List of governors of Alabama

Wikimedia list article

This is list of the governors of U.S. state Alabama

Governor of Alabama
Seal of the Governor
Standard of the Governor
Incumbent
Kay Ivey

since April 10, 2017
Style
Status
ResidenceAlabama Governor's Mansion
Term lengthFour years, renewable once
PrecursorGovernor of Alabama Territory
Inaugural holderWilliam Wyatt Bibb
FormationDecember 14, 1819
(204 years ago)
 (1819-12-14)
DeputyLieutenant Governor of Alabama
Salary$119,950 (2013)[1]
Websitehttp://www.governor.state.al.us

List of governors

change
Governors of the State of Alabama[a]
No.[b] Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor[c][d]
1     William Wyatt Bibb November 9, 1819[e]

July 10, 1820[3]
(died in office)
Democratic-
Republican
1819 Office did not exist
2   Thomas Bibb July 10, 1820[f]

November 9, 1821
(not candidate for election)
Democratic-
Republican
Succeeded from
President of
the Senate
3   Israel Pickens November 9, 1821

November 25, 1825
(term limited)
Democratic-
Republican
1821
1823
4   John Murphy November 25, 1825

November 25, 1829
(term limited)
Jackson
Democrat
1825
1827
5   Gabriel Moore November 25, 1829

March 3, 1831
(resigned)[g]
Jackson
Democrat
1829
6 Samuel B. Moore March 3, 1831

November 26, 1831
(lost election)
Democratic Succeeded from
President of
the Senate
7   John Gayle November 26, 1831

November 21, 1835
(term limited)
Democratic 1831
1833
8   Clement Comer Clay November 21, 1835

July 17, 1837[h]
(resigned)[i]
Democratic 1835
9   Hugh McVay July 17, 1837[h]

November 21, 1837[8]
(not candidate for election)
Democratic Succeeded from
President of
the Senate
10   Arthur P. Bagby November 21, 1837[8]

November 22, 1841
(term limited)
Democratic 1837
1839
11   Benjamin Fitzpatrick November 22, 1841

December 10, 1845
(term limited)
Democratic 1841
1843
12   Joshua L. Martin December 10, 1845

December 16, 1847
(withdrew from election)[j]
Independent[k] 1845
13   Reuben Chapman December 16, 1847

December 17, 1849
(lost renomination)[l]
Democratic 1847
14   Henry W. Collier December 17, 1849

December 20, 1853
(term limited)
Democratic 1849
1851
15   John A. Winston December 20, 1853

December 1, 1857
(term limited)
Democratic 1853
1855
16   Andrew B. Moore December 1, 1857

December 2, 1861
(term limited)
Democratic 1857
1859
17   John Gill Shorter December 2, 1861

December 1, 1863
(lost election)
Democratic 1861
18   Thomas H. Watts December 1, 1863

May 3, 1865[m]
(arrested and removed)[n]
Whig[o] 1863
Vacant May 3, 1865[m]

June 21, 1865
Office vacated
after civil war
19   Lewis E. Parsons June 21, 1865

December 13, 1865
(provisional term ended)
[p] Provisional
governor
appointed by
President
[q]
20   Robert M. Patton December 13, 1865

July 14, 1868[r]
(not candidate for election)
Pre-War Whig[s] 1865[t]
  Wager Swayne March 2, 1867[u]

January 11, 1868[v]

(removed)[21]
Military
occupation
[t]
21   William Hugh Smith July 14, 1868[r]

November 26, 1870[w]
(lost election)
Republican 1868
  Andrew J. Applegate
(took office August 13, 1868)
(died August 21, 1870)
Vacant
22   Robert B. Lindsay November 26, 1870

November 25, 1872[x]
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1870[w] Edward H. Moren
23   David P. Lewis November 17, 1872[x]

November 24, 1874
(lost election)[24]
Republican 1872 Alexander McKinstry
24   George S. Houston November 24, 1874

