List of governors of Alabama

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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.

Style
Status
ResidenceAlabama Governor's Mansion
Term lengthFour years, renewable once consecutively
Quick facts Governor of Alabama, Style ...
Governor of Alabama
Seal of the governor
Standard of the governor
Incumbent
Kay Ivey
since April 10, 2017
Government of Alabama
Style
Status
ResidenceAlabama Governor's Mansion
Term lengthFour years, renewable once consecutively
PrecursorGovernor of Alabama Territory
Inaugural holderWilliam Wyatt Bibb
FormationDecember 14, 1819
(206 years ago) (1819-12-14)
SuccessionLine of succession
DeputyLieutenant Governor of Alabama
Salary$127,833 (2022)[1]
Websitegovernor.alabama.gov
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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.

List of governors

Territory of Alabama

Alabama Territory was formed on March 3, 1817, from Mississippi Territory.[3] It had only one governor appointed by the President of the United States before it became a state; he became the first state governor.

More information No., Governor ...
Governor of the Territory of Alabama
No. Governor Term in office Appointed by
1 William Wyatt Bibb
(1781–1820)
[4][5][6][7]		 September 25, 1817[a]
–
November 9, 1819
(elected state governor)		 James Monroe
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State of Alabama

Seal for use by the governor-elect
Governor's flag before 1939

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. Since 2002, the state has continuously elected Republicans to the governorship.

