List of governors of Mississippi

The governor of Mississippi is the head of the executive branch of Mississippi's state government[2] and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[2] The Governor has a duty to enforce state laws,[3] and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Mississippi Legislature,[4] to convene the legislature at any time,[5] and, except in cases of treason or impeachment, to grant pardons and reprieves.[6]

Governor of Mississippi
Incumbent
Tate Reeves
since January 14, 2020
Style
Status
ResidenceMississippi Governor's Mansion
Term lengthFour years, renewable once
Inaugural holderDavid Holmes
FormationConstitution of Mississippi
SuccessionEvery four years, unless reelected
DeputyLieutenant Governor of Mississippi
Salary$122,160 (2013)[1]
WebsiteOfficial website

To be elected governor, a person must be at least 30 years old, and must have been a citizen of the United States for twenty years and a resident of Mississippi for at least five years at the time of inauguration.[7] The Constitution of Mississippi, ratified in 1890, calls for a four-year term for the governor, elected since via the two-round system since a 2020 referendum. Prior to this, the governor was elected by an electoral college composed of the districts represented in the Mississippi House of Representatives, with a contingent election held in the House in the event no candidate received a majority of district electors. He or she may be reelected once (prior to a 1987 amendment to the state Constitution, governors were limited to one term).[2][8] The original Constitution of 1817 had only a two-year term for governor; this was expanded to four years in the 1868 Constitution.[9] The lieutenant governor is elected at the same time as the governor and serves as president of the Mississippi Senate.[10] When the office of governor becomes vacant for any reason, the lieutenant governor becomes governor for the remainder of the term.[11]

The governor of Mississippi also appoints the members of the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees.

History

Since Mississippi became a U.S. state, it has had 64 governors, including 50 Democrats, 7 Republicans and 7 from other parties. Democrats dominated after retaking control of the state legislature; they passed a Constitution in 1890 that disfranchised most African Americans, excluding them from the political system for nearly 70 years, effectively making it a one-party state. The state's longest-serving governor was John M. Stone, who served two terms over ten years (his second term was extended to six years by a transitional provision in the 1890 Constitution).[12] The shortest-serving governor was James Whitfield, who served ​1 1⁄2 months from 1851 to 1852. 10 governors (David Holmes, Gerard Brandon, Charles Lynch, John A. Quitman, John J. Pettus, Adelbert Ames, John Marshall Stone, Theodore G. Bilbo, Dennis Murphree, and Hugh L. White) have served non-consecutive terms. The current governor is Republican Tate Reeves, who took office January 14, 2020.

Governors of the Territory of Mississippi (1798–1817)


Political parties

  Democratic-Republican   Federalist

#GovernorTook officeLeft officeParty
1   Winthrop Sargent May 7, 1798 May 25, 1801 Federalist
2   William C. C. Claiborne May 25, 1801 March 1, 1805 Democratic-Republican
3   Robert Williams March 1, 1805 March 7, 1809 Democratic-Republican
4   David Holmes March 7, 1809 December 10, 1817 Democratic-Republican

Governors of the U.S. state of Mississippi (1817–present)
Political parties

  No party/Provisional   Democratic-Republican   Democratic   Republican   Union Democratic   Whig

