The governor of Mississippi is the head of government of Mississippi[2] and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[2] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws,[3] and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Mississippi Legislature,[4] to convene the legislature at any time,[5] and, except in cases of treason or impeachment, to grant pardons and reprieves.[6]
| Governor of Mississippi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Style |
|
| Status | |
| Residence | Mississippi Governor's Mansion |
| Term length | Four years, renewable once |
| Formation | Constitution of Mississippi |
| Succession | Every four years, unless reelected |
| Deputy | Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi |
| Salary | $122,160[1] |
| Website | governor |
To be elected governor, a person must be at least 30 years old, and must have been a citizen of the United States for twenty years and a resident of Mississippi for at least five years at the time of inauguration.[7] The Constitution of Mississippi, ratified in 1890, calls for a four-year term for the governor, elected via the two-round system since a 2020 referendum. Prior to this, the governor was elected by an electoral college composed of the districts represented in the Mississippi House of Representatives, with a contingent election held in the House in the event no candidate received a majority of district electors. The term length was originally two years,[8] with no limit on how many terms they could serve. The 1832 constitution limited governors to serving no more than four out of every six years.[9] When terms were lengthened to four years in 1868,[10] this limit was removed. The 1890 constitution forbid governors from succeeding themselves, but a 1986 amendment allows them to succeed themselves once.[2][11] The office of the lieutenant governor was created in the 1817 constitution, officially abolished in 1832, and recreated in 1868. When the office of governor becomes vacant for any reason, the lieutenant governor exercises the powers of governor for the remainder of the term.[12] The governor and the lieutenant governor are not officially elected on the same ticket.
The current governor is Republican Tate Reeves, who took office January 14, 2020.
List of governors
Mississippi Territory
Mississippi Territory was organized on April 7, 1798, from land ceded to the federal government by Georgia.[13] It had four governors appointed by the president of the United States during its 19-year history, including one, David Holmes, who would later serve as state governor.
| No. | Governor | Term in office[a] | Appointed by | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Winthrop Sargent (1753–1820) [14] | May 7, 1798[b] – May 25, 1801 (successor appointed) | John Adams |
| 2 |  | William C. C. Claiborne (d. 1817) [18] | May 25, 1801[c] – March 2, 1805 (successor appointed) | Thomas Jefferson |
| 3 | .jpg) | Robert Williams (1770–1836) [22] | March 2, 1805[d] – March 7, 1809 (successor appointed) | Thomas Jefferson |
| 4 |  | David Holmes (1769–1832) [26][27][28] | March 7, 1809[e] – October 7, 1817 (elected state governor) | James Madison |
State of Mississippi
Mississippi was admitted to the Union on December 10, 1817.[33] It seceded from the Union on January 9, 1861,[34] and was a founding member of the Confederate States of America on February 4, 1861.[35] Following the end of the American Civil War, Mississippi during Reconstruction was part of the Fourth Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections. Mississippi was readmitted to the Union on February 23, 1870.[36]
| No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor[f][g] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | David Holmes (1769–1832) [26][27][28] | October 7, 1817[37] – January 5, 1820 (did not run) | Democratic- Republican[38] | 1817 | Duncan Stewart | ||
| 2 |  | George Poindexter (1779–1853) [39][40] | January 5, 1820[41] – January 7, 1822 (did not run) | Democratic- Republican[38] | 1819 | James Patton | ||