November 27, 1878[y]
(not candidate for election)[z]
Democratic 1874 Robert F. Ligon
1876 Office did not exist
25   Rufus W. Cobb November 27, 1878[y]

December 1, 1882
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1878
1880
26   Edward A. O'Neal December 1, 1882

December 1, 1886
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1882
1884
27   Thomas Seay December 1, 1886

December 1, 1890
(not candidate for election)[aa]
Democratic 1886
1888
28   Thomas G. Jones December 1, 1890

December 1, 1894
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1890
1892
29   William C. Oates December 1, 1894

December 1, 1896
(not candidate for election)[ab]
Democratic 1894
30   Joseph F. Johnston December 1, 1896

December 1, 1900
(not candidate for election)[ac]
Democratic 1896
1898
  William D. Jelks December 1, 1900

December 26, 1900

(acting)
Democratic 1900[ad]
31   William J. Samford December 1, 1900

June 11, 1901
(died in office)
Democratic
32   William D. Jelks June 11, 1901

January 14, 1907
(term limited)
Democratic Succeeded from
President of
the Senate
1902[ae] Russell McWhortor Cunningham
(acted as governor
April 25, 1904–March 5, 1905)
[af]
33   B. B. Comer January 14, 1907[ag]

January 16, 1911
(term limited)
Democratic 1906 Henry B. Gray
34   Emmet O'Neal January 17, 1911[ag]

January 18, 1915
(term limited)
Democratic 1910 Walter D. Seed Sr.
35   Charles Henderson January 19, 1915[ag]

January 20, 1919
(term limited)
Democratic 1914 Thomas Kilby
36   Thomas Kilby January 21, 1919[ag]

January 15, 1923
(term limited)
Democratic 1918 Nathan Lee Miller
37   William W. Brandon January 16, 1923[ag]

January 17, 1927
(term limited)
Democratic 1922 Charles S. McDowell
(acted as governor
July 10, 1924–July 11, 1924)
[ah]
38   Bibb Graves January 18, 1927[ag]

January 19, 1931
(term limited)
Democratic 1926 William C. Davis
39   Benjamin M. Miller January 20, 1931[ag]

January 14, 1935
(term limited)
Democratic 1930 Hugh Davis Merrill
38   Bibb Graves January 15, 1935[ag]

January 16, 1939
(term limited)
Democratic 1934 Thomas E. Knight
(died May 17, 1937)
Vacant
40   Frank M. Dixon January 17, 1939[ag]

January 18, 1943
(term limited)
Democratic 1938 Albert A. Carmichael
41   Chauncey Sparks January 19, 1943[ag]

January 20, 1947
(term limited)
Democratic 1942 Leven H. Ellis
42   Jim Folsom January 21, 1947[ag]

January 15, 1951
(term limited)
Democratic 1946 James C. Inzer
43   Gordon Persons January 16, 1951[ag]

January 17, 1955
(term limited)
Democratic 1950 James Allen
42   Jim Folsom January 18, 1955[ag]

January 19, 1959
(term limited)
Democratic 1954 William G. Hardwick
44   John Malcolm Patterson January 20, 1959[ag]

January 14, 1963
(term limited)
Democratic 1958 Albert Boutwell
45   George Wallace January 15, 1963[ag]

January 16, 1967
(term limited)
Democratic 1962 James Allen
46   Lurleen Wallace January 17, 1967[ag]

May 7, 1968
(died in office)
Democratic 1966 Albert Brewer
(acted as governor
July 25, 1967)
[ai]
47   Albert Brewer May 7, 1968

January 18, 1971
(lost renomination)[aj]
Democratic Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor
Vacant
45   George Wallace January 19, 1971[ag]

January 15, 1979
(term limited)
Democratic 1970 Jere Beasley
(acted as governor
June 5, 1972–July 7, 1972)
[ak]
1974
48   Fob James January 16, 1979[ag]

January 17, 1983
(lost renomination)[al]
Democratic 1978 George McMillan
45   George Wallace January 18, 1983[ag]

