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List of governors of California

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Jerry Brown, 34th and the current 39th Governor of California.

The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced. The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.

There have been 38 governors; many have been influential nationwide in areas far-flung from politics. Leland Stanford founded Stanford University in 1891. Earl Warren, later Chief Justice of the United States, won an election with the nominations of the three major parties – the only person ever to run essentially unopposed for governor of California. Ronald Reagan, who was president of the Screen Actors Guild and later President of the United States, and Arnold Schwarzenegger both came to prominence through acting. Gray Davis, the 37th governor of California, was the second governor in American history to be recalled by voters. The shortest tenure was that of Milton Latham, who served only five days before being elected by the legislature to fill a vacant United States Senate seat. The longest tenure is that of the current governor, Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr., who previously served as governor from 1975 to 1983 and has been serving again since 2011. He is the son of former governor Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown, Sr. who served from 1959-1967.

Governors

For the governors prior to statehood, see the List of Governors of California before admission.

California was obtained by the United States in the Mexican Cession following the Mexican–American War. Unlike most other states, it was never organized as a territory, and was admitted as the 31st state on September 9, 1850.

The original California Constitution of 1849 called for elections every two years, with no set start date for the term. An amendment ratified in 1862 increased the term to four years,[1] and the 1879 constitution set the term to begin on the first Monday in January following an election. In 1990, Proposition 140 led to a constitutional amendment[2] implementing a term limit of two terms;[3] prior to this limit, only one governor, Earl Warren, served more than two terms. Jerry Brown was able to be elected to a third term in 2010 because his previous terms were before the term limit was enacted. The 1849 constitution also created the office of lieutenant governor, who, in cases of vacancy in the office of governor, becomes governor.[4] The governor and lieutenant governor are not elected on the same ticket.