| 3 |  | Walter Leake (1762–1825) [42][43] | January 7, 1822[37] – November 17, 1825 (died in office) | Democratic- Republican[38] | 1821 | David C. Dickson | ||
| 1823 | Gerard Brandon | |||||||
| 4 |  | Gerard Brandon (1788–1850) [44][45] | November 17, 1825[37] – January 7, 1826 (successor took office) | Democratic- Republican[38] | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | ||
| 5 | | David Holmes (1769–1832) [26][27][28] | January 7, 1826[46] – July 25, 1826 (resigned)[h] | Democratic- Republican[38] | 1825 | Gerard Brandon | ||
| 6 | | Gerard Brandon (1788–1850) [44][45] | July 25, 1826[47] – January 9, 1832 (did not run) | Democratic- Republican[38] | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | ||
| 1827 | Abram M. Scott[i] | |||||||
| 1829 | ||||||||
| 7 | .jpg) | Abram M. Scott (1785–1833) [48][49] | January 9, 1832[37] – June 12, 1833 (died in office) | National Republican[38] | 1831 | Fountain Winston[j] (office abolished October 26, 1832) | ||
| Office did not exist | ||||||||
| 8 |  | Charles Lynch (1783–1853) [50][51] | June 12, 1833[37] – November 21, 1833 (successor took office) | Whig[k] | President of the Senate acting | |||
| 9 | .jpg) | Hiram Runnels (1796–1857) [53][54] | November 21, 1833[l] – November 21, 1835 (lost election)[m] | Democratic[52] | 1833 | |||
| 10 |  | John A. Quitman (1798–1858) [57][58] | December 3, 1835[59] – January 7, 1836 (successor took office) | Democratic[52] | President of the Senate acting | |||
| 11 | | Charles Lynch (1783–1853) [50][51] | January 7, 1836[60] – January 8, 1838 (did not run) | Whig[52] | 1835 | |||
| 12 |  | Alexander G. McNutt (1802–1848) [61][62] | January 8, 1838[63] – January 9, 1842 (term-limited)[n][o] | Democratic[52] | 1837 | |||
| 1839 | ||||||||
| 13 | .jpg) | Tilghman Tucker (1802–1859) [66][67] | January 10, 1842[64] – January 10, 1844 (lost nomination)[68] | Democratic[52] | 1841 | |||
| 14 |  | Albert G. Brown (1813–1880) [68][69] | January 10, 1844[70] – January 10, 1848 (term-limited)[o] | Democratic[52] | 1843 | |||
| 1845 | ||||||||
| 15 |  | Joseph W. Matthews (1812–1862) [71][72] | January 10, 1848[73] – January 10, 1850 (did not run)[71] | Democratic[52] | 1847 | |||
| 16 | | John A. Quitman (1798–1858) [57][58] | January 10, 1850[74] – February 3, 1851 (resigned)[p] | Democratic[52] | 1849 | |||
| 17 | .jpg) | John Isaac Guion (1802–1855) [75][76] | February 3, 1851[77] – November 4, 1851 (senate term expired)[q] | Democratic[52] | President of the Senate acting | |||
| 18 |  | James Whitfield (1791–1875) [78][79] | November 25, 1851[r] – January 10, 1852 (successor took office) | Democratic[52] | President of the Senate acting | |||
| 19 |  | Henry S. Foote (1804–1880) [81][82] | January 10, 1852[83] – January 5, 1854 (resigned)[s] | Union[52] (Democratic) | 1851 | |||
| 20 |  | John J. Pettus (1813–1867) [84][85] | January 5, 1854[86] – January 10, 1854 (successor took office) | Democratic[52] | President of the Senate acting | |||
| 21 |  | John J. McRae (1815–1868) [87][88] | January 10, 1854[89] – November 16, 1857 (term-limited)[o] | Democratic[52] | 1853 | |||
| 1855 | ||||||||
| 22 |  | William McWillie (1795–1869) [90][91] | November 16, 1857[92] – November 21, 1859 (did not run) | Democratic[52] | 1857 | |||
| 23 | | John J. Pettus (1813–1867) [84][85] | November 21, 1859[93] – November 16, 1863 (term-limited)[t] | Democratic[52] | 1859 | |||
| 1861 | ||||||||
| 24 |  | Charles Clark (1811–1877) [95][96] | November 16, 1863[97] – May 22, 1865 (arrested and removed)[u] | Democratic[52] | 1863 | |||
| 25 |  | William L. Sharkey (1798–1873) [98][99] | June 13, 1865[100] – October 16, 1865 (successor took office)[v] | Provisional governor appointed by President | ||||
| 26 |  | Benjamin G. Humphreys (1808–1882) [101][104] | October 16, 1865[105] – June 15, 1868 (removed)[w] | Non-partisan[x] | 1865 | |||
| 27 |  | Adelbert Ames (1835–1933) [106][107] | June 15, 1868[108] – March 10, 1870 (state readmitted)[y] | Provisional governor appointed by military occupation[106] | ||||