More information No., Governor ...
Governors of the State of Alabama
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor[b][c][20]
1   William Wyatt Bibb
(1781–1820)
[4][5][6][7]		 November 9, 1819[21]
–
July 10, 1820
(died in office)		 Democratic-
Republican[22]		 1819 Office did not exist
2 Thomas Bibb
(1783–1839)
[23][24][25]		 July 10, 1820[d]
–
November 9, 1821
(did not run)[25]		 Democratic-
Republican[28]		 Succeeded from
president of
the Senate
3 Israel Pickens
(1780–1827)
[29][30][31]		 November 9, 1821[32]
–
November 25, 1825
(term-limited)[e]		 Democratic-
Republican[22]		 1821
1823
4 John Murphy
(d. 1841)
[34][35][36]		 November 25, 1825[37]
–
November 21, 1829
(term-limited)[e]		 Jackson
Democrat[38]		 1825
1827
5 Gabriel Moore
(1785–1844)
[39][40][41]		 November 21, 1829[42]
–
March 3, 1831
(resigned)[f]		 Jackson
Democrat[38]		 1829
6 Samuel B. Moore
(1789–1846)
[43][44][45]		 March 3, 1831[46]
–
November 26, 1831
(lost election)		 Jackson
Democrat[28]		 Succeeded from
president of
the Senate
7 John Gayle
(1792–1859)
[47][48][49]		 November 26, 1831[50]
–
November 21, 1835
(term-limited)[e]		 Jackson
Democrat[51]		 1831
Democratic[51] 1833
8 Clement Comer Clay
(1789–1866)
[52][53][54]		 November 21, 1835[55]
–
July 17, 1837[g]
(resigned)[h]		 Democratic[51] 1835
9 Hugh McVay
(1766–1851)
[58][59][60]		 July 17, 1837[g]
–
November 21, 1837
(successor took office)		 Democratic[28] Succeeded from
president of
the Senate
10 Arthur P. Bagby
(1794–1858)
[61][62][63]		 November 21, 1837[64]
–
November 22, 1841
(term-limited)[e]		 Democratic[65] 1837
1839
11 Benjamin Fitzpatrick
(1802–1869)
[66][67][68]		 November 22, 1841[69]
–
December 9, 1845
(term-limited)[e]		 Democratic[70] 1841
1843
12 Joshua L. Martin
(1799–1856)
[71][72][73]		 December 9, 1845[74]
–
December 16, 1847
(did not run)[i]		 Independent[j] 1845
13 Reuben Chapman
(1799–1882)
[77][78][79]		 December 16, 1847[80]
–
December 17, 1849
(lost nomination)[81]		 Democratic[76] 1847
14 Henry W. Collier
(1801–1855)
[82][83][84]		 December 17, 1849[85]
–
December 20, 1853
(term-limited)[e]		 Democratic[86] 1849
1851
15 John A. Winston
(1812–1871)
[87][88][89]		 December 20, 1853[90]
–
December 1, 1857
(term-limited)[e]		 Democratic[91] 1853
1855
16 Andrew B. Moore
(1807–1873)
[92][93][94]		 December 1, 1857[95]
–
December 2, 1861
(term-limited)[e]		 Democratic[96] 1857
1859
17 John Gill Shorter
(1818–1872)
[97][98][99]		 December 2, 1861[100]
–
December 1, 1863
(lost election)[99]		 Democratic[28] 1861
18 Thomas H. Watts
(1819–1892)
[101][102][103]		 December 1, 1863[104]
–
May 3, 1865[k]
(arrested and removed)[l]		 Whig[28] 1863
— Vacant May 3, 1865[k]
–
June 21, 1865		 Office vacated
after civil war
19 Lewis E. Parsons
(1817–1895)
[107][108][109]		 June 21, 1865[110]
–
December 13, 1865
(successor took office)		 Provisional governor
appointed by President[28]
20 Robert M. Patton
(1809–1885)
[111][112][113]		 December 13, 1865[114]
–
July 13, 1868[m]
(did not run)		 Nonpartisan[n] 1865
— Wager Swayne
(1834–1902)
[122]		 March 2, 1867[o]
–
January 11, 1868
(removed)[p]		 Military occupation[q]
21 William Hugh Smith
(1826–1899)
[118][123][124]		 July 13, 1868[m]
–
November 26, 1870[r]
(lost election)		 Republican[28] 1868   Andrew J. Applegate
(died August 21, 1870)
Vacant
22 Robert B. Lindsay
(1824–1902)
[126][127][128]		 November 26, 1870[129]
–
November 25, 1872
(did not run)[128]		 Democratic[28] 1870[r] Edward H. Moren
23 David P. Lewis
(1820–1884)
[130][131][132]		 November 25, 1872[133][134]
–
November 24, 1874
(lost election)		 Republican[28] 1872 Alexander McKinstry
24 George S. Houston
(1811–1879)
[135][136][137]		 November 24, 1874[138]
–
November 27, 1878
(did not run)[s]		 Democratic[28] 1874 Robert F. Ligon
1876 Office did not exist
25 Rufus W. Cobb
(1829–1913)
[139][140][141]		 November 27, 1878[142]
–
December 1, 1882
(did not run)		 Democratic[28] 1878
1880
26 Edward A. O'Neal
(1818–1890)
[143][144][145]		 December 1, 1882[146]
–
December 1, 1886
(did not run)		 Democratic[28] 1882
1884
27 Thomas Seay
(1846–1896)
[147][148][149]		 December 1, 1886[150]
–
December 1, 1890
(did not run)[t]		 Democratic[28] 1886
1888
28 Thomas G. Jones
(1844–1914)
[151][152][153]		 December 1, 1890[154]
–
December 1, 1894
(did not run)[153]		 Democratic[28] 1890
1892
29 William C. Oates
(1835–1910)
[155][156][157]		 December 1, 1894[158]
–
December 1, 1896
(did not run)[157]		 Democratic[28] 1894
30 Joseph F. Johnston
(1843–1913)
[159][160][161]		 December 1, 1896[162]
–
December 1, 1900
(did not run)[u]		 Democratic[28] 1896
1898
— William D. Jelks
(1855–1931)
[163][164][165]		 December 1, 1900
–
December 26, 1900
(acting)[v]		 Democratic[28] President of
the Senate
acting
31 William J. Samford
(1844–1901)
[167][169][170]		 December 1, 1900[v]
–
June 11, 1901