#GovernorTook officeLeft officePartyLt. GovernorTermNotes
1   David Holmes December 10, 1817 January 5, 1820 Democratic-Republican   Duncan Stewart 1 [N 1]
2   George Poindexter January 5, 1820 January 7, 1822 Democratic-Republican   James Patton 2
3   Walter Leake January 7, 1822 November 17, 1825 Democratic-Republican   David Dickson 3 [N 2]
  Gerard Brandon 4
4   Gerard Brandon November 17, 1825 January 7, 1826 Democratic — [N 3]
5   David Holmes January 7, 1826 July 25, 1826 Democratic   Gerard Brandon 5 [N 4]
6   Gerard Brandon July 25, 1826 January 9, 1832 Democratic —
  Abram M. Scott 6
7
7   Abram M. Scott January 9, 1832 July 12, 1833 National Republican Fountain Winston[N 5] 8 [N 2]
—
8   Charles Lynch July 12, 1833 November 20, 1833 National Republican — [N 6]
9   Hiram Runnels November 20, 1833 November 20, 1835 Democratic — 9
10   John A. Quitman December 3, 1835 January 7, 1836 Whig — [N 6]
11   Charles Lynch January 7, 1836 January 8, 1838 Whig — 10
12   Alexander G. McNutt January 8, 1838 January 10, 1842 Democratic — 11
12
13   Tilghman Tucker January 10, 1842 January 10, 1844 Democratic — 13
14   Albert G. Brown January 10, 1844 January 10, 1848 Democratic — 14
15
15   Joseph W. Matthews January 10, 1848 January 10, 1850 Democratic — 16
16   John A. Quitman January 10, 1850 February 3, 1851 Democratic — 17 [N 7]
17   John Isaac Guion February 3, 1851 November 4, 1851 Democratic — [N 8]
18   James Whitfield November 24, 1851 January 10, 1852 Democratic — [N 9]
19   Henry S. Foote January 10, 1852 January 5, 1854 Union Democratic — 18 [N 10]
20   John J. Pettus January 5, 1854 January 10, 1854 Democratic — [N 9]
21   John J. McRae January 10, 1854 November 16, 1857 Democratic — 19 [N 11]
20
22   William McWillie November 16, 1857 November 21, 1859 Democratic — 21
23   John J. Pettus November 21, 1859 November 16, 1863 Democratic — 22
23
24   Charles Clark November 16, 1863 May 22, 1865 Democratic — 24 [N 12]
25   William L. Sharkey June 13, 1865 October 16, 1865 Provisional — [N 13][N 14]
26   Benjamin G. Humphreys October 16, 1865 June 15, 1868 Democratic — [N 15]
25
27   Adelbert Ames June 15, 1868 March 10, 1870 Military — [N 13][N 16]
28   James L. Alcorn March 10, 1870 November 30, 1871 Republican   Ridgley C. Powers 26 [N 17]
29   Ridgley C. Powers November 30, 1871 January 4, 1874 Republican   Alexander K. Davis[N 18] [N 19]
30   Adelbert Ames January 4, 1874 March 29, 1876 Republican 27 [N 20]
31   John M. Stone March 29, 1876 January 29, 1882 Democratic — [N 21]
  William H. Sims 28
32   Robert Lowry January 2, 1882 January 13, 1890 Democratic   G. D. Shands 29
30
33   John M. Stone January 13, 1890 January 20, 1896 Democratic   M. M. Evans 31 [N 22]
34   Anselm J. McLaurin January 20, 1896 January 16, 1900 Democratic   J. H. Jones 32
35   Andrew H. Longino January 16, 1900 January 19, 1904 Democratic   James T. Harrison 33
36   James K. Vardaman January 19, 1904 January 21, 1908 Democratic   John Prentiss Carter 34
37   Edmond Noel January 21, 1908 January 16, 1912 Democratic   Luther Manship 35
38   Earl L. Brewer January 16, 1912 January 18, 1916 Democratic   Theodore G. Bilbo 36
39   Theodore G. Bilbo January 18, 1916 January 18, 1920 Democratic   Lee M. Russell 37
40   Lee M. Russell January 18, 1920 January 18, 1924 Democratic   Homer H. Casteel 38
41   Henry L. Whitfield January 22, 1924 March 18, 1927 Democratic   Dennis Murphree 39 [N 2]
42   Dennis Murphree March 18, 1927 January 16, 1928 Democratic — [N 19]
43   Theodore G. Bilbo January 16, 1928 January 19, 1932 Democratic   Cayton B. Adam 40
44   Martin Sennet Conner January 19, 1932 January 21, 1936 Democratic   Dennis Murphree 41
45   Hugh L. White January 21, 1936 January 16, 1940 Democratic   Jacob Buehler Snider 42
46   Paul B. Johnson Sr. January 16, 1940 December 26, 1943 Democratic   Dennis Murphree 43 [N 2]
47   Dennis Murphree December 26, 1943 January 18, 1944 Democratic — [N 19]
48   Thomas L. Bailey January 18, 1944 November 2, 1946 Democratic   Fielding L. Wright 44 [N 2]
49/50[N 23]   Fielding L. Wright November 2, 1946 January 22, 1952 Democratic — [N 24]
  Sam Lumpkin 45
51   Hugh L. White January 22, 1952 January 17, 1956 Democratic   Carroll Gartin 46
52   James P. Coleman January 17, 1956 January 19, 1960 Democratic 47
53   Ross Barnett January 19, 1960 January 21, 1964 Democratic   Paul B. Johnson, Jr. 48
54   Paul B. Johnson Jr. January 21, 1964 January 16, 1968 Democratic   Carroll Gartin 49
—
55   John Bell Williams January 16, 1968 January 18, 1972 Democratic   Charles L. Sullivan 50
56   William Waller January 18, 1972 January 20, 1976 Democratic   William F. Winter 51
57   Cliff Finch January 20, 1976 January 22, 1980 Democratic   Evelyn Gandy 52
58   William Winter January 22, 1980 January 10, 1984 Democratic   Brad Dye 53
59   William Allain January 10, 1984 January 12, 1988 Democratic 54
60   Ray Mabus January 12, 1988 January 14, 1992 Democratic 55
61   Kirk Fordice January 14, 1992 January 11, 2000 Republican   Eddie Briggs 56
  Ronnie Musgrove 57
62   Ronnie Musgrove January 11, 2000 January 13, 2004 Democratic   Amy Tuck[N 25] 58
63   Haley Barbour January 13, 2004 January 10, 2012 Republican   59
  Phil Bryant 60
64   Phil Bryant January 10, 2012 January 14, 2020 Republican   Tate Reeves 61
62
65   Tate Reeves January 14, 2020 Incumbent Republican   Delbert Hosemann 63

Succession
Main article: Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States § Mississippi

Other high offices held

This is a table of congressional, confederate, other governorships, and other federal offices held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Mississippi except where noted. * denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.

