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List of governors of Florida facts for kids

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Governor of Florida
Flag of Florida.svg
Flag of the State of Florida
Seal of Florida.svg
Seal of the State of Florida
Gov Ron DeSantis Portrait (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Ron DeSantis

since January 8, 2019
Style
Residence Florida Governor's Mansion
Term length Four years, renewable once
Constituting instrument Constitution of Florida
Precursor Governor of the Florida Territory
Inaugural holder William Dunn Moseley
Formation June 25, 1845
Deputy Lieutenant Governor of Florida
Salary $130,273 (2013)

The governor of Florida is the head of government of the state of Florida 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 Florida Legislature, to convene the legislature and grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment.

When Florida was first acquired by the United States, future president Andrew Jackson served as its military governor. Florida Territory was established in 1822 and five people served as governor over 6 distinct terms. The first territorial governor, William Pope Duval, served 12 years, the longest of any Florida governor to date.

Since statehood in 1845, there have been 45 people who have served as governor, one of whom served two distinct terms. Four state governors have served two full four-year terms: William D. Bloxham, in two stints, as well as Reubin Askew, Jeb Bush and Rick Scott who each served their terms consecutively. Bob Graham almost served two terms but resigned with three days left in his term in order to qualify to run for the United States Senate. The shortest term in office belongs to Wayne Mixson, who served three days following the resignation of his predecessor, Bob Graham.

The current officeholder is Ron DeSantis, a member of the Republican Party who took office on January 8, 2019.

Governors

Federal military commissioner

Spanish Florida was acquired from Spain in the Adams–Onís Treaty, which took effect July 10, 1821. Parts of West Florida had already been assigned to Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi; the remainder and East Florida were governed by a military commissioner with the powers of governor until the territory was organized and incorporated.

Federal Military Commissioner of Florida
Commissioner Term in office Appointed by Notes
Andrew Jackson.jpg Andrew Jackson March 10, 1821

December 31, 1821
James Monroe

Governors of the Territory of Florida

Florida Territory was organized on March 30, 1822, combining East and West Florida.

Governors of the Territory of Florida
No. Governor Term in office Appointed by
1 2 Duval.jpg William Pope Duval April 17, 1822

April 24, 1834
James Monroe
John Quincy Adams
Andrew Jackson
2 John Eaton.jpg John Eaton April 24, 1834

March 16, 1836
Andrew Jackson
3 Richardkeithcall.jpg Richard K. Call March 16, 1836

December 2, 1839
Andrew Jackson
4 Robert Raymond Reid.jpg Robert R. Reid December 2, 1839

March 19, 1841
Martin Van Buren
5 Richardkeithcall.jpg Richard K. Call March 19, 1841

August 11, 1844
William Henry Harrison
John Tyler
6 JohnBranch2.jpg John Branch August 11, 1844

June 25, 1845
John Tyler

Governors of the State of Florida

The State of Florida was admitted to the Union on March 3, 1845. It seceded from the Union on January 10, 1861, and joined the Confederate States of America on February 8, 1861, as a founding member. Following the end of the American Civil War, it was part of the Third Military District. Florida was readmitted to the Union on June 25, 1868.

The Florida Constitution of 1838 provided that a governor be elected every 4 years, who was not allowed to serve consecutive terms. The secessionist constitution of 1861 would have reduced this to two years and removed the term limit, but the state fell to the Union before the first election under that constitution. The rejected constitution of 1865 and the ratified constitution of 1868 maintained the four-year term, though without the earlier term limit, which was reintroduced in the 1885 constitution. The current constitution of 1968 states that should the governor serve, or would have served had he not resigned, more than six years in two consecutive terms, he cannot be elected to the succeeding term. The start of a term was set in 1885 at the first Tuesday after the first Monday in the January following the election, where it has remained.

Originally, the president of the state senate acted as governor should that office be vacant. The 1865 and 1868 constitutions created the office of lieutenant governor, who would similarly act as governor. This office was abolished in 1885, with the president of the senate again taking on that duty. The 1968 constitution recreated the office of lieutenant governor, who now becomes governor in the absence of the governor. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected on the same ticket.