| 28 |  | James L. Alcorn (1816–1894) [109][110] | March 10, 1870[111] – November 30, 1871 (resigned)[z] | Republican[52] | 1869 | Ridgley C. Powers | ||
| 29 |  | Ridgley C. Powers (1836–1912) [112][113] | November 30, 1871[114] – January 22, 1874 (successor took office) | Republican[52] | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | ||
| 30 | | Adelbert Ames (1835–1933) [106][107] | January 22, 1874[115] – March 29, 1876 (resigned)[aa] | Republican[52] | 1873 | Alexander Kelso Davis (impeached and removed) | ||
| Vacant | ||||||||
| 31 | .jpg) | John Marshall Stone (1830–1900) [116][117] | March 29, 1876[118] – January 9, 1882 (lost nomination)[116] | Democratic[52] | President of the Senate acting | |||
| 1877 | William H. Sims | |||||||
| 32 | .jpg) | Robert Lowry (1829–1910) [119][120] | January 9, 1882[121] – January 13, 1890 (did not run) | Democratic[52] | 1881 | G. D. Shands | ||
| 1885 | ||||||||
| 33 | | John Marshall Stone (1830–1900) [116][117] | January 13, 1890[122] – January 21, 1896 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1889 | M. M. Evans | ||
| 34 |  | Anselm J. McLaurin (1848–1909) [124][125] | January 21, 1896[126] – January 16, 1900 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1895 | J. H. Jones | ||
| 35 |  | Andrew H. Longino (1854–1942) [127][128] | January 16, 1900[129] – January 19, 1904 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1899 | James T. Harrison | ||
| 36 |  | James K. Vardaman (1861–1930) [130][131] | January 19, 1904[132] – January 21, 1908 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1903 | John Prentiss Carter | ||
| 37 |  | Edmond Noel (1856–1927) [133][134] | January 21, 1908[135] – January 16, 1912 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1907 | Luther Manship | ||
| 38 |  | Earl L. Brewer (1869–1942) [136][137] | January 16, 1912[138] – January 18, 1916 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1911 | Theodore G. Bilbo | ||
| 39 |  | Theodore G. Bilbo (1877–1947) [139][140] | January 18, 1916[141] – January 18, 1920 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1915 | Lee M. Russell | ||
| 40 |  | Lee M. Russell (1875–1943) [142][143] | January 20, 1920[144] – January 22, 1924 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1919 | Homer Casteel | ||
| 41 |  | Henry L. Whitfield (1868–1927) [145][146] | January 22, 1924[147] – March 18, 1927 (died in office) | Democratic[52] | 1923 | Dennis Murphree | ||
| 42 |  | Dennis Murphree (1886–1949) [148][149] | March 18, 1927[150] – January 17, 1928 (lost nomination) | Democratic[52] | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | ||
| 43 | | Theodore G. Bilbo (1877–1947) [139][140] | January 17, 1928[151] – January 19, 1932 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1927 | Bidwell Adam | ||
| 44 | .jpg) | Martin Sennet Conner (1891–1950) [152][153] | January 19, 1932[154] – January 21, 1936 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1931 | Dennis Murphree | ||
| 45 |  | Hugh L. White (1881–1965) [155][156] | January 21, 1936[157] – January 16, 1940 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1935 | Jacob Buehler Snider | ||
| 46 |  | Paul B. Johnson Sr. (1880–1943) [158][159] | January 16, 1940[160] – December 26, 1943 (died in office) | Democratic[52] | 1939 | Dennis Murphree | ||
| 47 | | Dennis Murphree (1886–1949) [148][149] | December 26, 1943[161] – January 18, 1944 (successor took office) | Democratic[52] | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | ||
| 48 | .jpg) | Thomas L. Bailey (1888–1946) [162][163] | January 18, 1944[164] – November 2, 1946 (died in office) | Democratic[52] | 1943 | Fielding L. Wright | ||
| 49 |  | Fielding L. Wright[ac] (1895–1956) [165][166] | November 2, 1946[167] – January 22, 1952 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | Lieutenant governor acting | Acting as governor | ||
| 50 | 1947 | Sam Lumpkin | ||||||