(died in office)		 Democratic[28] 1900
32 William D. Jelks
(1855–1931)
[163][164][165]		 June 11, 1901[171]
–
January 14, 1907
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] Succeeded from
president of
the Senate
1902 Russell McWhortor Cunningham
(acted as governor
April 25, 1904–March 5, 1905)[x]
33 B. B. Comer
(1848–1927)
[176][177][178]		 January 14, 1907[179]
–
January 16, 1911
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] 1906 Henry B. Gray
34 Emmet O'Neal
(1853–1922)
[180][181][182]		 January 17, 1911[y]
–
January 18, 1915
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] 1910 Walter D. Seed Sr.
35 Charles Henderson
(1860–1937)
[185][186][187]		 January 19, 1915[188][y]
–
January 20, 1919
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] 1914 Thomas Kilby
36 Thomas Kilby
(1865–1943)
[189][190][191]		 January 21, 1919[192][y]
–
January 15, 1923
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] 1918 Nathan Lee Miller
37 William W. Brandon
(1868–1934)
[193][194][195]		 January 16, 1923[196][y]
–
January 17, 1927
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] 1922 Charles S. McDowell
(acted as governor
July 10, 1924–July 11, 1924)[z]
38 Bibb Graves
(1873–1942)
[197][198][199]		 January 18, 1927[200][y]
–
January 19, 1931
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] 1926 William C. Davis
39 Benjamin M. Miller
(1864–1944)
[201][202][203]		 January 20, 1931[204][y]
–
January 14, 1935
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] 1930 Hugh Davis Merrill
38 Bibb Graves
(1873–1942)
[197][198][199]		 January 15, 1935[205][y]
–
January 16, 1939
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] 1934 Thomas E. Knight
(died May 17, 1937)
Vacant
40 Frank M. Dixon
(1892–1965)
[206][207][208]		 January 17, 1939[209][y]
–
January 18, 1943
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] 1938 Albert A. Carmichael
41 Chauncey Sparks
(1884–1968)
[210][211][212]		 January 19, 1943[213][y]
–
January 20, 1947
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] 1942 Leven H. Ellis
42 Jim Folsom
(1908–1987)
[214][215][216]		 January 21, 1947[217][y]
–
January 15, 1951
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] 1946 James C. Inzer
43 Gordon Persons
(1902–1965)
[218][219][220]		 January 16, 1951[221][y]
–
January 17, 1955
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] 1950 James Allen
42 Jim Folsom
(1908–1987)
[214][215][216]		 January 18, 1955[222][y]
–
January 19, 1959
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] 1954 William G. Hardwick
44 John M. Patterson
(1921–2021)
[223][224][225]		 January 20, 1959[226][y]
–
January 14, 1963
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] 1958 Albert Boutwell
45 George Wallace
(1919–1998)
[227][228][229]		 January 15, 1963[230][y]
–
January 16, 1967
(term-limited)[w]		 Democratic[28] 1962 James Allen
46 Lurleen Wallace
(1926–1968)
[227][231][232]		 January 17, 1967[233][y]
–
May 7, 1968
(died in office)		 Democratic[28] 1966 Albert Brewer
(acted as governor
July 25, 1967)[aa]
47 Albert Brewer
(1928–2017)
[235][236][237]		 May 7, 1968[238]
–
January 18, 1971
(lost nomination)[235]		 Democratic[28] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
45 George Wallace
(1919–1998)
[227][228][229]		 January 19, 1971[239][y]
–
January 15, 1979
(term-limited)[ab]		 Democratic[28] 1970 Jere Beasley
(acted as governor
June 5, 1972–July 7, 1972)[ac]
1974
48 Fob James
(b. 1934)
[243][244]		 January 16, 1979[245][y]
–
January 17, 1983
(did not run)[244]		 Democratic[244] 1978 George McMillan
45 George Wallace
(1919–1998)
[227][228][229]		 January 18, 1983[246][y]
–
January 19, 1987
(did not run)[229]		 Democratic[229] 1982 Bill Baxley
49 H. Guy Hunt
(1933–2009)
[247][248]		 January 20, 1987[249][y]
–
April 22, 1993
(removed from office)[ad]		 Republican[248] 1986 Jim Folsom Jr.[ae]
1990
50 Jim Folsom Jr.
(b. 1949)
[252][253]		 April 22, 1993[250]
–
January 16, 1995
(lost election)		 Democratic[253] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
48 Fob James
(b. 1934)
[243][244]		 January 17, 1995[254][y]
–
January 18, 1999
(lost election)		 Republican[244] 1994 Don Siegelman[ae]
51 Don Siegelman
(b. 1946)
[255][256]		 January 19, 1999[257][y]
–
January 20, 2003
(lost election)		 Democratic[256] 1998 Steve Windom[af]
52 Bob Riley
(b. 1944)
[258][259]		 January 21, 2003[260][y]
–
January 17, 2011
(term-limited)[ab]		 Republican[259] 2002 Lucy Baxley[ae]
2006 Jim Folsom Jr.[ae]
53 Robert J. Bentley
(b. 1943)
[261][262]		 January 18, 2011[263][y]
–
April 10, 2017
(resigned)[ag]		 Republican[262] 2010 Kay Ivey
2014
54 Kay Ivey
(b. 1944)
[265][266]		 April 10, 2017[267]
–
Incumbent[ah]		 Republican[266] Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
2018 Will Ainsworth
2022
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Timeline

