., by taking the oath of office in the Executive Chamber
Bentley under state law won't officially be governor until just after the stroke of midnight Tuesday morning.