List of governors

  Democratic   American   Republican   Progressive

Governor Term in office Party Term[a] Previous office Lieutenant governor
1   Peter Hardeman Burnett
(1807-11-15)November 15, 1807 – (1895-05-17)May 17, 1895
(Aged 87) 		December 20, 1849
–
January 9, 1851
 Democratic 1
(1849)
[b][c] 		None   John McDougall
2 John McDougall
ca. 1818 – March 30, 1866
(Aged 48) 		January 9, 1851
–
January 8, 1852
 Democratic 1st
Lieutenant Governor of California
(1849–1851) 		David C. Broderick
(acting)
3 John Bigler
January 8, 1805 – November 29, 1871
(Aged 66) 		January 8, 1852
–
January 9, 1856
 Democratic 2
(1851) 		2nd
Speaker of the California Assembly
(1850–1851) 		Samuel Purdy
3
(1853)
4 J. Neely Johnson
August 2, 1825 – August 31, 1872
(Aged 47) 		January 9, 1856
–
January 8, 1858
 American 4
(1855) 		California State Assemblyman Robert M. Anderson
5 John B. Weller
February 22, 1812 – August 17, 1875
(Aged 63) 		January 8, 1858
–
January 9, 1860
 Democratic 5
(1857) 		U.S. Senator from California
(1852-1857) 		John Walkup
6 Milton Latham
May 23, 1827 – March 4, 1882
(Aged 54) 		January 9, 1860
–
January 14, 1860
 Democratic 6
(1859)
[d] 		U.S. Representative for California's At-large
(1853-1855) 		John G. Downey
7 John G. Downey
June 24, 1827 – March 1, 1894
(Aged 66) 		January 14, 1860
–
January 10, 1862
 Democratic 6th
Lieutenant Governor of California
(1860) 		Isaac N. Quinn
(acting)
(resigned January 7, 1861)
Pablo de la Guerra
(acting)
8 Leland Stanford
March 9, 1824 – June 21, 1893
(Aged 69) 		January 10, 1862
–
December 10, 1863
 Republican 7
(1861) 		None John F. Chellis
9 Frederick Low
June 30, 1828 – July 21, 1894
(Aged 66) 		December 10, 1863
–
December 5, 1867
 Republican 8
(1863)
[e] 		U.S. Representative for California's At-large
(1862-1863) 		Tim N. Machin
10 Henry Huntly Haight
May 20, 1825 – September 2, 1878
(Aged 53) 		December 5, 1867
–
December 8, 1871
 Democratic 9
(1867) 		None William Holden
11 Newton Booth
December 30, 1825 – July 14, 1892
(Aged 66) 		December 8, 1871
–
February 27, 1875
 Republican 10
(1871)
[f] 		California State Senator Romualdo Pacheco
12 Romualdo Pacheco
October 31, 1831 – January 23, 1899
(Aged 67) 		February 27, 1875
–
December 9, 1875
 Republican 9th
Lieutenant Governor of California
(1871–1875) 		William Irwin
(acting)
13 William Irwin
ca. 1827 – March 15, 1886
(Aged 58–59) 		December 9, 1875
–
January 8, 1880
 Democratic 11
(1875) 		Acting
Lieutenant Governor of California 		James A. Johnson
14 George Clement Perkins
August 23, 1839 – February 26, 1923
(Aged 83) 		January 8, 1880
–
January 10, 1883
 Republican 12
(1879) 		California State Senator John Mansfield
15 George Stoneman
August 8, 1822 – September 5, 1894
(Aged 72) 		January 10, 1883
–
January 8, 1887
 Democratic 13
(1882) 		Major General
Union Army 		John Daggett
16 Washington Bartlett
February 29, 1824 – September 12, 1887
(Aged 63) 		January 8, 1887
–
September 12, 1887 		Democratic 14
(1886)
[g] 		20th
Mayor of San Francisco
(1883-1887) 		Robert Waterman
17 Robert Waterman
December 15, 1826 – April 12, 1891
(Aged 64) 		September 12, 1887
–
January 8, 1891
 Republican 17th
Lieutenant Governor of California 		Stephen M. White[h]
(acting)
18 Henry Markham
November 16, 1840 – October 9, 1923
(Aged 82) 		January 8, 1891
–
January 11, 1895
 Republican 15
(1890) 		U.S. Representative for California's 1st
(1885-1887) 		John B. Reddick
19 James Budd
May 18, 1851 – July 30, 1908
(Aged 57) 		January 11, 1895
–
January 4, 1899
 Democratic 16
(1894) 		U.S. Representative for California's 2nd
(1883-1885) 		Spencer G. Millard[i]
(died October 24, 1895)
William T. Jeter
20 Henry Gage
December 25, 1852 – August 28, 1924
(Aged 71) 		January 4, 1899
–
January 7, 1903
 Republican 17
(1898) 		None Jacob H. Neff
21 George Pardee
July 25, 1857 – September 1, 1941
(Aged 84) 		January 7, 1903
–
January 9, 1907
 Republican 18
(1902) 		29th
Mayor of Oakland
(1893-1895) 		Alden Anderson
22 James Gillett
September 20, 1860 – April 20, 1937
(Aged 76) 		January 9, 1907
–
January 3, 1911
 Republican 19
(1906) 		U.S. Representative for California's 1st
(1903-1906) 		Warren R. Porter
23 Hiram Johnson
September 2, 1866 – August 6, 1945
(Aged 78) 		January 3, 1911
–
March 15, 1917
 Republican 20
(1910) 		None A.J. Wallace
Progressive 21
(1914)
[j] 		John M. Eshleman
(died February 28, 1916)
Vacant
William Stephens[i]
(took office July 22, 1916)
24 William Stephens
December 26, 1859 – April 25, 1944
(Aged 84) 		March 15, 1917
–
January 8, 1923
 Republican 27th
Lieutenant Governor of California
(1916–1917) 		Vacant
22
(1918) 		C.C. Young
25 File:FriendRichardson.jpg Friend Richardson
December 1, 1865 – September 6, 1943
(Aged 77) 		January 9, 1923
–
January 4, 1927
 Republican 23
(1922) 		21st
California State Treasurer
(1915-1923)
26 File:CCYoung.jpg C.C. Young
April 28, 1869 – December 24, 1947
(Aged 78) 		January 4, 1927
–
January 6, 1931
 Republican 24
(1926) 		29th
Lieutenant Governor of California
(1919–1927) 		Buron Fitts
(resigned November 30, 1928)
Vacant
H. L. Carnahan
(appointed December 4, 1928)
27 James Rolph
August 23, 1869 – June 2, 1934
(Aged 64) 		January 6, 1931
–
June 2, 1934 		Republican 25
(1930)
[k] 		30th
Mayor of San Francisco
(1912-1931) 		Frank Merriam
28 Frank Merriam
December 22, 1865 – April 25, 1955
(Aged 89) 		June 2, 1934
–
January 2, 1939
 Republican 31st
Lieutenant Governor of California
(1931–1934) 		Vacant
26
(1934) 		George J. Hatfield
29 File:CulbertOlson.jpg Culbert Olson
November 7, 1876 – April 13, 1962
(Aged 85) 		January 2, 1939
–
January 4, 1943
 Democratic 27
(1938) 		California State Senator Ellis E. Patterson
30 Earl Warren
March 19, 1891 – July 9, 1974
(Aged 83) 		January 4, 1943
–
October 5, 1953
 Republican[l] 28
(1942) 		20th
Attorney General of California
(1939–1943) 		Frederick Houser
29
(1946) 		Goodwin Knight
30
(1950)[m]
31 Goodwin Knight
December 9, 1896 – May 22, 1970
(Aged 73) 		October 5, 1953
–
January 5, 1959
 Republican 35th
Lieutenant Governor of California
(1947–1953) 		Harold J. Powers
31
(1954)
32 File:Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown.jpg Pat Brown
April 21, 1905 – February 16, 1996
(Aged 90) 		January 5, 1959
–
January 2, 1967
 Democratic 32
(1958) 		23rd
Attorney General of California
(1951–1959) 		Glenn M. Anderson
33
(1962)
33 Ronald Reagan
February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004
(Aged 93) 		January 2, 1967
–
January 6, 1975
 Republican 34
(1966) 		None Robert Finch
(resigned January 8, 1969)
Edwin Reinecke
(resigned October 2, 1974)
35
(1970)
John L. Harmer
34 Jerry Brown
(1938-04-07) April 7, 1938 (age 86) 		January 6, 1975
–
January 3, 1983
 Democratic 36
(1974) 		24th
Secretary of State of California
(1971–1975) 		Mervyn M. Dymally
37
(1978) 		Michael Curb[i]
35 George Deukmejian
(1928-06-06) June 6, 1928 (age 96) 		January 3, 1983
–
January 7, 1991
 Republican 38
(1982) 		27th
Attorney General of California
(1979–1983) 		Leo T. McCarthy[h]
39
(1986)
36 Pete Wilson
(1933-08-03) August 3, 1933 (age 91) 		January 7, 1991
–
January 4, 1999
 Republican 40
(1990) 		U.S. Senator from California
(1983-1991)
41
(1994) 		Gray Davis[h]
37 Gray Davis
(1942-12-26) December 26, 1942 (age 81) 		January 4, 1999
–
November 17, 2003 		Democratic 42
(1998) 		44th
Lieutenant Governor of California
(1995-1999) 		Cruz Bustamante[h]
43
(2002)
[n]
38 Arnold Schwarzenegger
(1947-07-30) July 30, 1947 (age 77) 		November 17, 2003
–
January 3, 2011
 Republican None
44
(2006) 		John Garamendi[h]
(resigned November 3, 2009)
Mona Pasquil[h]
(acting)
Abel Maldonado[i][o]
(appointed April 27, 2010)
39 Jerry Brown
(1938-04-07) April 7, 1938 (age 86) 		January 3, 2011
–
Incumbent 		Democratic 45
(2010) 		31st
Attorney General of California
(2007-2011)
34th Governor of California
(1975-1983)
Gavin Newsom[o]
(took office January 10, 2011)
46
(2014)
[p]

