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Governor of Minnesota
Tim Walz official photo (cropped 2).jpg
Incumbent
Tim Walz

since January 7, 2019
Style The Honorable
Residence Minnesota Governor's Residence
Term length Four years, no term limit
Inaugural holder Henry H. Sibley
Formation May 24, 1858
Deputy Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
Salary $127,629


The governor of Minnesota is the head of government of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty people have been governor of Minnesota, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial governor, also served as state governor several years later. State governors are elected to office by popular vote, but territorial governors were appointed to the office by the United States president. The current governor of Minnesota is Tim Walz of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL).

Powers and qualifications

Similar to the U.S. President, the governor has veto power over bills passed by the Minnesota State Legislature. As in most states, but unlike the U.S. President, the governor can also make line-item vetoes, where specific provisions in bills can be stripped out while allowing the overall bill to be signed into law.

The governor of Minnesota must be 25 years old upon assuming office, and must have been a Minnesota resident for one year before the election.

Since a 1958 amendment to the Minnesota Constitution governors are elected to four-year terms, with no limits on the number of terms they may serve.

Cabinet

The governor has a cabinet consisting of the leaders of various state departments. The governor appoints these department heads, who, other than the head of the Department of Military Affairs and the chairs of the Metropolitan Council and the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, are called commissioners. Cabinet members include:

Cabinet
Office Incumbent Term began
Commissioner of Administration Alice Roberts-Davis January 7, 2019
Commissioner of Agriculture Thom Petersen January 7, 2019
Commissioner of Commerce Steve Kelley January 7, 2019
Commissioner of Corrections Paul Schnell January 7, 2019
Commissioner of Education Heather Mueller April 1, 2021
Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development Steve Grove January 7, 2019
Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm January 30, 2018
Commissioner of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education Dennis Olsen January 7, 2019
Commissioner of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency Jennifer Ho January 7, 2019
Commissioner of Human Rights Rebecca Lucero January 3, 2019
Commissioner of Human Services Jodi Harpstead August, 2019
Commissioner of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board Mark Phillips January 19, 2015
Commissioner and Chief Information Officer of MN.IT Services Tarek Tomes April 2019
Commissioner of Labor and Industry Nancy Leppink January 7, 2019
Commissioner of Management and Budget Myron Frans January 5, 2015
Commissioner of the Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services Janet Johnson January 7, 2019
Chairperson of the Metropolitan Council Nora Slawik January 7, 2019
Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke August 12, 2020
Commissioner of Natural Resources Sarah Strommen January 7, 2019
Commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Laura Bishop January 7, 2019
Commissioner of Public Safety John Harrington January 7, 2019
Commissioner of Revenue Cynthia Bauerly January 5, 2015
Commissioner of Transportation Margaret Anderson Kelliher January 7, 2019
Commissioner of Veterans Affairs Larry Herke January 7, 2019

Residence

The Minnesota Governor's Residence is located in Saint Paul, at 1006 Summit Avenue.

Succession

See also

  • List of Minnesota gubernatorial elections
  • List of lieutenant governors of Minnesota
  • Minnesota Secretary of State
  • Minnesota Attorney General
  • Minnesota State Auditor
  • Minnesota State Treasurer (office abolished January 6, 2003)
  • Politics of Minnesota
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