The Governor of Florida is the head of the executive branch of Florida's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Florida legislature, to transact all necessary business with officers of the government, grant pardons and reprieves, develop the budget, ensure that state laws be faithfully executed, and to deliver the annual "State of the State" address. The position was created in 1821, before Florida became a state, when Andrew Jackson became the military governor of the Florida territory. In Florida history there have been 33 Democratic and 7 Republican governors, while there has been one governor of each the Whig, Conservative and Prohibition parties. There was also one unaffiliated governor. The 44th and current governor is Republican Charlie Crist, who became governor on January 2, 2007.
[edit] Gubernatorial powers The Florida Constitution vests the executive power of the state in a Governor of Florida. As the chief executive, the governor serves as chairman of the Florida Cabinet. The governor has the power to execute Florida's laws and to call out the state militia to preserve the public peace, being Commander-in-Chief of the state's military forces when they are not in the active service of the United States. At least once every legislative session, the Governor is required to deliver an address to the Florida Legislature, referred to as the "State of the State Address", regarding the condition and operation of the state government and to suggest new legislation. The Governor is elected by popular election every four years, and may serve a maximum of two terms in a row. There is no lifetime limit on the number of times he or she may be elected, but a governor who has been elected to two consecutive terms must be out of office for at least one election cycle before being eligible once again for re-election. [edit] Gubernatorial elections and term of office Governors are elected by statewide popular ballot and serve a term of four years. There is no lifetime limit on the number of times he or she may be elected, but a governor who has been elected to two consecutive terms must be out of office for at least one election cycle before being eligible once again for re-election. Governors take office on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January after their election. When elected, the governor must be an elector no less than thirty years of age who has resided in the state for the preceding seven years. [edit] Gubernatorial removal The governor can be impeached for "misdemeanor in office" by the State Legislature, and convicted and thereby removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the State Senate. [edit] Governors [edit] Military governor Spanish Florida was acquired from Spain in the Adams-Onís Treaty, which took effect July 10, 1821. The region was initially governed by the commander of the military force that had helped secure American influence in the region. [edit] Governors of Florida Territory Florida Territory was organized on March 30, 1822. | # | Governor | Picture | Took Office | Left Office | Party | Appointed By | | 1 | William Duval |  | April 17, 1822 | April 24, 1834 | | James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson | | 2 | John Eaton |  | April 24, 1834 | March 16, 1836 | Democratic | Andrew Jackson | | 3 | Richard Call |  | March 16, 1836 | December 2, 1839 | | Andrew Jackson | | 4 | Robert R. Reid |  | December 2, 1839 | March 19, 1841 | | Martin Van Buren | | 5 | Richard Call | | March 19, 1841 | August 11, 1844 | | William Henry Harrison, John Tyler | | 6 | John Branch |  | August 11, 1844 | June 25, 1845 | Democratic | John Tyler | [edit] Governors of Florida The State of Florida was admitted to the union on March 3, 1845. | # | Governor | Picture | Took Office | Left Office | Party | Lt. Governor | Notes | | 1 | William D. Moseley |  | June 25, 1845 | October 1, 1849 | Democratic | | | | 2 | Thomas Brown |  | October 1, 1849 | October 13, 1853 | Whig | | | | 3 | James E. Broome | | October 3, 1853 | October 5, 1857 | Democratic | | | | 4 | Madison S. Perry | | October 5, 1857 | October 7, 1861 | Democratic | | | | 5 | John Milton | | October 7, 1861 | April 1, 1865 | Democratic | | [3] | | 6 | Abraham K. Allison |  | April 1, 1865 | May 19, 1865 | Democratic | | [4][5] | | 7 | William Marvin |  | July 13, 1865 | December 20, 1865 | None | | [6] | | 8 | David S. Walker |  | December 20, 1865 | July 4, 1868 | Conservative | | [7] | | 9 | Harrison Reed | | July 4, 1868 | January 7, 1873 | Republican | | [8] | | 10 | Ossian B. Hart |  | January 7, 1873 | March 18, 1874 | Republican | | [9] | | 11 | Marcellus L. Sterns |  | March 18, 1874 | January 2, 1877 | Republican | | [10] | | 12 | George F. Drew | | January 2, 1877 | January 4, 1881 | Democratic | | | | 13 | William D. Bloxham |  | January 4, 1881 | January 7, 1885 | Democratic | | | | 14 | Edward A. Perry |  | January 7, 1885 | January 8, 1889 | Democratic | | | | 15 | Francis