List of governors of California

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Number of Governors of California by party affiliation
Party Governors
Republican 22
Democratic 15
American 1

The following is a list of the Governors of the State of California. The governor is the head of the executive branch of California'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 pass by the California Legislature, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment.[A]

The original California Constitution of 1849 provided for the office of governor to be elected every two years, with no set start date for the term. An amendment ratified in 1862 increased the term to four years,[B] and the 1879 constitution set the term to begin on the Monday after the January 1 following an election. In 1990, an amendment to the constitution was adopted,[C] implementing a term limit of two terms;[D] prior to this limit, only one governor had been elected to more than two terms, Earl Warren. The 1849 constitution also created the office of lieutenant governor, who, in cases of vacancy in the office of governor, becomes governor.[E] The governor and lieutenant governor are not eleced on the same ticket.

Many governors of California have been influential nationwide, in areas far-flung from politics. Leland Stanford founded Stanford University in 1891. Earl Warren, the longest-serving governor, won an election with the nominations of the three major parties - the only person ever to run essentially unopposed for governor of California. He later became Chief Justice of the United States. Ronald Reagan, who was president of the Screen Actors Guild and later President of the United States, and current governor Arnold Schwarzenegger both came to prominence through acting. Gray Davis was the first governor of California, and second governor in American history, to be recalled by voters.

The current governor is Arnold Schwarzenegger, who took office on November 17, 2003 following the recall of Gray Davis; his term will expire in 2011.

Governors

California was obtained by the United States in the Mexican Cession following the Mexican-American War. Unusually, it was never organized as a territory, and was admitted as a state on September 9, 1850. For the Spanish, Mexican, Bear Flag, military and territorial governors of Alta California prior to statehood, see list of pre-statehood governors of California. There have been 38 governors, each one serving a single distinct term.

  Democratic   American   Republican   Progressive

# Picture Name Took office Left office Party Lieutenant Governor Terms[1]
1 Peter Hardeman Burnett December 20, 1849 January 9, 1851 Democratic John McDougall ½[2][3]
2 John McDougall January 9, 1851 January 8, 1852 Democratic David C. Broderick[4] ½[5]
3 John Bigler January 8, 1852 January 9, 1856 Democratic Samuel Purdy 2
4 J. Neely Johnson January 9, 1856 January 8, 1858 American Robert M. Anderson 1
5 John B. Weller January 8, 1858 January 9, 1860 Democratic John Walkup 1
6 Milton Latham January 9, 1860 January 14, 1860 Lecompton Democratic John G. Downey ½[6]
7 John G. Downey January 14, 1860 January 10, 1862 Lecompton Democratic Isaac N. Quinn[4] ½[5]
Pablo de la Guerra[7]
8 Leland Stanford January 10, 1862 December 10, 1863 Republican John F. Chellis 1
9 Frederick Low December 10, 1863 December 5, 1867 Unionist Republican Tim N. Machin 1
10 Henry Huntly Haight December 5, 1867 December 8, 1871 Democratic William Holden 1
11 Newton Booth December 8, 1871 February 27, 1875 Republican Romualdo Pacheco ½[8]
12 Romualdo Pacheco February 27, 1875 December 9, 1875 Republican William Irwin[4] ½[5]
13 William Irwin December 9, 1875 January 8, 1880 Democratic James A. Johnson 1
14 George Clement Perkins January 8, 1880 January 10, 1883 Republican John Mansfield 1
15 George Stoneman January 10, 1883 January 8, 1887 Democratic John Daggett 1
16 Washington Bartlett January 8, 1887 September 12, 1887 Democratic Robert Waterman ½[9]
17 Robert Waterman September 12, 1887 January 8, 1891 Republican Stephen M. White[10] ½[5]
18 Henry Markham January 8, 1891 January 11, 1895 Republican John B. Reddick 1
19 James Budd January 11, 1895 January 4, 1899 Democratic Spencer G. Millard[9] 1
William T. Jeter[11]
20 File:Gage.jpg Henry Gage January 4, 1899 January 6, 1903 Republican Jacob H. Neff 1
21 George Pardee January 6, 1903 January 9, 1907 Republican Alden Anderson 1
22 File:Gillett.jpg James Gillett January 9, 1907 January 3, 1911 Republican Warren R. Porter 1
23 Hiram Johnson January 3, 1911 March 15, 1917 Republican, Progressive[12] A. J. Wallace 1½[8]
John M. Eshleman[9][13]
William Stephens[11]
24 File:Stephens.JPG William Stephens March 15, 1917 January 9, 1923 Republican vacant 1½[14]
Clement C. Young
25 Friend Richardson January 9, 1923 January 4, 1927 Republican 1
26 Clement C. Young January 4, 1927 January 6, 1931 Republican Buron Fitts[15] 1
H. L. Carnahan[11]
27 James Rolph Jr. January 6, 1931 June 2, 1934 Republican Frank Merriam ½[9]
28 File:Merriam.jpg Frank Merriam June 2, 1934 January 2, 1939 Republican vacant 1½[14]
George J. Hatfield
29 Culbert Olson January 2, 1939 January 4, 1943 Democratic Ellis E. Patterson 1
30 Earl Warren January 4, 1943 October 5, 1953 Republican, multiple[16] Frederick F. Houser 2½[17]
Goodwin Jess Knight
31 Goodwin Jess Knight October 5, 1953 January 5, 1959 Republican Harold J. Powers[18] 1½[14]
32 File:PatBrown.jpg Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown, Sr. January 5, 1959 January 3, 1967 Democratic Glenn M. Anderson 2
33 File:REAGANWH.jpg Ronald Reagan January 3, 1967 January 6, 1975 Republican Robert Finch[19] 2
Edwin Reinecke[11][15]
John L. Harmer[11]
34 File:E brownjr.jpg Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. January 6, 1975 January 3, 1983 Democratic Mervyn M. Dymally 2
Michael Curb
35 George Deukmejian January 3, 1983 January 7, 1991 Republican Leo T. McCarthy 2
36 Pete Wilson January 7, 1991 January 4, 1999 Republican 2
Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis
37 Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis January 4, 1999 November 17, 2003 Democratic Cruz Bustamante 1½[20]
38 Arnold Schwarzenegger November 17, 2003 Incumbent Republican 1½[21][22]
John Garamendi

