List of governors of Arizona explained

Post:Governor
Body:Arizona
Flag:Flag of Arizona.svg
Flagsize:150px
Flagcaption:Flag of Arizona
Insignia:Arizona-StateSeal.svg
Insigniasize:150px
Insigniacaption:Seal of Arizona
Incumbent:Katie Hobbs
Incumbentsince:January 2, 2023
Style:The Honorable
Department:Government of Arizona
Termlength:Four years, renewable once consecutively[1]
Constituting Instrument:Arizona Constitution, article V[2]
Inaugural:George W. P. Hunt
Residence:No official residence
Formation:February 14, 1912
Deputy:None
Salary:$95,000 (2022)[3]

The governor of Arizona is the head of government of the U.S. state of Arizona. As the top elected official, the governor is the head of the executive branch of the Arizona state government and is charged with faithfully executing state laws.[4] The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Arizona State Legislature;[5] to convene the legislature; and to grant pardons,[6] with the exception of cases of impeachment. The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[7]

Twenty-four people have served as governor over 28 distinct terms. All of the repeat governors were in the state's earliest years, when George W. P. Hunt and Thomas Edward Campbell alternated as governor for 17 years and, after a two-year gap, Hunt served another term. One governor, Evan Mecham, was successfully impeached, and one, Fife Symington, resigned upon being convicted of a felony. The longest-serving governor was Hunt, who was elected seven times and served just under fourteen years. The longest single stint was that of Bruce Babbitt, who was elected to two four-year terms after succeeding to the office following the death of his predecessor, Wesley Bolin, serving nearly nine years total. Bolin had the shortest tenure, dying less than five months after succeeding as governor. Arizona has had five female governors, the most in the United States, and was the first—and until 2019 (when Michelle Lujan Grisham succeeded Susana Martinez in neighboring New Mexico) the only—state where female governors served consecutively.

The current governor as of January 2, 2023, is Democrat Katie Hobbs.

List of governors

Confederate Arizona

See main article: Confederate Arizona. In Tucson between April 2 and April 5, 1860, a convention of settlers from the southern half of New Mexico Territory drafted a provisional constitution for "Arizona Territory", three years before the United States would create such a territory. This proposed territory consisted of the part of New Mexico Territory south of 33° 40' north. On April 2,[8] they elected a governor, Lewis S. Owings. The provisional territory was to exist until such time as an official territory was created, but that proposal was rejected by Congress at the time.

On March 16, 1861, soon before the American Civil War broke out, a convention in Mesilla voted that the provisional territory should secede from the Union and join the Confederacy.[9] Lewis S. Owings remained on as the provisional governor of the territory.

The Confederacy took ownership of the territory on August 1, 1861, when forces led by Lieutenant Colonel John R. Baylor won decisive control of the territory, and Baylor proclaimed himself governor.[10] Arizona Territory was formally organized in the Confederacy on January 18, 1862.[11] On March 20, 1862, Baylor issued an order to kill all the adult Apache and take their children into slavery. When Confederate President Jefferson Davis learned of this order, he strongly disapproved and demanded an explanation. Baylor wrote a letter December 29, 1862, to justify his decision, and after this was received, Davis relieved Baylor of his post and commission, calling his letter an "avowal of an infamous crime". By that time, the Confederate government of Arizona Territory was in exile in San Antonio, Texas, as the territory had been effectively lost to Union forces in July 1862;[12] no new governor was appointed.

Territory of Arizona

Arizona Territory was formed on February 24, 1863, from New Mexico Territory, remaining a territory for 49 years.

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"
GovernorTerm in officeAppointing President
—data-sort-value="Gurley, John"John A. Gurley

 -
August 19, 1863
1data-sort-value="Goodwin, John"John Noble Goodwin


–
April 10, 1866
2data-sort-value="McCormick, Richard"Richard Cunningham McCormick


