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 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.
↑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.[8] However, the earliest contemporary news report on his nomination so far found was on May 23,[9] and other major sources say he first received his commission on September 25.[10] He was formally nominated on December 12,[11] and confirmed by the Senate on December 15.[12]
↑The office of Lieutenant Governor was created in 1868, abolished in 1875, and recreated in 1901.[19]
↑Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
↑William Wyatt Bibb died on July 10, 1820.[26] Multiple sources state that Thomas Bibb did not succeed him until either July 15[27] or July 25.[2] It is unknown if this was the formal inauguration, or if a vacancy existed in the office; it is assumed that succession was automatic, as per the constitution, and that Thomas Bibb's term began on July 10.
↑ 5.05.15.25.35.45.55.65.7Under the 1819 constitution, governors were limited to no more than four years out of every term of six years.[33]
↑ 7.07.1Sources disagree on the exact date McVay succeeded Clay, with the Alabama Department of Archives and History and National Governors Association mentioning both July 16, 1837, and July 17, though July 17 is used more prominently. However, the earliest contemporary news report of Clay's resignation is August 6.[56] Clay did not take office in the Senate until September 4.[57]
↑One contemporary source states Martin withdrew in the final days of the election,[75] but the major sources state he simply did not run.
↑Sources sometimes label Martin as an "Independent Democrat".[28][76]
↑ 11.011.1Modern sources disagree on when Watts was removed and arrested, but contemporary news sources report he was arrested on May 3, 1865.[105][106]
↑ 13.013.1Sources, even contemporary reporting, disagree on when Smith succeeded Patton. Modern sources tend to say Patton left office on July 24, 1868,[112][113] but older sources place it on July 12,[115] July 13,[116][117] or July 14.[118][119] As news tended to link Smith taking office with the passage of the 14th amendment, which occurred on July 13,[120] that date is used.
↑The 1865 election was non-partisan;[111][121] politically, Patton was a Whig.[28]
↑The 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"[112] and when the Reconstruction Acts were passed.[113]
↑In December 1867, President Andrew Johnson ordered the removal of Major General Swayne. He was replaced on January 11, 1868, by Major General Julius Hayden.[122]
↑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.[112]
↑ 18.018.1Lindsay was sworn into office on November 26, 1870, but Smith refused to leave his seat for two weeks, claiming Lindsay was fraudulently elected; he finally left office on December 8, when a court so ordered.[125]
↑ 22.022.1Samford was ill at the start of his term on December 1,[166] and was unable to perform his duties until December 26.[167] President of the Senate Jelks acted as governor until he could take office,[163] with the formal request for him to act as governor made on December 3.[168]
↑Jelks was out of state for medical treatment for nearly a year; Lieutenant Governor Cunningham acted as governor in his absence.[173][174][175]
↑ 25.0025.0125.0225.0325.0425.0525.0625.0725.0825.09The constitutional start date for 1911 was January 16, and that is when Emmet O'Neal was sworn in.[183] However, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in the case of Oberhaus v. State ex rel. McNamara that, regardless of when the swearing in took place, B. B. Comer's term did not end until the end of Monday, and O'Neal's term did not begin until the first minute of the next day.[18] This precedent appears to have quietly continued, as coverage of Robert J. Bentley's inauguration in 2011 noted he would not officially take office until midnight.[184] Therefore, governors since 1911 that served to the end of their term are noted as leaving office on Monday, and their successor taking office on Tuesday.
↑Brandon was out of state for 21 days as a delegate to the 1924 Democratic National Convention; Lieutenant Governor McDowell acted as governor for two days.[2]
References
General
"Alabama Governors". Alabama Department of Archives & History. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
↑"none". Weekly Raleigh Register. May 23, 1817. p. 3. Retrieved January 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. The Georgia Journal says that Dr. Bibb has been appointed Governor of the Alabama Territory.
↑"none". The North-Carolina Star. March 31, 1831. p. 3. Retrieved July 27, 2023. 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...
↑Ala. General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1845 sess., 57, accessed July 28, 2023
↑"none". Washington Telegraph. Washington, Arkansas. August 4, 1847. Retrieved July 12, 2019 – via Newspapers.com. Gov. Martin, the Independent Democratic candidate for Governor of Alabama, has retired from the contest...
↑Ala. General Assembly. Journal of the House of Representatives. 1865–1866 sess., 151, accessed July 28, 2023
↑"General News". Iowa County Democrat. July 15, 1868. p. 3. Retrieved January 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 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.
↑"Governor of Alabama Inaugurated". The Daily Standard. July 14, 1868. p. 3. Retrieved January 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. July 13 — Gov. Smith and Lieut. Gov. Applegate were sworn in to-day.
↑"Alabama". New York Daily Herald. July 14, 1868. p. 5. Retrieved January 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Governor Smith and Lieutenant Governor Applegate were sworn in to-day as provisional officers.
↑"Alabama". The New York Times. July 22, 1868. p. 2. Retrieved January 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your order of 14th inst., removing me from the office of Secretary of State...
↑"none". The Tuskaloosa Gazette. November 28, 1872. p. 2. Retrieved December 13, 2023. D. P. Lewis qualified for Governor of Alabama on the 25th inst., by taking the oath of office in the Executive Chamber
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