Governor of Alabama

Governor of Alabama
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Post	Governor
Body	Alabama
Insigniasize	110
Insigniacaption	Seal of Alabama
Flagsize	110
Flagcaption	Flag of the Governor of Alabama
Incumbent	Kay Ivey
Incumbentsince	April 10, 2017
Department	Alabama Executive Department
Style	The Honorable (formal), Governor (informal)
Residence	Alabama Governor's Mansion
Seat	Alabama State Capitol, Montgomery
Termlength	Four years, renewable once consecutively
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Alabama
Inaugural	William Wyatt Bibb
Formation	December 14, 1819
Salary	$120,395 (2013)

Governor of Alabama. The governor is the head of the state's executive branch and serves as the commander-in-chief of the Alabama National Guard. The officeholder is responsible for implementing state laws, overseeing the operation of the Alabama Executive Department, and approving or vetoing bills passed by the Alabama Legislature. The current governor is Kay Ivey, a member of the Republican Party, who assumed office in April 2017 following the resignation of Robert J. Bentley.

History and creation

The office was established upon Alabama's admission to the Union in 1819 under the first state constitution. The inaugural governor, William Wyatt Bibb, had previously served as the territorial governor following the creation of the Alabama Territory from the Mississippi Territory. Early governors like Thomas Bibb and John Murphy navigated the state's formative years, which included the contentious period leading to secession and the American Civil War. During the Reconstruction era, the governorship was held by figures such as William Hugh Smith and Robert B. Lindsay under federal oversight, with the office's powers evolving through subsequent constitutional revisions, including the Constitution of Alabama of 1901.

Qualifications and election

Candidates must be at least thirty years old, a United States citizen for at least ten years, and a resident of Alabama for at least seven years prior to election. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years, coinciding with the midterm federal elections, and the winner is determined by a plurality of the popular vote. If no candidate receives a majority, the Alabama Legislature selects the governor from the two candidates with the highest votes, a provision last invoked in the 1914 election of Charles Henderson. Since the 1968 election of Albert Brewer, the office has been dominated by members of the Republican Party, with notable Democratic holders including George Wallace and Jim Folsom Jr..

Powers and duties

The governor possesses broad executive authority, including the power to appoint heads of major state agencies, subject to confirmation by the Alabama Senate. A central duty is the consideration of legislation from the Alabama Legislature, wielding a strong veto that can only be overridden by a majority of the elected membership of both the Alabama House of Representatives and the Alabama Senate. The governor serves as commander-in-chief of the Alabama National Guard and can grant pardons and reprieves, except in cases of impeachment. Other responsibilities include submitting an annual budget proposal to the legislature and ensuring the faithful execution of state laws through departments like the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Succession and vacancy

The Lieutenant Governor of Alabama is first in the line of succession, followed by the President pro tempore of the Alabama Senate, the Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives, and the Alabama Attorney General. This line was notably followed in 2017 when Kay Ivey, then the lieutenant governor, succeeded Robert J. Bentley upon his resignation. If a vacancy occurs with more than two years remaining in the term, a special election is held at the next general election; if less than two years remain, the successor serves the remainder of the term. This procedure was used after the death of Governor Hugh McVay in 1857 and the resignation of Governor Lurleen Wallace in 1968.

List of governors

Since statehood, Alabama has had 54 governors, including four who served non-consecutive terms. The longest-serving governor is George Wallace, who served four terms totaling over sixteen years, a tenure marked by his Stand in the Schoolhouse Door at the University of Alabama. Other notable governors include Thomas E. Kilby, who championed progressive reforms, and Bob Riley, who oversaw recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina. The first female governor was Lurleen Wallace, elected in 1966, while the first Republican governor of the 20th century was Guy Hunt, elected in 1986.

Residences and symbols

The official residence is the Alabama Governor's Mansion, located in the Garden District of Montgomery and acquired by the state in 1950. The primary workplace is the Alabama State Capitol, a National Historic Landmark where Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as President of the Confederate States of America. The governor uses an official state seal on documents and is represented by a distinct Flag of the Governor of Alabama, which features the state coat of arms on a crimson field. Ceremonial traditions include hosting events at the Alabama Department of Archives and History and participating in annual commemorations at the First White House of the Confederacy.

Category:Governors of Alabama Category:Government of Alabama