–
March 4, 1869
3data-sort-value="Safford, Anson"Anson P. K. Safford


–
April 5, 1877
4data-sort-value="Hoyt, John"John Philo Hoyt


–
June 14, 1878
5data-sort-value="Fremont, John"John C. Frémont


–
October 11, 1881
6data-sort-value="Tritle, Frederick"Frederick Augustus Tritle


–
October 7, 1885
7data-sort-value="Zulick, C. Meyer"C. Meyer Zulick


–
March 28, 1889
8data-sort-value="Wolfley, Lewis"Lewis Wolfley


–
August 20, 1890
9data-sort-value="Irwin, John"John N. Irwin


–
April 19, 1892
10data-sort-value="Murphy, Oakes"Oakes Murphy


–
April 13, 1893
11data-sort-value="Hughes, L. C."L. C. Hughes


–
April 1, 1896
12data-sort-value="Franklin, Benjamin"Benjamin Joseph Franklin


–
July 22, 1897
13data-sort-value="McCord, Myron"Myron H. McCord


–
August 1, 1898
14data-sort-value="Murphy, Oakes"Oakes Murphy


–
July 1, 1902
15data-sort-value="Brodie, Alexander"Alexander Oswald Brodie


–
February 14, 1905
16data-sort-value="Kibbey, Joseph"Joseph Henry Kibbey


–
April 15, 1909
17data-sort-value="Sloan, Richard"Richard Elihu Sloan


–
February 14, 1912

State of Arizona

The state of Arizona was admitted to the Union on February 14, 1912, the last of the contiguous states to be admitted.

The state constitution of 1912 called for the election of a governor every two years.[13] The term was increased to four years by a 1968 amendment.[14] [15] The constitution originally included no term limit,[16] but an amendment passed in 1992 allows governors to succeed themselves only once; before this, four governors were elected more than twice in a row. Gubernatorial terms begin on the first Monday in the January following the election. Governors who have served the two term limit can run again after four years out of office.

Arizona is one of the few states which does not have a lieutenant governor. Instead, in the event of a vacancy in the office of governor, the secretary of state, if elected, succeeds to the office. If the secretary of state was appointed rather than elected, or is otherwise ineligible to hold the office of governor, the next elected and eligible person in the line of succession assumes the office. The state constitution specifies the line of succession to be the Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Treasurer and Superintendent of Public Instruction, in that order.[17] If the governor is out of the state or impeached, the next elected officer in the line of succession becomes acting governor until the governor returns or is cleared. In either case, any partial term counts toward the limit of two consecutive terms.

The line of succession has reached beyond the secretary of state only once, when Attorney General Bruce Babbitt became governor upon the death of Wesley Bolin. Rose Mofford had been appointed secretary of state to replace Bolin after Bolin succeeded to the governorship. Bolin had become governor when Raúl Héctor Castro resigned to accept appointment as ambassador to Argentina. Mofford later became acting governor after Evan Mecham was impeached by the House of Representatives, and succeeded to the governorship when Mecham was removed from office after his conviction by the Senate.

Starting with the 2026 election cycle, Arizona will have a lieutenant governor, pursuant to a 2022 amendment to the constitution.[18] Nominees will be chosen by each party's gubernatorial nominee, with the governor and lieutenant governor then chosen by general election voters on a joint ticket.[18] If the offices of governor and the lieutenant governor become vacant at the same time, the amended law provisions of the state constitution are that the secretary of state, attorney general, state treasurer or the superintendent of public instruction will assume the office of governor and then appoint the lieutenant governor pending state legislative approval.[19]

!scope="colgroup" colspan="3"
GovernorTerm in officePartyElection
1 George W. P. Hunt

[20] 		[21]
–
January 1, 1917
Democratic1911
1914
2data-sort-value="Campbell, Thomas"Thomas Edward Campbell

[22]
–
December 25, 1917
Republican1916
1data-sort-value="Hunt, George"George W. P. Hunt

[23]
–
January 6, 1919
Democratic
2Thomas Edward Campbell

[24]
–
January 1, 1923
Republican1918
1920
1George W. P. Hunt

[25]
–
January 7, 1929
Democratic1922
1924
1926
3data-sort-value="Phillips, John"John Calhoun Phillips

[26] 		[27]
–
January 5, 1931
Republican1928
1data-sort-value="Hunt, George"George W. P. Hunt

[28]
–
January 2, 1933
[29] 		Democratic1930
4Benjamin Baker Moeur

[30] 		[31]
–
January 4, 1937
Democratic1932
1934
5data-sort-value="Stanford, Rawghlie"Rawghlie Clement Stanford

[32] 		[33]
–
January 2, 1939
Democratic1936
6data-sort-value="Jones, Robert"Robert Taylor Jones

[34] 		[35]
–
January 6, 1941
[36] 		Democratic1938
7Sidney Preston Osborn

[37] 		[38]
–
May 25, 1948
Democratic1940
1942
1944
1946
8Dan Edward Garvey

[39] 		[40]
–
January 1, 1951
Democratic
1948
9John Howard Pyle

[41] 		[42]
–
January 3, 1955
Republican1950
1952
10Ernest McFarland

[43] 		[44]
–
January 5, 1959
Democratic1954
1956
11Paul Fannin

[45] 		[46]
–
January 4, 1965
Republican1958
1960
1962
12data-sort-value="Goddard, Samuel"Samuel Pearson Goddard Jr.