| 51 | | Hugh L. White (1881–1965) [155][156] | January 22, 1952[168] – January 17, 1956 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1951 | Carroll Gartin | ||
| 52 | .jpg) | James P. Coleman (1914–1991) [169][170] | January 17, 1956[171] – January 19, 1960 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1955 | |||
| 53 |  | Ross Barnett (1898–1987) [172][173] | January 19, 1960[174] – January 21, 1964 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1959 | Paul B. Johnson Jr. | ||
| 54 |  | Paul B. Johnson Jr. (1916–1985) [175][176] | January 21, 1964[177] – January 16, 1968 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1963 | Carroll Gartin (died December 19, 1966) | ||
| Vacant | ||||||||
| 55 | .jpg) | John Bell Williams (1918–1983) [178][179] | January 16, 1968[180] – January 18, 1972 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1967 | Charles L. Sullivan | ||
| 56 |  | Bill Waller (1926–2011) [181][182] | January 18, 1972[183] – January 20, 1976 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1971 | William F. Winter | ||
| 57 |  | Cliff Finch (1927–1986) [184][185] | January 20, 1976[186] – January 22, 1980 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[52] | 1975 | Evelyn Gandy | ||
| 58 |  | William F. Winter (1923–2020) [187] | January 22, 1980[188] – January 10, 1984 (term-limited)[ab] | Democratic[187] | 1979 | Brad Dye | ||
| 59 | _(cropped).png) | William Allain (1928–2013) [189] | January 10, 1984[190] – January 12, 1988 (did not run) | Democratic[189] | 1983 | |||
| 60 | .png) | Ray Mabus (b. 1948) [191] | January 12, 1988[192] – January 14, 1992 (lost election) | Democratic[191] | 1987 | |||
| 61 | .jpg) | Kirk Fordice (1934–2004) [193] | January 14, 1992[194] – January 11, 2000 (term-limited)[ad] | Republican[193] | 1991 | Eddie Briggs | ||
| 1995 | Ronnie Musgrove | |||||||
| 62 |  | Ronnie Musgrove (b. 1956) [196] | January 11, 2000[197] – January 13, 2004 (lost election) | Democratic[196] | 1999 | Amy Tuck[ae] | ||
| 63 | _(cropped).jpg) | Haley Barbour (b. 1947) [199] | January 13, 2004[200] – January 10, 2012 (term-limited)[ad] | Republican[199] | 2003 | |||
| 2007 | Phil Bryant | |||||||
| 64 | _(crop).jpg) | Phil Bryant (b. 1954) [201] | January 10, 2012[202] – January 14, 2020 (term-limited)[ad] | Republican[201] | 2011 | Tate Reeves | ||
| 2015 | ||||||||
| 65 | .jpg) | Tate Reeves (b. 1974) [203] | January 14, 2020[204] – Incumbent[af] | Republican[203] | 2019 | Delbert Hosemann | ||
| 2023 | ||||||||
See also
Notes
References
- General
- "Former Mississippi Governors". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- McMullin, Thomas A. (1984). Biographical directory of American territorial governors. Westport, CT : Meckler. ISBN 978-0-930466-11-4. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- Sobel, Robert (1978). Biographical directory of the governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. II. Meckler Books. ISBN 9780930466008. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- Dubin, Michael J. (2003). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776-1860: The Official Results by State and County. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-1439-0.
- Dubin, Michael J. (2014). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1861-1911: The Official Results by State and County. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-5646-8.
- Kallenbach, Joseph Ernest (1977). American State Governors, 1776-1976. Oceana Publications. ISBN 978-0-379-00665-0. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
- Glashan, Roy R. (1979). American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978. Meckler Books. ISBN 978-0-930466-17-6.
- "Our Campaigns - Governor of Mississippi - History". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
- "Our Campaigns - Governor of Mississippi (CSA) - History". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
- Specific
External links
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