Other high offices held

Seventeen governors of California have served other high offices, including one President of the United States, a Chief Justice of the United States, and five ambassadors. Thirteen have served in the U.S. Congress, all representing California, though one of them also represented Ohio.

Governor Other offices held Source
John Bigler Minister to Chile [9]
John B. Weller Representative from Ohio
Senator from California
Minister to Mexico 		[10]
Milton Latham Representative from California
Senator from California 		[11]
Leland Stanford Senator from California [12]
Frederick Low Representative from California
Minister to the Great Qing Empire 		[13]
Newton Booth Senator from California [14]
Romualdo Pacheco Representative from California
Minister to Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua 		[15]
George Clement Perkins Senator from California [16]
Henry Markham Representative from California [17]
James Budd Representative from California [18]
Henry Gage Minister to Portugal [19]
James Gillett Representative from California [20]
Hiram Johnson Senator from California [21]
William Stephens Representative from California [22]
Earl Warren Chief Justice of the United States [23]
Ronald Reagan President of the United States [24]
Pete Wilson Senator from California [25]

Living former governors of California

There are four former governors of California who are currently alive, the oldest being George Deukmejian, born 1928. The most recent death of a former governor was that of Ronald Reagan (served 1967–1975, born 1911) on June 5, 2004. Jerry Brown, who served as governor from 1975 to 1983, is currently serving and thus is not included on this list.