P. Fleming | | January 8, 1889 | January 3, 1893 | Democratic | | | | 16 | Henry L. Mitchell |  | January 3, 1893 | January 5, 1897 | Democratic | | | | 17 | William D. Bloxham | | January 5, 1897 | January 8, 1901 | Democratic | | | | 18 | William S. Jennings |  | January 8, 1901 | January 3, 1905 | Democratic | | | | 19 | Napoleon B. Broward |  | January 3, 1905 | January 5, 1909 | Democratic | | | | 20 | Albert W. Gilchrist |  | January 5, 1909 | January 7, 1913 | Democratic | | | | 21 | Park Trammell |  | January 7, 1913 | January 2, 1917 | Democratic | | | | 22 | Sidney Johnston Catts |  | January 2, 1917 | January 4, 1921 | Prohibition | | | | 23 | Cary A. Hardee | | January 4, 1921 | January 6, 1925 | Democratic | | | | 24 | John W. Martin | | January 6, 1925 | January 8, 1929 | Democratic | | | | 25 | Doyle E. Carlton | | January 8, 1929 | January 3, 1933 | Democratic | | | | 26 | David Sholtz |  | January 4, 1933 | January 5, 1937 | Democratic | | | | 27 | Fred P. Cone | | January 5, 1937 | January 7, 1941 | Democratic | | | | 28 | Spessard Holland |  | January 7, 1941 | January 2, 1945 | Democratic | | | | 29 | Millard F. Caldwell |  | January 2, 1945 | January 4, 1949 | Democratic | | | | 30 | Fuller Warren |  | January 4, 1949 | January 6, 1953 | Democratic | | | | 31 | Daniel T. McCarty |  | January 6, 1953 | September 28, 1953 | Democratic | | [9] | | 32 | Charley E. Johns |  | September 28, 1953 | January 4, 1955 | Democratic | | [4] | | 33 | LeRoy Collins |  | January 4, 1955 | January 3, 1961 | Democratic | | | | 34 | C. Farris Bryant | | January 3, 1961 | January 5, 1965 | Democratic | | | | 35 | W. Haydon Burns |  | January 5, 1965 | January 3, 1967 | Democratic | | | | 36 | Claude R. Kirk, Jr. |  | January 3, 1967 | January 5, 1971 | Republican | Ray C. Osborn | | | 37 | Reubin O'D. Askew | | January 5, 1971 | January 2, 1979 | Democratic | Thomas Burton Adams, Jr. | | | J.H. Williams | | 38 | Bob Graham |  | January 2, 1979 | January 3, 1987 | Democratic | Wayne Mixson | [11] | | 39 | Wayne Mixson |  | January 3, 1987 | January 6, 1987 | Democratic | vacant | [10] | | 40 | Bob Martinez |  | January 6, 1987 | January 8, 1991 | Republican | Bobby Brantley | | | 41 | Lawton M. Chiles, Jr. |  | January 8, 1991 | December 12, 1998 | Democratic | Kenneth H. "Buddy" MacKay, Jr. | [9] | | 42 | Buddy MacKay |  | December 12, 1998 | January 5, 1999 | Democratic | vacant | [10] | | 43 | Jeb Bush |  | January 5, 1999 | January 2, 2007 | Republican | Frank Brogan | | | Toni Jennings | | 44 | Charlie Crist |  | January 2, 2007 | Incumbent | Republican | Jeff Kottkamp | [12] | [edit] Other high offices held This is a table of congressional and other federal offices held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Florida except where noted. - * Denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.
- † Denotes those offices from which the governor resigned to take the governorship.
[edit] Living former governors As of December 2009[update], seven former governors were alive, the oldest being Wayne Mixson (served 1987, born 1922). The most recent governor to die was C. Farris Bryant (1961–1965), on March 1, 2002. The most recently-serving governor to die was Lawton Chiles (1991–1998), in office on December 12, 1998. [edit] Gubernatorial facts [edit] Age and longevity - Reubin Askew and Jeb Bush are the only governors who served two full four-year terms.
- Bob Graham and Lawton Chiles were also re-elected, but Graham resigned several days before the end of his 2nd term to become a U.S. Senator and Chiles died during the final month of his 2nd term.
- Shortest serving governor: Wayne Mixson - three days (3-6 January 1987) after Bob Graham's resignation to take his U.S. Senate seat and before the inauguration of Bob Martinez.
[edit] See also - ^ Andrew Jackson's official title was "Commissioner of the United States".
- ^ Jackson left Florida on October 8, 1821. His resignation was submitted on November 13, 1821 from his home in Alabama. The President accepted it on December 31, 1821.
- ^ Died in office; Milton committed suicide due to the pending defeat of the Confederate States of America.
- ^ a b As president of state senate, filled unexpired term.
- ^ Resigned from office to go into hiding from approaching Union troops.
- ^ Appointed by President Andrew Johnson following the American Civil War.
- ^ Appointed by President Andrew Johnson during Reconstruction.
- ^ Harrison Reed was popularly elected, and assumed office on June 8, 1868; it was not until July 4, 1868, however, that the military commander of Florida, still under Reconstruction, recognized the validity of the state constitution and the election.
- ^ a b c Died in office.
- ^ a b c As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
- ^ Resigned to take elected seat in the United States Senate.
- ^ Governor Crist's first term expires January 4, 2011; he is not yet term limited.
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