Florida was a strongly Democratic state before the Civil War, electing only one candidate from the Whig party (the Democrat's chief opposition at the time). It elected three Republican governors following Reconstruction, but after the Democratic Party re-established control, 90 years passed before voters chose another Republican.

Governors of the State of Florida
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor
1 8 Moseley.jpg   William Dunn Moseley
    February 1, 1795 – January 4, 1863   
(aged 67)
June 25, 1845

October 1, 1849
(term-limited)
Democratic 1845 Office did not exist
2 Florida Governor Thomas Brown.jpg Thomas Brown
    October 24, 1785 – August 24, 1867   
(aged 81)
October 1, 1849

October 3, 1853
(term-limited)
Whig 1848
3 Florida Governor James E. Broome.jpg James E. Broome
    December 15, 1808 – November 23, 1883   
(aged 74)
October 3, 1853

October 5, 1857
(term-limited)
Democratic 1852
4 Florida Governor Madison S. Perry.jpg Madison S. Perry
    1814 – March 1865   
(aged 50–51)
October 5, 1857

October 7, 1861
(term-limited)
Democratic 1856
5 John Milton Florida.jpg John Milton
    April 20, 1807 – April 1, 1865   
(aged 57)
October 7, 1861

April 1, 1865
(died in office)
Democratic 1860
6 Florida Governor Abraham K. Allison.jpg Abraham K. Allison
    December 10, 1814 – July 8, 1893   
(aged 78)
April 1, 1865

May 19, 1865
(resigned)
Democratic President of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
Vacant May 19, 1865

July 13, 1865
Office vacated
after civil war
7 Florida Governor William Marvin.jpg William Marvin
    April 14, 1808 – July 9, 1902   
(aged 94)
July 13, 1865

December 20, 1865
(provisional term ended)
Provisional
governor
appointed by
President
8 Florida Governor David S. Walker.jpg David S. Walker
    May 2, 1815 – July 20, 1891   
(aged 76)
December 20, 1865

July 4, 1868
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1865   William W. J. Kelly
9 Governor Harrison Reed of Florida.jpg Harrison Reed
    August 26, 1813 – May 25, 1899   
(aged 85)
July 4, 1868

January 7, 1873
(not candidate for election)
Republican 1868 William Henry Gleason
(removed December 14, 1868)
Vacant
  Edmund C. Weeks
(appointed January 24, 1870)
(term ended December 27, 1870)
Samuel T. Day
(took office December 27, 1870)
10 Florida Governor Ossian B. Hart.jpg Ossian B. Hart
    January 17, 1821 – March 18, 1874   
(aged 53)
January 7, 1873

March 18, 1874
(died in office)
Republican 1872 Marcellus Stearns
11 Florida Governor Marcellus Stearns.png Marcellus Stearns
    April 29, 1839 – December 8, 1891   
(aged 52)
March 18, 1874

January 2, 1877
(lost election)
Republican Lieutenant
Governor
acting as
Governor
Acting as Governor
12 Florida Governor George Franklin Drew.jpg George Franklin Drew
    August 6, 1827 – September 26, 1900   
(aged 73)
January 2, 1877

January 4, 1881
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1876 Noble A. Hull
(resigned March 3, 1879)
Vacant
13 Florida Governor William Bloxham.jpg William D. Bloxham
    July 9, 1835 – March 15, 1911   
(aged 75)
January 4, 1881

January 7, 1885
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1880 Livingston W. Bethel
14 Florida Governor Edward A. Perry.jpg Edward A. Perry
    March 15, 1831 – October 15, 1889   
(aged 58)
January 7, 1885

January 8, 1889
(term-limited)
Democratic 1884 Milton H. Mabry
15 FPFleming.jpg Francis P. Fleming
    September 28, 1841 – December 20, 1908   
(aged 67)
January 8, 1889

