Party | Governors |
---|---|
Democratic | 25 |
Republican | 18 |
Democratic-Republican Party | 9 |
Whig | 4 |
Federalist | 1 |
Fusion | 1 |
The following is a list of the Governors of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the New York legislature, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.[A] The current governor is David Paterson, who became governor on March 17, 2008 upon the resignation of Eliot Spitzer.
The office of governor was established by the first New York State Constitution in 1777. The governor was originally for a term of three years[B], though the constitution did not specify when the term began. A 1787 law set the start of the term at July 1.[C]. The New York State Constitutional Convention of 1821 amended the state constitution, reducing the term of office to two years,[D] moving the election to November,[E], and moving the beginning and the end of the term to coincide with the calendar year.[F] An 1874 amendment extended the term of office back to three years,[G], but the 1894 constitution again reduced it to two years.[H]. The most recent constitution of 1938 extended the term to the current four years.[I]
The state constitution has provided since 1777 for the election of a lieutenant governor, who also acts as president of the state senate, to the same term (keeping the same term lengths as the governor throughout all the constitutional revisions).[J] Originally, in the event of the death, resignation or impeachment of the governor, or absence from the state, the lieutenant governor would take on the governor's duties and powers.[J] Since the 1938 constitution, the lieutenant governor explicitly becomes governor upon such vacancy in the office.[K] Should the office of lieutenant governor become vacant, the president pro tempore of the state senate[2] performs the duties of a lieutenant governor until the governor can take back the duties of the office, or the next election; likewise, should both offices become vacant, the president pro tempore acts as governor, with the office of lieutenant governor remaining vacant. Should the president pro tempore be unable to fulfill the duties, the speaker of the assembly is next in the line of succession.[L] The lieutenant governor is elected on the same ticket as the governor, but nominated separately.[M]
Fifty-five individuals have served as governor, four of whom served non-consecutive terms, totalling 59 distinct terms; the official numbering only lists each governor once, so there have officially been fifty-five governors. The official numbering includes acting governors that filled an entire term.[N] The list does not include acting governors who acted in the absence of the governor, such as Speaker Moses M. Weinstein, who acted as governor for ten days in 1968 while the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the senate majority leader were attending the Republican National Convention in Miami, Florida.[3]
The longest-serving governor was the first, George Clinton, who first took office on July 30, 1777, and served seven terms in two different periods, totaling just under 21 years in office. Charles Poletti had the shortest term, serving 29 days following the resignation of the previous governor.
Governors
New York was one of the original thirteen colonies, and was admitted as a state on July 26 1788. Prior to declaring its independence, New York was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain, which it in turn obtained from the Dutch as the colony of New Netherland; see the lists of colonial governors and of directors-general of New Netherland for the pre-statehood period.
Democratic-Republican Federalist Democratic Whig Republican
Notes
- ^ 55 people have served as governor, four twice; the table includes these non-consecutive terms as well.
- ^ The state constitutions refer to this position as the "temporary president of the senate"
- ^ [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/03/nyregion/03weinstein.html?_r=1 Obit in NYT}
- ^ The fractional terms of some governors are not to be understood absolutely literally; rather, they are meant to show single terms during which multiple governors served, due to resignations, deaths and the like.
- ^ There was no codified start for terms when Clinton took office; the date was set at July 1 in 1787, starting presumably in 1789.
- ^ Most sources state the early governors took office on April 1; however, more contemporary sources note the elections were held on April 1, with the oath of office being delivered on July 1.[O]
- ^ Resigned to be Vice President of the United States.
- ^ Under the 1777 constitution, the lieutenant governor would act as governor if that office became vacant; the president pro tempore of the senate would then act as lieutenant governor. It is unknown who the president pro tempore of the state senate was during John Tayler's term as acting governor.
- ^ As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term.
- ^ The length and dates of terms were changed in 1821, during DeWitt Clinton's second term, which then ended on December 31 1822 instead of July 1 1823.
- ^ As per the 1821 constitution, Yates' term was the first to last two years instead of three.
- ^ Died in office.
- ^ a b c d e f As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
- ^ a b Resigned to be President of the United States.
- ^ a b As lieutenant governor, became governor for unexpired term, and was re-elected for another term.