Governor Years in office Date of birth (and age)
George Deukmejian 1983–1991 (1928-06-06) June 6, 1928 (age 96)
Pete Wilson 1991–1999 (1933-08-23) August 23, 1933 (age 91)
Gray Davis 1999–2003 (1942-12-26) December 26, 1942 (age 81)
Arnold Schwarzenegger 2003–2011 (1947-07-30) July 30, 1947 (age 77)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Each term for which a governor is elected is listed here; if multiple governors served in a single term, due to resignations, deaths, and the like, then that term will be shared among those governors. If a governor was elected multiple times, then there will be multiple terms listed for that governor.
  2. ^ A civilian government was formed in late 1849 prior to official statehood, and operated as the state government for ten months before official statehood was granted.[5]
  3. ^ Burnett resigned, citing personal reasons; he was reportedly unhappy with the legislature, and wanted more time to manage his business.[6] As lieutenant governor, McDougall became governor.
  4. ^ Latham resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate. As lieutenant governor, Downey became governor.
  5. ^ A constitutional amendment increased the office's term length from two to four years starting with this term.
  6. ^ Booth resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate. As lieutenant governor, Pacheco became governor.
  7. ^ Bartlett died in office; as lieutenant governor, Waterman became governor.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Represented the Democratic Party (United States).
  9. ^ a b c d Represented the Republican Party (United States).
  10. ^ Johnson resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate. As lieutenant governor, Stephens became governor.
  11. ^ Rolph died in office; as lieutenant governor, Merriam became governor.
  12. ^ Warren ran as a Republican for his first and third terms. For his second term, he won the nomination of the Republican, Democratic, and Progressive parties.
  13. ^ Warren resigned to become Chief Justice of the United States. As lieutenant governor, Knight became governor.
  14. ^ Davis was recalled and Schwarzenegger chosen to replace him in a special recall election.[7]
  15. ^ a b Newsom delayed his swearing in as lieutenant governor until January 10, 2011, to remain mayor of San Francisco; Maldonado stayed on as lieutenant governor until then.[8]
  16. ^ Governor Brown's fourth term expires on January 7, 2019; he will be term limited.

References

General
  • "Governors of California". California State Library. Official Site of the State of California. Retrieved July 18, 2007.
  • "California: Past Governors Bios". National Governors Association. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  • "Chronology of California's Lieutenant Governors". Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Retrieved August 10, 2007.
  • JoinCalifornia.com - Dates of birth and death for Governors
Constitutions
Specific
  1. ^ Henning, W.F. (1899). Constitution of the State of California. C.W. Palm Company. Retrieved January 18, 2008.
  2. ^ "California Ballot Propositions 1990-1999". Los Angeles County Law Library. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  3. ^ CA Const. art. V, § 2
  4. ^ CA Const. art. V, § 10
  5. ^ "Peter Hardeman Burnett". National Governors Association. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  6. ^ Durham, Walter T. (1997). Volunteer Forty-niners: Tennesseans and the California Gold Rush. Vanderbilt University Press. p. 193. ISBN 0-8265-1298-4. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  7. ^ "Statewide Special Election". California Secretary of State. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
  8. ^ Upton Oot, John (January 7, 2011). "Newsom's Dual Role Raises Legal Quandary". The Bay Citizen. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  9. ^ "John Bigler". National Governors Association. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  10. ^ "Weller, John B." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
  11. ^ "Latham, Milton Slocum". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
  12. ^ "Stanford, Leland". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
  13. ^ "Low, Frederick Ferdinand". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
  14. ^ "Booth, Newton". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
  15. ^ "Pacheco, Romualdo". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
  16. ^ "Perkins, George Clement". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
  17. ^ "Markham, Henry Harrison". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
  18. ^ "Budd, James Herbert". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
  19. ^ "Henry Tifft Gage". National Governors Association. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  20. ^ "Gillett, James Norris". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
  21. ^ "Johnson, Hiram Warren". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
  22. ^ "Stephens, William Dennison". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
  23. ^ "Earl Warren". National Governors Association. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  24. ^ "Ronald Wilson Reagan". National Governors Association. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  25. ^ "Wilson, Pete". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved October 15, 2008.
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