Kay Ivey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kay Ivey
Ivey in 2017
54th Governor of Alabama
Incumbent
Assumed office April 10, 2017
Lieutenant	Vacant (2017–2019) Will Ainsworth (2019–present)
Preceded by	Robert J. Bentley
30th Lieutenant Governor of Alabama
In office January 17, 2011 – April 10, 2017
Governor	Robert J. Bentley
Preceded by	Jim Folsom Jr.
Succeeded by	Will Ainsworth (2019)
38th Treasurer of Alabama
In office January 20, 2003 – January 17, 2011
Governor	Bob Riley
Preceded by	Lucy Baxley
Succeeded by	Young Boozer
Personal details
Born	Kay Ellen Ivey (1944-10-15) October 15, 1944 (age 80) Camden, Alabama, U.S.
Political party	Republican (2002–present)
Other political affiliations	Democratic (before 2002)
Spouses	Ben LaRavia ​ ​ (m. 1967; div. 1969)​ Tom Clement ​ ​ (m. 1991; div. 1993)​
Residence	Governor's Mansion
Education	Auburn University (BA)
Signature

Kay Ellen Ivey (born October 15, 1944) is an American politician who has been the 54th governor of Alabama since 2017. As a member of the Republican Party, she has also served as the state treasurer and lieutenant governor of Alabama.

Ivey became Alabama's second female governor after the governor before her, Robert J. Bentley, resigned. She won her first full term as governor in 2018 and was reelected in 2022. She is the longest-serving female governor currently in office in the United States.

Early Life and Education

Kay Ivey was born on October 15, 1944, in Camden, Alabama. She was the only child of Boadman Nettles and Barbara Elizabeth Ivey. Her father was an officer in the U.S. Army during World War II. He also worked with the Gees Bend community.

Growing up, Ivey helped on her father's farm. She went to Auburn University. There, she was part of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. She was also involved in the Student Government Association. In 2021, she received an honorary degree from Jacksonville State University.

In 1967, Ivey moved to California and worked as a high school teacher. Later, she returned to Alabama. She worked at Merchants National Bank, where she started a program to teach financial skills. Ivey has been divorced twice and does not have children.

Beginning a Career in Politics

Ivey after being sworn in as State Treasurer in 2003

In 1979, Governor Fob James appointed Ivey to a position in his state cabinet. From 1980 to 1982, she worked as the reading clerk for the Alabama House of Representatives. This job involved reading bills aloud to the lawmakers.

She later worked for the Alabama Commission on Higher Education from 1985 to 1998, where she focused on government affairs and communications.

Alabama State Treasurer (2003–2011)

Ivey is sworn into a second term as State Treasurer by Jeff Sessions in 2007

The state treasurer is in charge of managing the state's money. Ivey was elected to this office in 2002 as a Republican. She was the first Republican to be elected state treasurer since the Reconstruction era after the Civil War. She won reelection in 2006.

During her time as treasurer, a state program that helped families save for college, called the Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (PACT) program, faced serious financial problems. The cost of college tuition had risen much faster than expected. The Alabama state government had to step in to help fix the program.

Lieutenant Governor of Alabama (2011–2017)

Ivey with Martha Roby, Robert J. Bentley, and Terri Sewell in 2014

After serving two terms as treasurer, Ivey could not run again for that office because of state law. In 2010, she decided to run for lieutenant governor. The lieutenant governor is the second-highest official in the state and becomes governor if the current governor can no longer serve.

She won the Republican nomination and then defeated the Democratic incumbent, Jim Folsom Jr., in the November 2010 election. In 2014, she was reelected, becoming the first Republican in Alabama's history to be reelected as lieutenant governor.

Governor of Alabama (2017–Present)

Ivey with Vice President Mike Pence during his visit to Alabama, October 2018

How She Became Governor

On April 10, 2017, Governor Robert J. Bentley resigned from office. As lieutenant governor, Ivey automatically became the new governor. She is the second woman to be governor of Alabama. The first was Lurleen Wallace in the 1960s.

Ivey ran for a full term as governor in 2018 and won. She ran for reelection in 2022 and won again, defeating eight other candidates in the Republican primary and the Democratic nominee in the general election.

Important Actions as Governor

As governor, Ivey has made many important decisions on issues like elections, the economy, and education.

Elections and Government

In 2017, Ivey signed a law to stop crossover voting. This means a person cannot vote in one party's primary election and then vote in another party's runoff election for the same election cycle.

In 2024, she signed a bill that makes it illegal to use artificial intelligence (AI) to create fake and misleading videos or images in election campaigns.

COVID-19 Pandemic

When the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, Governor Ivey declared a state of emergency. She issued a stay-at-home order in April to help slow the spread of the virus. Later, she signed laws that prevented businesses from requiring proof of vaccination. She also encouraged Alabamians to get vaccinated to protect themselves.

Education Policies

Ivey has focused on improving education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). She created an advisory council to find ways to help students succeed in these fields.

In 2024, she signed a bill that prevents public schools and colleges from using state money for DEI programs. The law also limits discussions on certain topics, sometimes called "divisive concepts," in classrooms.

Firearms Laws

In 2018, Ivey approved the Alabama Sentry Program. This program allows trained school administrators to have guns at school to protect students from armed intruders. In 2022, she signed a "constitutional carry" bill. This law allows people to carry a concealed handgun without needing a permit.

Personal Life

Ivey has been married and divorced twice and does not have any children. She is a member of the First Baptist Church in Montgomery.

In 2019, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. After receiving radiation treatment, she was declared cancer-free in January 2020.

Electoral History

See also

• List of female governors in the United States
• List of female lieutenant governors in the United States