See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    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]
  2. [b]
    The office of Lieutenant Governor was created in 1868, abolished in 1875, and recreated in 1901.[19]
  3. [c]
    Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
  4. [d]
    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. [e]
    Under the 1819 constitution, governors were limited to no more than four years out of every term of six years.[33]
  6. [f]
    Moore resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[40]
  7. [g]
    Sources 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]
  8. [h]
    Clay resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate.[53]
  9. [i]
    One contemporary source states Martin withdrew in the final days of the election,[75] but the major sources state he simply did not run.
  10. [j]
    Sources sometimes label Martin as an "Independent Democrat".[28][76]
  11. [k]
    Modern sources disagree on when Watts was removed and arrested, but contemporary news sources report he was arrested on May 3, 1865.[105][106]
  12. [l]
    Watts was arrested by Union forces soon after the American Civil War ended; he was released a few weeks later.[102][103]
  13. [m]
    Sources, 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.
  14. [n]
    The 1865 election was non-partisan;[111][121] politically, Patton was a Whig.[28]
  15. [o]
    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]
  16. [p]
    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]
  17. [q]
    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. [r]
    Lindsay 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]
  19. [s]
    Houston was instead elected to the United States Senate.[137]
  20. [t]
    Seay instead ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate.[149]
  21. [u]
    Johnston instead ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate.[161]
  22. [v]
    Samford 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]
  23. [w]
    Under the 1901 constitution, governors were not eligible to succeed themselves.[172]
  24. [x]
    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. [y]
    The 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.
  26. [z]
    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]
  27. [aa]
    Wallace was out of state for 20 days for medical treatment. Lieutenant Governor Brewer became acting governor on July 25, 1967, and Wallace returned to the state later that day.[2][234]
  28. [ab]
    Under a 1968 amendment to the constitution, governors are eligible to succeed themselves once.[240]
  29. [ac]
    Wallace was out of state for 52 days for medical treatment following an assassination attempt while campaigning for President of the United States; Lieutenant Governor Beasley acted as governor for 32 days.[2][241][242]
  30. [ad]
    Hunt was convicted of illegally using campaign and inaugural funds to pay personal debts, a felony; as felons cannot serve as governor, he was removed from office, and Folsom became governor.[250] He was later pardoned by the state parole board.[251]
  31. [ae]
    Represented the Democratic Party[20]
  32. [af]
    Represented the Republican Party[20]
  33. [ag]
    Bentley resigned from office as part of a plea deal involving campaign violations.[264]
  34. [ah]
    Ivey's second full term began on January 16, 2023,[268] and will expire on January 18, 2027; she will be term-limited.

References

External links

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