List of governors of Alabama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Governor of Alabama |
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Standard of the governor
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Seal of the governor
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| Government of Alabama | |
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| Residence | Alabama Governor's Mansion |
| Term length | Four years, renewable once consecutively |
| Precursor | Governor of Alabama Territory |
| Inaugural holder | William Wyatt Bibb |
| Formation | December 14, 1819 |
| Succession | Line of succession |
| Deputy | Lieutenant Governor of Alabama |
| Salary | $127,833 (2022) |
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The governor of Alabama is the main leader of the state government in Alabama, a U.S. state. The governor is in charge of the state's executive branch, which means they make sure state laws are followed.
Alabama has had 54 official governors. This count does not include people who served as acting or military governors. The very first governor, William Wyatt Bibb, was the only governor of the Alabama Territory before it became a state.
The longest-serving governor was George Wallace, who held the office for 16 years over four terms. Lurleen Wallace, George Wallace's first wife, was the first woman to be governor of Alabama. She was also the third woman to be governor of any state in the U.S. The current governor is Kay Ivey, a Republican. She became governor on April 10, 2017, and is the second female governor of Alabama.
Contents
History of Alabama's Governors
Governors of the Alabama Territory
The Alabama Territory was created on March 3, 1817. It had only one governor, who was chosen by the President of the United States. This governor later became the first state governor.
| No. | Governor | Term in office | Appointed by | |
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| 1 |  |
William Wyatt Bibb (1781–1820) |
September 25, 1817 – November 9, 1819 (elected state governor) |
James Monroe |
Governors of the State of Alabama
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Alabama officially joined the United States on December 14, 1819. Later, on January 11, 1861, Alabama left the Union and became a founding member of the Confederate States of America. After the American Civil War ended, Alabama was readmitted to the Union on July 14, 1868.
The first Alabama Constitution in 1819 said that a governor would be elected every two years. They could serve no more than 4 years out of every 6 years. This rule changed with the 1868 constitution, which allowed governors to serve two-year terms without the previous limit. The current constitution, from 1901, made terms four years long. However, it first said that governors could not serve two terms in a row.
In 1968, an amendment was added. This change allowed governors to serve two terms in a row. After serving two terms, a governor must wait one term before running again.
The job of lieutenant governor was created in 1868. It was removed in 1875 but brought back in 1901. Today, if the governor is out of the state for more than 20 days, the lieutenant governor becomes the acting governor. If the governor's office becomes empty, the lieutenant governor takes over as governor. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected at the same time, but they do not run as a team.
Before the Civil War, Alabama mostly elected governors from the Democratic-Republican and Democratic parties. After the Reconstruction period, it took 112 years before Alabama voters chose another Republican governor. Since 2002, the state has consistently elected Republican governors.
Timeline of Governors
| Timeline of Alabama governors |
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See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Gobernadores de Alabama para niños
- List of Alabama state legislatures
