List of governors of Delaware
Governor of Delaware | |
---|---|
Style | The Honorable |
Residence | Delaware Governor's Mansion Dover, Delaware |
Term length | Four years, renewable once |
Inaugural holder | John McKinly |
Formation | February 12, 1777 |
Deputy | Bethany Hall-Long |
Salary | $171,000 (2013)[1] |
Website | governor.delaware.gov |
The Governor of Delaware (President of Delaware from 1776 to 1792) is the head of the executive branch of Delaware's state 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 passed by the Delaware Legislature, to convene the legislature,[2] and to grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment, and only with the recommendation of the Board of Pardons.[3]
There have been 71 people who have served as governor, over 74 distinct terms. Additionally, Henry Molleston was elected, but died before he could take office. Only four governors have been elected to two consecutive terms, with the longest-serving being Ruth Ann Minner, who was elected twice after succeeding to the office, serving a total of just over eight years. The shortest term is that of Dale E. Wolf, who served 18 days following his predecessor's resignation; David P. Buckson served 19 days under similar circumstances. The current governor is Democrat John Carney, who took office on January 17, 2017.
Governors
Before 1776, Delaware was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain, administered by colonial governors in Pennsylvania as the "Lower Counties on Delaware".
In 1776, soon after Delaware and the other Thirteen Colonies declared independence from Britain, the state adopted its first state constitution. It created the office of President of Delaware, a chief executive to be chosen by the legislature to serve a term of three years.[4]
The office of President was renamed Governor by the constitution of 1792,[5] which set the commencement date of the term to the third Tuesday in the January following an election, and limited governors to serving only three out of any six years.[6] The term was lengthened to four years by the 1831 constitution, but governors were limited to a single term.[7] The current constitution of 1897 allows governors to serve two terms.[8]
The 1776 constitution stated that if the presidency were vacant, the speaker of the legislative council would be a vice-president.[9] The 1792 constitution has the speaker of the senate exercising the office when it is vacant, and the 1897 constitution created the office of lieutenant governor,[10] upon whom the office devolves in case of vacancy.[11] The offices of governor and lieutenant governor are elected at the same time but not on the same ticket.
See also
Notes
- ^ The official website labels John Carney as the 74th governor;[12] this indicates that repeat, non-consecutive terms are numbered.
- ^ The office was named president until 1792.
- ^ The office of lieutenant governor was created in the 1897 constitution, with the first election taking place in 1900.
- ^ Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
- ^ McKinly was captured and taken prisoner by British forces.[13] He was exchanged for loyalist Governor William Franklin of New Jersey in August 1778.[14] Most sources do not specify the day McKinly was captured; at least one specifies that McKinly and the city of Wilmington were captured the day after the Battle of Brandywine, which was on September 11, 1777.[15] As Speaker of the Assembly, McKean acted as chief executive until the return of Speaker of the Legislative Council Read from the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, who then served as vice-president for the remainder of the term.[16]
- ^ Dickinson was elected President of Pennsylvania and took office November 7, 1782, holding both presidencies simultaneously. Criticism of this caused him to turn administration of the state over to Speaker of the Legislative Council Cook, but Dickinson didn't formally resign until January 12, 1783, whereupon Cook served as vice-president until a special election was held.[17]
- ^ Collins died in office; as speaker of the legislative council, Davis served as vice-president for the remainder of the term.
- ^ Bedford died in office; as speaker of the senate, Rogers acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
- ^ Bassett resigned to take a seat on the United States Third Circuit Court; as speaker of the senate, Sykes acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
- ^ Governor-elect Molleston died on November 11, 1819, before taking office. The newly elected state senate chose a speaker, Stout, who would act as governor for one year of Molleston's term before a special election was held to pick a governor for the remaining two years.[18] Collins was chosen in that special election, but died in office, and as speaker of the senate, Rodney acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
- ^ Haslet died in office; as speaker of the senate, Thomas acted as governor until a special election was held. There is disagreement over when Haslet died and Thomas became acting governor. Most modern sources say Haslet died on June 20, and Thomas became acting governor on June 23; however, some sources say Thomas became acting governor on June 20,[19] and others say Haslet died on June 23,[20] both situations meaning there was no gap in power. Because of the death of Haslet so early in his term, early elections were called. Unlike when elections were called due to Henry Molleston's death, where the election was only for the final two years of his term, in this case the new election was for a new three-year term, causing the election schedule to shift.[18]
- ^ Terms were lengthened from three to four years beginning with this term.