[47] 		[48]
–
January 2, 1967
Democratic1964
13Jack Williams

[49] 		[50]
–
January 6, 1975
Republican1966
1968
1970
14data-sort-value="Castro, Raúl"Raúl Héctor Castro

[51] 		[52]
–
October 20, 1977
Democratic1974
15data-sort-value="Bolin, Wesley"Wesley Bolin

[53] 		[54]
–
March 4, 1978
Democratic
16Bruce Babbitt

[55] 		[56]
–
January 5, 1987
Democratic
1978
1982
17data-sort-value="Mecham, Evan"Evan Mecham

[57] 		[58]
–
April 4, 1988
Republican1986
18data-sort-value="Mofford, Rose"Rose Mofford

[59] 		[60]
–
March 6, 1991
Democratic
19Fife Symington

[61] 		[62]
–
September 5, 1997
Republican1990–1991
1994
20Jane Dee Hull

[63] 		[64]
–
January 6, 2003
Republican
1998
21Janet Napolitano

[65] 		[66]
–
January 20, 2009
Democratic2002
2006
22Jan Brewer

[67] 		[68]
–
January 5, 2015
Republican
2010
23Doug Ducey

[69] 		[70]
–
January 2, 2023
Republican2014
2018
24data-sort-value="Hobbs, Katie"Katie Hobbs

