Governor of Hawaii

Governor of Hawaii
source
Post	Governor
Body	Hawaii
Insigniasize	110
Insigniacaption	Seal of Hawaii
Flagsize	110
Flagcaption	Flag of the Governor of Hawaii
Incumbent	Josh Green
Incumbentsince	December 5, 2022
Department	Government of Hawaii
Style	The Honorable, Governor, (informal), His Excellency, (formal)
Residence	Washington Place
Seat	Hawaii State Capitol
Termlength	Four years, renewable once consecutively
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Hawaii
Formation	August 21, 1959
First	William F. Quinn
Salary	$165,048 (2023)

Governor of Hawaii. The Governor of Hawaii is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Hawaii and the commander-in-chief of the Hawaii National Guard. The office was established upon the Admission to the Union of Hawaii as the 50th state on August 21, 1959, with William F. Quinn becoming the first elected governor. The governor is responsible for implementing state laws, overseeing the executive branch, and preparing the state budget, working from offices in the Hawaii State Capitol in Honolulu.

History and background

The office's origins trace to the Republic of Hawaii, which had a president following the Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. After the Newlands Resolution made Hawaii a U.S. territory in 1898, executive authority was vested in a presidentially appointed territorial governor, with notable figures including Sanford B. Dole and Walter F. Frear. The Hawaii Democratic Revolution of 1954 shifted political power, setting the stage for statehood. The modern governorship was defined by the Hawaii State Constitution ratified in 1959, which drew from the Model State Constitution and principles of the United States Constitution. Key historical events shaping the office include the economic transformations driven by the state's infrastructure development and responses to crises like the COVID-19 pandemic in Hawaii.

Qualifications and election

Candidates must be at least thirty years old, a United States citizen for at least five years, and a resident of Hawaii for at least five consecutive years preceding the election. Elections are held on Election Day (United States) in November of even-numbered years not divisible by four, coinciding with other state offices. The governor is elected by a plurality of the popular vote, with no provision for a Runoff election. The Hawaii Office of Elections administers the process, and terms are for four years, limited to two consecutive terms by the Hawaii Revised Statutes. The Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii is elected on a joint ticket with the governor.

Powers and duties

The governor possesses broad executive powers, including the authority to appoint heads of major departments like the Hawaii Department of Education and the Hawaii Department of Health, subject to confirmation by the Hawaii Senate. Legislative powers include signing or vetoing bills passed by the Hawaii State Legislature, preparing an annual budget, and delivering a State of the State address. The governor serves as commander-in-chief of the Hawaii Army National Guard and Hawaii Air National Guard and can grant pardons and commutations. The governor also represents the state in federal interactions with entities like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and manages interstate compacts.

List of governors

Since statehood, Hawaii has had nine governors, representing both the Hawaii Republican Party and the dominant Democratic Party of Hawaii. The first governor, William F. Quinn, was a Republican, followed by the long Democratic tenure of John A. Burns. Subsequent governors include George Ariyoshi, the first American governor of Japanese ancestry, Ben Cayetano, the first Filipino-American governor in the U.S., and Linda Lingle, the state's first female and second Republican governor. The current governor, Josh Green, a member of the Democratic Party (United States), assumed office in 2022 after serving as Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii.

Succession and vacancies

The Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii is first in the line of succession and assumes the office if it becomes vacant, as occurred when John D. Waiheʻe III succeeded George Ariyoshi. If both offices are vacant, succession falls to the President of the Hawaii Senate, followed by the Speaker of the Hawaii House of Representatives. These procedures are outlined in the Hawaii State Constitution and the Hawaii Revised Statutes. Temporary incapacitation is addressed through processes modeled on the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Residences and symbols

The official residence is Washington Place, a National Historic Landmark in Honolulu that was the home of Queen Liliʻuokalani. The primary workplace is the Hawaii State Capitol. The governor uses a distinct official Flag of the Governor of Hawaii, which features the state seal on a field of blue, and an official Seal of Hawaii. Transportation is often provided by the state's aviation unit. The governor is also the honorary chair of various state celebrations, such as those for King Kamehameha I Day and Prince Kūhiō Day.

Category:Governors of Hawaii Category:State governments of the United States