- ^ Bennett died in office; as speaker of the senate, Polk acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
- ^ Stockton died in office; as speaker of the senate, Maull acted as governor until he too died. The new speaker of the senate, Temple, acted as governor for the remainder of the term, which was shortened due to a new election schedule.
- ^ Cannon died in office; as speaker of the senate, Saulsbury acted as governor for the remainder of the term.
- ^ Marvil died in office; as speaker of the senate, Watson acted as governor for the remainder of the term. Because Marvil died so early in his term, the General Assembly decided to conduct an election for a full term in 1896, changing the election schedule.[21]
- ^ a b c d e f Represented the Democratic Party.
- ^ Boggs resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; as lieutenant governor, Buckson succeeded him.
- ^ Represented the Republican Party.
- ^ Castle resigned to take an elected seat in the United States House of Representatives; as lieutenant governor, Wolf succeeded him.
- ^ Carper resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; as lieutenant governor, Minner succeeded him.
- ^ Governor Carney's first term expires on January 19, 2021.
References
- General
- Martin, Roger A. (1984). A History of Delaware Through its Governors. Wilmington, Delaware: McClafferty Press.
- "Delaware: Past Governors Bios". National Governors Association. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
- Thorpe, Francis Newton (1906). The Federal and State Constitutions, Colonial Charters, and Other Organic Laws of the States, Territories, and Colonies Now or Heretofore Forming the United States of America. Government Printing Office. pp. 568–600. ISBN 0-89941-792-2. Retrieved October 26, 2009.
- Pickett, Russell S. "Delaware Governors". Retrieved October 25, 2009.
- Constitutions
- "Constitution of the State of Delaware". State of Delaware. 1897. Retrieved June 10, 2009.
- Constitution of the State of Delaware (1831)[22]
- Constitution of the State of Delaware (1792)[23]
- "Constitution of the State of Delaware". Avalon Project. Yale Law School. 1776. Retrieved June 10, 2009.
- Specific
- ^ "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
- ^ DE Const. art. III
- ^ DE Const. art. VII, § 1
- ^ 1776 Const. art 7
- ^ 1792 Const. art. III, § 1
- ^ 1792 Const. art. III, § 3
- ^ 1831 Const. art III, § 3
- ^ DE Const. art. III, § 5
- ^ 1776 Const. art. 7
- ^ DE Const. art. III, § 19
- ^ DE Const. art. III, § 20
- ^ "About Governor John Carney". Governor of Delaware. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
- ^ McGuire, Thomas J. (2006). The Philadelphia Campaign. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books. p. 278. ISBN 0-8117-0206-5.
- ^ Rowe, Gail Stuart (1978). Thomas McKean: The Shaping of an American Republicanism. p. 147. ISBN 0-87081-100-2.
- ^ Project, Delaware Federal Writers' (1938). Delaware: A Guide to the First State. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-60354-008-7. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- ^ Conrad, Henry Clay (1908). History of the State of Delaware, Volume 3. p. 821. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
- ^ Conrad, Henry Clay. History of the State of Delaware, Volume 1. p. 153. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
- ^ a b Niles, H. (1824). Niles' Weekly Register. Vol. Volume I, Third Series. p. 121. ISBN 0-8371-3045-X. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
{{cite book}}
:|volume=
has extra text (help) - ^ "Delaware". The Encyclopedia Americana. Volume. Vol. VIII. 1918. p. 614. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
- ^ Messersmith, George S. (1908). Government of Delaware. p. 283. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
- ^ "Delaware's Change in Elections". The New York Times. April 14, 1895. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
- ^ Thorpe pp. 582–600
- ^ Thorpe pp. 568–582
External links