Governor Gubernatorial term U.S. Congress Other offices held
House Senate
William C. C. Claiborne 1801–1805 (territorial) U.S. Representative from Tennessee, U.S. Senator from Louisiana, Governor of Orleans Territory, Governor of Louisiana
Robert Williams 1805–1809 (territorial) U.S. Representative from North Carolina
David Holmes (politician) 1809–1820
1826		 S U.S. Representative from Virginia
George Poindexter 1820–1822 H S Territorial Delegate, President pro tempore of the Senate
Walter Leake 1822–1825 S
John A. Quitman 1835–1836
1850–1851		 H
Tilghman Tucker 1842–1844 H
Albert G. Brown 1844–1848 H S Confederate Senator
Henry S. Foote 1852–1854 S Confederate Representative from Tennessee
John J. McRae 1854–1857 H S Confederate Representative
William McWillie 1857–1859 H
Adelbert Ames 1868–1870
1874–1876		 S
James L. Alcorn 1870–1871 S*
Anselm J. McLaurin 1896–1900 S
James K. Vardaman 1904–1908 S
Theodore G. Bilbo 1916–1920
1928–1932		 S
Paul B. Johnson, Sr. 1940–1943 H
James P. Coleman 1956–1960 Fifth Circuit Court Judge
John Bell Williams 1968–1972 H
Ray Mabus 1988–1992 Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, United States Secretary of the Navy

Living former Governors of Mississippi

As of December 2020, there are four living former Mississippi governors, the oldest Governor of Mississippi being Haley Barbour (served 2004–2012, born 1947). The most recent Governor of Mississippi to die was William Winter (served 1980–1984, born 1923) on December 18, 2020. The most recently serving governor of Mississippi to die was Kirk Fordice (served 1992–2000) on September 7, 2004.

GovernorGubernatorial termDate of birth (and age)
Ray Mabus 1988–1992 (1948-10-11) October 11, 1948
Ronnie Musgrove 2000–2004 (1956-07-29) July 29, 1956
Haley Barbour 2004–2012 (1947-10-22) October 22, 1947
Phil Bryant 2012–2020 (1954-12-09) December 9, 1954

See also

Notes
  1. David Holmes was inaugurated as the first state governor on October 7, 1817, but Mississippi did not officially become a state until December 10, 1817.
  2. Died in office.
  3. As lieutenant governor, filled term until next election.
  4. Resigned due to illness.
  5. The 1832 constitution abolished the office of lieutenant governor; the office was reinstated in 1868.
  6. As president of the state senate, filled term until next election.
  7. Resigned following an arrest for violating neutrality laws by assisting with the liberation of Cuba. He was found not guilty, but the political fallout led to his resignation.
  8. As president of the senate, filled term until his senate term expired.
  9. As president of the senate, filled unexpired term.
  10. Resigned due to political tension over secession.
  11. A constitutional amendment passed during McRae's second term moved the gubernatorial inauguration date from January to the prior November, shortening his term by two months. The date was restored to January in the 1868 constitution.[13]
  12. Charles Clark's term effective ended when he was arrested by Union forces.
  13. Appointed by President Andrew Johnson following the end of the American Civil War.
  14. Resigned.
  15. Forced to resign and physically removed from office by federal forces after his government failed to comply with Reconstruction.
  16. Left office as Reconstruction ended.
  17. Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; Alcorn's senate term began March 4, 1871 but he delayed taking it, preferring to continue as governor.
  18. Impeached and removed from office.
  19. As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
  20. Impeached; made a deal with the legislature to resign, and all charges were dropped.
  21. As president of the senate, filled unexpired term, and was later elected in his own right; since both the governor and lieutenant governor had been impeached, with the governor resigning and lieutenant governor being removed from office, Stone was next in line for governor.
  22. The 1890 electoral term was extended to six years under the 1890 constitution in order to facilitate changes in the executive department.[12]
  23. Mississippi numbers Wright as the 49th governor, 1946–48 (His predecessor Thomas L. Bailey's term, which Wright completed) and the 50th governor, 1948–52 (Wright's elected term)
  24. As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term, and was later elected in his own right.
  25. Changed parties in 2002.

References
General
Constitutions
Specific
  1. "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  2. MS Const. art. V, § 116.
  3. MS Const. art. V, § 123.
  4. MS Const. art. IV, § 72.
  5. MS Const. art. V, § 121.
  6. MS Const. art. V, § 140-141.
  7. MS Const. art. V, § 117.
  8. http://www.mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/articles/265/index.php?s=articles&id=160
  9. MS Const. (1817) art. IV, § 1; MS Const. (1832) art. V, § 1; MS Const. (1868) art. V, § 1.
  10. MS Const. art. V, § 128–129.
  11. MS Const. art. V, § 131.
  12. "John Marshall Stone Archived 2010-10-09 at the Wayback Machine." Mississippi History Now. Mississippi Historical Society. Retrieved September 5, 2009.
  13. "John J. McRae Archived 2010-10-09 at the Wayback Machine." Mississippi History Now. Mississippi Historical Society. Retrieved September 5, 2009.
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