January 3, 1893
(term-limited)
Democratic 1888 Office did not exist
16 Henry L Mitchell.jpg Henry L. Mitchell
    September 3, 1831 – October 14, 1903   
(aged 72)
January 3, 1893

January 5, 1897
(term-limited)
Democratic 1892
17 Florida Governor William Bloxham.jpg William D. Bloxham
    July 9, 1835 – March 15, 1911   
(aged 75)
January 5, 1897

January 8, 1901
(term-limited)
Democratic 1896
18 William Sherman Jennings.jpg William Sherman Jennings
    March 24, 1863 – February 27, 1920   
(aged 56)
January 8, 1901

January 3, 1905
(term-limited)
Democratic 1900
19 Napoleon Bonaparte Broward.jpg Napoleon B. Broward
    April 19, 1857 – October 1, 1910   
(aged 53)
January 3, 1905

January 5, 1909
(term-limited)
Democratic 1904
20 Florida Governor Albert W. Gilchrist.jpg Albert W. Gilchrist
    January 15, 1858 – May 15, 1926   
(aged 67)
January 5, 1909

January 7, 1913
(term-limited)
Democratic 1908
21 Park Trammell.jpg Park Trammell
    April 9, 1876 – May 8, 1936   
(aged 60)
January 7, 1913

January 2, 1917
(term-limited)
Democratic 1912
22 Sidney Johnston Catts in 1916 (cropped).jpg Sidney Johnston Catts
    July 31, 1863 – March 9, 1936   
(aged 72)
January 2, 1917

January 4, 1921
(term-limited)
Prohibition 1916
23 Cary Hardee portrait.jpg Cary A. Hardee
    November 13, 1876 – November 21, 1957   
(aged 81)
January 4, 1921

January 6, 1925
(term-limited)
Democratic 1920
24 Florida Governor John Martin.jpg John W. Martin
    June 21, 1884 – February 22, 1958   
(aged 73)
January 6, 1925

January 8, 1929
(term-limited)
Democratic 1924
25 Doyle E. Carlton.jpg Doyle E. Carlton
    July 6, 1885 – October 25, 1972   
(aged 87)
January 8, 1929

January 3, 1933
(term-limited)
Democratic 1928
26 33 Sholtz.jpg David Sholtz
    October 6, 1891 – March 21, 1953   
(aged 61)
January 3, 1933

January 5, 1937
(term-limited)
Democratic 1932
27 Florida Governor Frederick Cone.jpg Fred P. Cone
    September 28, 1871 – July 28, 1948   
(aged 76)
January 5, 1937

January 7, 1941
(term-limited)
Democratic 1936
28 Sen Spessard Holland.jpg Spessard Holland
    July 10, 1892 – November 6, 1971   
(aged 79)
January 7, 1941

January 2, 1945
(term-limited)
Democratic 1940
29 Millard F. Caldwell.jpg Millard Caldwell
    February 6, 1897 – October 23, 1984   
(aged 87)
January 2, 1945

January 4, 1949
(term-limited)
Democratic 1944
30 37 Warren.jpg Fuller Warren
    October 3, 1905 – September 23, 1973   
(aged 67)
January 4, 1949

January 6, 1953
(term-limited)
Democratic 1948
31 Daniel T. McCarty.jpg Daniel T. McCarty
    January 18, 1912 – September 28, 1953   
(aged 41)
January 6, 1953

September 28, 1953
(died in office)
Democratic 1952
32 Charley Eugene Johns 1963.jpg Charley Eugene Johns
    February 27, 1905 – January 23, 1990   
(aged 84)
September 28, 1953

January 4, 1955
(lost election)
Democratic President of
the Senate
acting as
Governor
33 LeRoy Collins.jpg LeRoy Collins
    March 10, 1909 – March 12, 1991   
(aged 82)
January 4, 1955

January 3, 1961
(term-limited)
Democratic 1954
(special)
1956
34 C. Farris Bryant.jpg C. Farris Bryant
    July 26, 1914 – March 1, 2002   
(aged 87)
January 3, 1961

