Governor of California
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Seal of the Governor of California (without the Roman numerals designating the governor's sequence) |
See also: List of pre-statehood governors of California, List of Governors of CaliforniaThe
Governor of California is the highest
executive authority in the state government, whose responsibilities include making yearly "State of the State" addresses to the
California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced.
The office of Governor of California was created in
1849, before California became a formal
state in the
American union. Previously, there had been six American military governors and numerous
Mexican governors when California was part of the
United Mexican States.
The current governor is
Arnold Schwarzenegger, a
Republican, who was elected on
October 7,
2003 to complete
recalled Democratic Governor
Gray Davis's term, which lasts until
January 8,
2007. A gubernatorial primary election was held on
June 6,
2006 to determine which candidates shall appear on the
November 7,
2006 general election ballot for the term lasting from
January 8,
2007 to
January 4,
2011.
The governor has the power to
veto legislation, overrideable by a two-thirds majority in both houses of the legislature, and can veto particular items from an appropriations bill while leaving others intact (see
line-item veto).
Law-enforcement powers include the ability to grant pardons and commute sentences, as well as serving as the
commander-in-chief of the state
militia. In addition to calling the
National Guard into active duty, the governor can call the
California State Military Reserve to active duty to support the Guard.
The governor also has full membership and voting powers to the
Regents of the University of California, the governing board of the
University of California system, along with other elected officials, and a majority of members on the Regents of the University of California are appointed by the governor.
Governors are elected by popular ballot and serve terms of four years, with a maximum of two terms. Governors take office on the first Monday after the
January 1 after their election.
Gubernatorial removal
There are two methods available to remove a governor before the expiration of the gubernatorial term of office.
Impeachment and removal by the legislature
The governor can be
impeached for "misconduct in office" by the
State Assembly and removed by a 2/3 vote of the
State Senate.
Recall by the voters
Petitions signed by California voters equal in number to 12% of the last vote for the office of governor (with signatures from each of 5 counties equal in number to 1% of the last vote for governor in the county) can launch a gubernatorial
recall election. The voters can then vote on whether or not to recall the incumbent governor, and on the same ballot, they can vote a potential replacement. If a
majority of the voters in the election vote to recall the governor, then the person who gains a
plurality of the votes in the replacement race will become governor.
Main article: 2003 California recall
The
2003 California recall began with a petition drive that successfully forced sitting Democratic Governor
Davis into a special
recall election. It marked the first time in California's history that a governor faced a recall election. He was subsequently voted out of office, becoming just the second governor in U.S. history to be recalled. He was replaced by Republican
Schwarzenegger.
The
Lieutenant Governor of California is elected at the same election, but not jointly as the
running mate of the gubernatorial candidate. California has had a governor and a lieutenant governor of different parties 23 of the past 28 years (as of 2006), as has been the case since 2003 with Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger (Republican) and Lieutenant Governor
Cruz Bustamante (Democrat), from 1991-1999 with Governor
Peter B. Wilson (Republican) and Lieutenant Governor
Gray Davis (Democrat), from 1983-1991 with Governor
George Deukmejian (Republican) and Lieutenant Governor
Leo T. McCarthy (Democrat), and from 1979-1983 with Governor
Jerry Brown (Democrat) and Lieutenant Governor
Mike Curb (Republican). This occasionally becomes significant, as the California Constitution provides that all the powers of the governor fall to the lieutenant governor whenever the governor is not in the State of California, with the lieutenant governor often signing or vetoing legislation, or making political appointments, whenever the governor leaves the state. (The lieutenant governor is also the president of the
California State Senate.) In practice, there is a
gentlemen's agreement for the Lieutenant Governor not to perform more than perfunctory duties while the Governor is away from the state. This agreement was violated when Mike Curb was in office, as he signed several executive orders at odds with the Brown administration when Brown was out of the state. Court rulings have upheld the lieutenant governor's right to perform the duties of governor while out of the state.
Age and longevity
*Between the births of
John Bigler in
1807 and
Arnold Schwarzenegger in
1947, future California Governors have been born in every decade except the
1880s.
*Between the deaths of
John McDougall in
1866 and
Ronald Reagan in
2004, Governors have died in every decade except two: the
1910s and the
1980s.
*
Peter Burnett had the longest post-governorship, 44 years. He left office in
1851 and died in
1895.
*Excluding Governors who died in office,
Robert Waterman had the shortest post-governorship. He died on
April 12,
1881, a mere 3 months and 4 days after the expiration of his term.
*Sworn in at the age of 31,
J. Neely Johnson was the youngest Governor.
*Sworn in at the age of 69,
Frank Merriam was the oldest Governor.
*
Earl Warren was the only Governor to serve more than 8 years in office (
1943–
1953)
*
Milton Latham served the shortest term in office of 5 days (
January 9–
January 14,
1860)
*Two Governors were born in foreign countries:
**
John G. Downey in
Ireland**
Arnold Schwarzenegger in
Austria*Two Governors have died in office:
**
Washington Bartlett in
1887**
James Rolph in
1934*
Ronald Reagan had the longest life-span of any governor, 93 years.
*
John McDougall had the shortest life-span of any governor, 48 years.
*Both governors that died in office,
Washington Bartlett in 1887 and
James Rolph in 1934 were both
Mayor of San Francisco before becoming governor.
Transition events
*Five Governors have resigned:
**
Peter Burnett in
1851 "as a result of certain personal prejudices" in favor of
slavery [
1]
**
Milton Latham in
1860 to become a
United States Senator**
Newton Booth in
1875 to become a
United States Senator**
Hiram Johnson in
1917 to become a
United States Senator**
Earl Warren in
1953 to become
Chief Justice of the United States*One Governor has been recalled:
**
Gray Davis in
2003*Seven Governors took office without being elected to the Governor's seat, having been elected as Lieutenant Governor and then ascending from that position:
**Four of them did not run to succeed themselves, and were never elected Governor:
***
John McDougall in
1851***
John G. Downey in
1860***
Romualdo Pacheco in
1875***
Robert Waterman in
1887**The other three later ran for Governor, and were elected to succeed themselves as Governor:
***
William Stephens in
1917***
Frank Merriam in
1934***
Goodwin Knight in
1953*
List of pre-statehood governors of California*
List of Governors of California*
List of California Governors by time in office*
Official site of Governor's office*
Election and Voter Information*
2006 Gubernatorial Campaigns*
Election Results for Candidates for Governor (1920-Present)*
List of candidates and Parties that ran in the 2006 Election of the Governor of California