- ^ As per an 1874 amendment to the constitution (taking effect January 1 1875), Robinson's term was the first to last three years instead of two. As Tilden had been elected prior to the amendment taking effect, he served the old two-year term.[P]
- ^ As per the 1894 constitution, Morton's term was the first to last two years instead of three.
- ^ Resigned to take seat as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
- ^ Impeached and removed from office for campaign contribution fraud.
- ^ As per the 1938 constitution, Lehman's fourth term, commencing January 1 1939, was the first scheduled to last four years instead of two.
- ^ Resigned to be Director of Foreign Relief and Rehabilitation Operations at the U.S. Department of State.
- ^ Resigned to devote himself to his Commission on Critical Choices for Americans.
- ^ Resigned due to a prostitution scandal.
- ^ Governor Paterson's first term expires on December 31, 2010; he is not term limited.
Other high offices held
This is a table of congressional and other federal offices, and ranking diplomatic positions in foreign countries held by New York governors.[Q] All representatives and senators mentioned represented New York. * denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take. † denotes those offices from which the governor resigned to take the governorship.
Living former governors
As of April 2008, four former governors were alive, the oldest being Hugh Carey (1975–1982, born 1919). The most recent governor to die was Charles Poletti (1942), on August 8 2002. The most recently-serving governor to die was Malcolm Wilson (1973–1974), on March 13 2000.
Name | Gubernatorial term | Date of birth |
---|---|---|
Hugh Carey | 1975–1982 | April 11 1919 |
Mario Cuomo | 1983–1994 | June 15 1932 |
George Pataki | 1995–2006 | June 24 1945 |
Eliot Spitzer | 2007–2008 | June 10 1959 |
See also
References
- General
- "Governors of New York". State of New York. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- "Governors Database: New York". National Governors Association. National Governors Association. 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- Jenkins, John Stilwell (1851). Lives of the Governors of the State of New York. Auburn N.Y.: Derby and Miller. p. 862.
- Specific
- [A] ^ "Constitution of the State of New York, Article IV, Sections 3, 4, and 7". Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [B] ^ "1777 Constitution of New York, Section XVII". Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [C] ^ "Governors of New York". New York Department of State. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [D] ^ "1821 Constitution of New York, Article III, Section 1". Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [E] ^ "1821 Constitution of New York, Article I, Section 15". Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [F] ^ "1821 Constitution of New York, Article I, Section 16". Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [G] ^ John Joseph Lalor, ed. (1883). "New York". Cyclopædia of Political Science, Political Economy, and the Political History of the United States. Vol. II. Chicago: Melbert B. Cary & Company. p. 1017. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [H] ^ "1894 Constitution of New York, Article IV, Section 1". Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [I] ^ "Constitution of the State of New York, Article IV, Section 1". Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [J] 1 2 "1777 Constitution of New York, Section XX". Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [K] ^ "Constitution of the State of New York, Article IV, Section 5". Retrieved 2008-03-28. "... the lieutenant-governor shall become governor for the remainder of the term." All previous constitutions used the term "devolve" rather than "become", e.g. from the 1894 constitution, "... the powers and duties of the office shall devolve upon the Lieutenant-Governor for the residue of the term, or until the disability shall cease."
- [L] ^ "Constitution of the State of New York, Article IV, Section 6". Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [M] ^ "Executive Branch of the Several States". Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [N] ^ "Governors of New York". State of New York. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [O] ^ Jenkins, John S. (1851). Lives of the Governors of the State of New York. Auburn: Derby and Miller. p. 121. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [P] ^ Lincoln, Charles Z. (1906). The Constitutional History of New York. Vol. II. Rochester, New York: The Lawyers Co-Operative Publishing Company. p. 512.
- [Q] ^ "Governors Database: New York". National Governors Association. National Governors Association. 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [R] ^ "John Jay". The Supreme Court Historical Society. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [S] ^ "VAN BUREN, Martin". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [T] ^ "MARCY, William Learned". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [U] ^ "WRIGHT, Silas, Jr". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [V] ^ "FENTON, Reuben Eaton". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [W] ^ "BLACK, Frank Swett". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [X] ^ "SULZER, William". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
- [Y] ^ "CAREY, Hugh Leo". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2008-03-28.