Notes

  1. ^ The fractional terms of some governors are not to be understood absolutely literally; rather, they are meant to show single terms during which multiple governors served, due to resignations, deaths and the like.
  2. ^ A civilian government was formed in late 1849 prior to official statehood, and operated as the state government for ten months before official statehood was granted as part of the Compromise of 1850.
  3. ^ Resigned, citing personal reasons.
  4. ^ a b c As president of the senate, acted as lieutenant governor.
  5. ^ a b c d As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
  6. ^ Resigned to take a self-appointed seat in the United States Senate.
  7. ^ Elected president of the senate, therefore becoming new acting lieutenant governor.
  8. ^ a b Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
  9. ^ a b c d Died in office.
  10. ^ As president pro tempore of the state senate, acted as lieutenant governor.
  11. ^ a b c d e Appointed by governor to fill vacant lieutenant governor office..
  12. ^ Elected as a Republican for his first term and a Progressive for his second.
  13. ^ Represented Progressive Party.
  14. ^ a b c As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term, and was subsequently elected in his own right.
  15. ^ a b Resigned.
  16. ^ Warren ran as a Republican for his first and third terms. For his second term, he won the nomination of the Republican, Democratic, and Progressive parties.
  17. ^ Resigned to become Chief Justice of the United States.
  18. ^ As president pro tempore of the state senate, filled unexpired term.
  19. ^ Resigned to be United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.
  20. ^ Recalled in a special election.
  21. ^ Elected in a special election to replace Governor Davis should he be recalled.
  22. ^ Governor Schwarzenegger's second term expires on January 3, 2011; he is term limited.

Other high offices held

This is a table of congressional and other federal offices held by governors.[E] All representatives and senators mentioned represented California except where noted. * denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.

Name Gubernatorial term U.S. Congress Other offices held
House Senate
John Bigler 1852–1856 Ambassador to Chile
John B. Weller 1858–1860 S U.S. Representative from Ohio, Ambassador to Mexico
Milton Latham 1860 H S*
Leland Stanford 1862–1863 S
Frederick Low 1863–1867 H Ambassador to the Great Qing Empire (China)
Newton Booth 1871–1875 S*
Romualdo Pacheco 1875 H Ambassador to all of Central America, Guatemala, and Honduras
George Clement Perkins 1880–1883 S
Henry Markham 1891–1895 H
James Budd 1895–1899 H
Henry Gage 1899–1903 Ambassador to Portugal
James Gillett 1907–1911 H
Hiram Johnson 1911–1917 S
William Stephens 1917–1923 H
Earl Warren 1943–1953 Chief Justice of the United States*
Ronald Reagan 1967–1975 President of the United States
Pete Wilson 1991–1999 S

Living former governors

As of July 2008, four former governors were alive, the oldest being George Deukmejian (1983–1991, born (1928-07-06) July 6, 1928 (age 95)). The most recent governor to die was Ronald Reagan (1967–1975), on June 5, 2004.

Name Gubernatorial term Date of birth
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. 1975–1983 (1938-04-07) April 7, 1938 (age 86)
George Deukmejian 1983–1991 (1928-07-06) July 6, 1928 (age 95)
Pete Wilson 1991–1999 (1933-08-23) August 23, 1933 (age 90)
Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis, Jr. 1999–2003 (1942-12-26) December 26, 1942 (age 81)

See also

References

General
  • "Governors of California". Official Site of the State of California. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
  • "Governors of California". National Governors Association. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
  • "Chronology of California's Lieutenant Governors". Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
Constitutions
Specific

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