[71] 		[72]
–
Incumbent		Democratic2022

See also

References

General
Constitution
Specific

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Arizona Constitution, article V, section 1 (version 1), part A . 22 August 2018 . Arizona State Legislature . State of Arizona.
  2. Web site: Arizona Constitution, article V . 22 August 2018 . Arizona State Legislature . State of Arizona.
  3. Web site: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries . The Council of State Governments . August 7, 2024.
  4. Web site: Const. Arizona, article V, section 4 . 22 August 2018 . Arizona State Legislature . State of Arizona.
  5. Web site: Const. Arizona, article V, section 7 . 22 August 2018 . Arizona State Legislature . State of Arizona.
  6. Web site: Const. Arizona, article V, section 5 . 22 August 2018 . Arizona State Legislature . State of Arizona.
  7. Web site: Const. Arizona, article V, section 3 . 22 August 2018 . Arizona State Legislature . State of Arizona.
  8. Book: Robinson, William Morrison . Justice in Grey: A History of the Judicial System of the Confederate States of America . Harvard University Press . 1941 . 310 . August 3, 2010.
  9. Book: Colton, Ray Charles . The Civil War in the Western Territories . University of Oklahoma Press . 1985 . 0-8061-1902-0 . 9–10 . August 3, 2010.
  10. Book: Colton, Ray Charles . The Civil War in the Western Territories . University of Oklahoma Press . 1985 . 0-8061-1902-0 . 122–123 . August 3, 2010.
  11. Book: Cowles, Calvin Duvall . The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies . . 1900 . 930 . August 3, 2010.
  12. Book: Heidler . David Stephen . Encyclopedia Of The American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History . Jeanne t. Heidler . David J. Coles . W. W. Norton & Company . 2002 . 0-393-04758-X . 1412 . August 3, 2010.
  13. AZ Const. art 5, § 1
  14. http://www.supreme.state.az.us/opin/pdf2002/CV020222APEL.pdf Ralph E. Hughes v. Douglas K. Martin
  15. Book: Berman, David R. . Arizona Politics & Government: The Quest for Autonomy, Democracy, and Development . University of Nebraska Press . 1998 . 0-8032-6146-2 . 112 . August 3, 2010.
  16. AZ Const. art. 5, old § 1
  17. Web site: Const. Arizona, article V, section 6 . 7 November 2018 . Arizona State Legislature . State of Arizona.
  18. News: Barchenger . Stacey . September 21, 2023 . Arizona will elect its first lieutenant governor in 2026. What to know about the role . . Phoenix, AZ . May 11, 2024.
  19. Web site: Arizona Proposition 131, Create Office of Lieutenant Governor Amendment (2022). May 11, 2024. Ballotpedia.
  20. Web site: George Wylie Hunt . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  21. News: 1912-02-15 . Bright Folds of Old Glory Have New Star . 1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  22. News: 1917-01-02 . Great Throng Approves Campbell's Inaugural . 1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  23. News: 1917-12-25 . Gubernatorial Change Will Bring Executive Chair As Christmas Gift to Mr. Hunt . 1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  24. News: 1919-01-07 . Campbell Again Is Arizona Governor . 1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  25. News: 1923-01-02 . Hunt's Inauguration Marked by Simplicity; Economy Is Promised . 1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  26. Web site: John C. Phillips . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  27. News: 1929-01-08 . Inaugural of Phillips Marked by Simplicity . 1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  28. News: 1931-01-06 . Grand Old Man of Arizona Is Back in Office . 1 . Arizona Daily Star . Associated Press . 2023-07-31.
  29. News: September 16, 1932 . Hunt Concedes Moeur Victory . 2 . . Associated Press . . July 13, 2019 . Newspapers.com.
  30. Web site: Benjamin Baker Moeur . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  31. News: 1933-01-03 . Arizona's Governor Is Seated . 1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  32. Web site: Rawghlie Clement Stanford . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  33. News: 1937-01-05 . Sanford Stresses Problems . 1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  34. Web site: Robert Taylor Jones . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  35. News: 1939-01-03 . R.T. Jones Becomes Governor . 1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  36. News: September 12, 1920 . Talmadge, Once New Deal Foe, Re-Elected in Georgia . 9 . . Associated Press . July 13, 2019 . Newspapers.com.
  37. Web site: Sidney Preston Osborn . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  38. News: 1941-01-07 . Big Program Is Mapped by New Governor . 1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  39. Web site: Daniel E. Garvey . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  40. News: 1948-05-25 . Long of Illness Ends Early Today . 1 . Arizona Daily Sun . Associated Press . 2023-07-31.
  41. Web site: John Howard Pyle . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  42. News: 1951-01-02 . Pyle Confident of Harmonious Relationship With Lawmakers . 1A . Arizona Daily Star . Associated Press . 2023-07-31.
  43. Web site: Ernest William McFarland . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  44. News: Nuckolls . Claiborne . 1955-01-04 . Inaugural Attended by 3,000 . 1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  45. Web site: Paul Jones Fannin . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  46. News: Avery . Ben . 1959-01-06 . Sworn In As 11th Governor . 1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  47. Web site: Samuel Pearson Goddard . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  48. News: King . Bill . 1965-01-05 . Governor Sworn In by Udall . 1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  49. Web site: John "Jack" R. Williams . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  50. News: Wynn . Bernie . 1967-01-03 . Jack Williams Becomes 13th State Governor . 1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  51. Web site: Raul H. Castro . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  52. News: Bolles . Don . 1975-01-07 . Castro Takes Oath As 14th Governor . 1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  53. Web site: Wesley Bolin . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  54. News: 1977-10-20 . Bolin Becomes State's 15th Governor . A1 . Arizona Daily Sun . Associated Press . 2023-07-31.
  55. Web site: Bruce Edward Babbitt . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  56. News: 1978-03-05 . Gov. Bolin Dies at 69 . A1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  57. Web site: Evan Mecham . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  58. News: Harris . Don . Stanton . Sam . 1987-01-06 . New Governor Declares War on Drugs, Porn . A1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  59. Web site: Rose Mofford . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  60. News: Asseo . Laurie . 1988-04-05 . Senate Convicts, Ousts Mecham . 1 . Arizona Daily Sun . Associated Press . 2023-07-31.
  61. Web site: J. Fife Symington . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  62. News: Pitzl . Mary Jo . 1991-03-07 . New Governor Vows Aid to Families, Kids . A1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  63. Web site: Jane Dee Hull . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  64. News: Mattern . Hal . 1997-09-06 . Hull Becomes Governor As Symington Era Ends . A1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  65. Web site: Janet Napolitano . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  66. News: Scutari . Chip . Leonard . Christina . 2003-01-07 . Napolitano Optimistic As She Becomes State's 21st Governor . A1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  67. Web site: Jan Brewer . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  68. News: Benson . Matthew . 2009-01-21 . With New Job Confirmed, Napolitano Resigns Office . A10 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  69. Web site: Doug Ducey . January 7, 2019 . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  70. News: Nowicki . Dan . 2015-01-06 . Ducey on Day 1: Tough Talk on Taxes, Budget . A1 . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.
  71. Web site: Katie Hobbs . January 20, 2023 . National Governors Association.
  72. News: Barchenger . Stacey . 2023-01-03 . Hobbs, Five Other State Leaders Take Oath of Office in a Historic Transfer of Power . 1A . Arizona Republic . 2023-07-31.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "List of governors of Arizona".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.