January 5, 1965
(term-limited)
Democratic 1960
35 W Haydon Burns.jpg W. Haydon Burns
    March 7, 1912 – November 22, 1987   
(aged 85)
January 5, 1965

January 3, 1967
(lost election)
Democratic 1964
36 Governor Claude R Kirk.jpg Claude R. Kirk Jr.
    January 7, 1926 – September 28, 2011   
(aged 85)
January 3, 1967

January 5, 1971
(lost election)
Republican 1966
Ray C. Osborne
(office created January 7, 1969)
37 Governor Reubin O’D. Askew (cropped).jpg Reubin Askew
    September 11, 1928 – March 13, 2014   
(aged 85)
January 5, 1971

January 2, 1979
(term-limited)
Democratic 1970 Thomas Burton Adams Jr.
1974 Jim Williams
38 Gov Bob Graham (cropped).jpg Bob Graham
    (1936-11-09) November 9, 1936 (age 87)
January 2, 1979

January 3, 1987
(resigned)
Democratic 1978 Wayne Mixson
1982
39 Official Portrait of Wayne Mixson (cropped).jpg Wayne Mixson
    June 16, 1922 – July 8, 2020   
(aged 98)
January 3, 1987

January 6, 1987
(successor took office)
Democratic Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor
Vacant
40 Portrait of Florida Governor Robert Martinez.jpg Bob Martinez
    (1934-12-25) December 25, 1934 (age 89)
January 6, 1987

January 8, 1991
(lost election)
Republican 1986 Bobby Brantley
41 Lawton Chiles Governor portrait.jpg Lawton Chiles
    April 3, 1930 – December 12, 1998   
(aged 68)
January 8, 1991

December 12, 1998
(died in office)
Democratic 1990 Buddy MacKay
1994
42 Buddy MacKay (official portrait).jpg Buddy MacKay
    (1933-03-22) March 22, 1933 (age 90)
December 12, 1998

January 5, 1999
(successor took office)
Democratic Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor
Vacant
43 Gov Jeb Bush.jpg Jeb Bush
    (1953-02-11) February 11, 1953 (age 71)
January 5, 1999

January 2, 2007
(term-limited)
Republican 1998 Frank Brogan
(resigned March 3, 2003)
2002
Toni Jennings
44 Gov charlie crist.jpg Charlie Crist
    (1956-07-24) July 24, 1956 (age 67)
January 2, 2007

January 4, 2011
(not candidate for election)
Republican 2006 Jeff Kottkamp
Independent
45 Governor Rick Scott 2013 (cropped).jpg Rick Scott
    (1952-12-01) December 1, 1952 (age 71)
January 4, 2011

January 7, 2019
(term-limited)
Republican 2010 Jennifer Carroll
(resigned March 12, 2013)
Vacant
Carlos Lopez-Cantera
(appointed February 3, 2014)
2014
46 Gov Ron DeSantis Portrait (cropped 2).jpg Ron DeSantis
    (1978-09-14) September 14, 1978 (age 45)
January 8, 2019

Incumbent
Republican 2018 Jeanette Núñez
2022

Acting governor

Florida has had a number of people serve as acting governor. The state's first three constitutions provided that the succession in office became operative whenever the governor was out of the state. Thus, in 1853 when Governor Thomas Brown attended an event in Boston—the Senate president who would normally succeed the governor at the time was also out of state. Therefore, the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, A.K. Allison, became acting governor on September 16, 1853. He served for 17 days.

Article IV Section 3 (b) of the Florida Constitution now calls for the lieutenant governor to "act as Governor" during the governor's physical or mental incapacity. This provision has been invoked one time. On June 18, 2008, Governor Charlie Crist filed a proclamation with the secretary of state transferring power of governor to Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp pursuant to the constitutional provision while he underwent knee surgery.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Gobernadores de Florida para niños

  • Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Florida
  • List of Florida state legislatures
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List of governors of Florida Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.