Governor of Tennessee
| Governor of Tennessee |
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|---|---|
 Flag of the Governor |
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| Style | The Honorable |
| Term length | Four years, renewable once |
| Inaugural holder | John Sevier 1790 |
The Governor of Tennessee is the head of government of the U.S. state of Tennessee and is the only official in Tennessee state government who is directly elected by the voters of the entire state.
The current governor is Bill Haslam, a Republican. Haslam won election in November 2010 and took office on January 15, 2011.
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[edit] Qualifications for election
The Tennessee Constitution provides that the governor must be at least 30 years old and must have lived in the state for at least seven years before being elected to the office. The governor is elected to a four-year term and may serve no more than two terms consecutively.[1]
The governor is the only official of the Tennessee state government who is directly elected by the voters of the entire state.[2] There are only two other U.S. states, New Jersey and Hawaii, where the governor is the only state official to be elected statewide.[3]
[edit] Powers and duties
The Tennessee Constitution provides that “The supreme executive power of this state shall be vested in a governor.”[4]
The governor is designated to be the commander-in-chief of the state's army and navy and the state militia, except when they have been called up into federal service. [5]
The Tennessee governor can veto laws passed by the Tennessee General Assembly and has line-item veto authority for individual spending items included in bills passed by the legislature. In either situation, the governor's veto can be overridden by a simple majority of both houses of the legislature. If a governor exercises the veto authority after the legislature has adjourned, the veto stands.[1]
The state constitution empowers the governor to call the General Assembly into special session, with the subjects to be considered limited to matters specified in the call.[1]
[edit] Compensation
As of 2010, the governor's salary was set at $170,340 per year, the ninth highest U.S. gubernatorial salary.[6] Haslam and his predecessor, Phil Bredesen, both were independently wealthy before taking office and refused to accept state salaries for their service as governor.[6][7]
[edit] Line of succession
Tennessee does not elect a lieutenant governor. If a vacancy occurs in the office of governor due to the governor's death, removal, or resignation from office, the Tennessee Constitution provides for the Speaker of the Tennessee Senate to assume the office of governor.[1][4] Because this has the effect of making the speaker the lieutenant governor, the speaker is often referred to by the title "governor."[1] Following the speaker in the line of succession are the speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, the secretary of state, and the comptroller.[4]
[edit] List of governors
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e William Lyons, John M. Scheb, Billy Stair (2001). Government and politics in Tennessee. University of Tennessee Press. p. 48-49. ISBN 9781572331419.
- ^ Josh Goodman (January 6, 2009), Why Everyone Is Running for Governor of Tennessee, Governing.com, http://www.governing.com/blogs/politics/Why-Everyone-Is-Running.html. Judges on several state courts also appear on statewide ballots, but in accordance with the Tennessee Plan they are subject to votes only on their retention in office.
- ^ Josh Goodman (January 6, 2009), Why Everyone Is Running for Governor of Tennessee, Governing.com, http://www.governing.com/blogs/politics/Why-Everyone-Is-Running.html
- ^ a b c "Office of the Governor", Tennessee Blue Book 2009-2010: pp. 123-125, http://state.tn.us/sos/bluebook/09-10/08%20Governor.pdf
- ^ Connie L. Lester, "Tennessee Governor's Office", Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=1331
- ^ a b "The Governors: Compensation, Staff, Travel and Residence (Table 4.3)", The Book of the States 2010 (The Council of State Governments): pp. 199-200, http://knowledgecenter.csg.org/drupal/system/files/Table_4.3.pdf
- ^ Tennessee Gov. Haslam Exempts Himself and Top Staff from Financial Disclosure, AllGov.com, January 20, 2011, http://www.allgov.com/ViewNews/Tennessee_Gov_Haslam_Exempts_Himself_and_Top_Staff_from_Financial_Disclosure_110120
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