January 19, 1987
(not candidate for election)
Democratic 1982 Bill Baxley
49   H. Guy Hunt January 20, 1987[ag]

April 22, 1993
(resigned)[am]
Republican 1986 Jim Folsom Jr.[an]
1990
50   Jim Folsom Jr. April 22, 1993

January 16, 1995
(lost election)
Democratic Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor
Vacant
48   Fob James January 17, 1995[ag]

January 18, 1999
(lost election)[38]
Republican 1994 Don Siegelman[an]
51   Don Siegelman January 19, 1999[ag]

January 20, 2003
(lost election)[38]
Democratic 1998 Steve Windom[ao]
52   Bob Riley January 21, 2003[ag]

January 17, 2011
(term limited)
Republican 2002 Lucy Baxley[an]
2006 Jim Folsom Jr.[an]
53   Robert J. Bentley January 18, 2011[ag]

April 10, 2017
(resigned)[ap]
Republican 2010 Kay Ivey
2014
54   Kay Ivey April 10, 2017

present[aq]
Republican Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor
Vacant
2018 Will Ainsworth

References

change
  1. "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 "Alabama Governors". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Archived from the original on May 2, 2015. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  3. "Died". Hillsborough Recorder. Hillsborough, North Carolina. August 16, 1820. Retrieved July 11, 2019 – via Newspapers.com. On Monday morning the 10th ultimo, at his residence near Fort Jackson, his excellency William W. Bibb, governor and commander in chief of the state of Alabama
  4. "Thomas Bibb". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  5. "Gabriel Moore". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  6. "Clement Comer Clay". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  7. United States Congress. "CLAY, Clement Comer (id: C000481)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  8. 8.0 8.1 "Inauguration". Voice of Sumter. Livingston, Alabama. November 28, 1837. Retrieved December 7, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "No title". Washington Telegraph. Washington, Arkansas. August 4, 1847. Retrieved July 12, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Joshua Lanier Martin". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  11. "Reuben Chapman". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  12. "The Latest by Telegraph". Leavenworth Times. Leavenworth, Kansas. May 25, 1865. Retrieved July 11, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Gov. Watts Arrested". The Daily Progress. Raleigh, North Carolina. May 30, 1865. Retrieved July 11, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. 14.0 14.1 "Thomas Hill Watts". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  15. "Thomas Hill Watts". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Archived from the original on May 14, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  16. Thornton, J. Mills (2014). Politics and Power in a Slave Society: Alabama, 1800–1860. LSU Press. pp. 440–441. ISBN 9780807159156. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  17. Alexander, Thomas (August 1961). "Persistent Whiggery in the Confederate South, 1860-1877". The Journal of Southern History. 27 (3): 305–329. doi:10.2307/2205211. JSTOR 2205211.
  18. 18.0 18.1 "Lewis Eliphalet Parsons". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 "Robert Miller Patton". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  20. "Robert Miller Patton". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Archived from the original on March 14, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2008.
  21. 21.0 21.1 "Wager T. Swayne". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  22. White, James Terry (1900). The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. James T. White & Company. p. 435. Retrieved January 18, 2008.
  23. "Politics in Alabama". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore. November 26, 1872. Retrieved July 11, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. "David Peter Lewis". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  25. "George Smith Houston". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  26. "Governor Cobb". Huntsville Independent. Huntsville, Alabama. November 28, 1878. Retrieved July 11, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. Sobel p. 22
  28. Sobel p. 24
  29. "Joseph Forney Johnston". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  30. "William Dorsey Jelks". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Archived from the original on November 6, 2014. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  31. "Russell Cunningham". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Archived from the original on November 11, 2014. Retrieved October 13, 2008.
  32. Oberhaus v. State ex rel. McNamara, [https://books.google.com/books?id=pVotAQAAMAAJ pp. 483–499
  33. White, David (January 17, 2011). "Robert Bentley ready to take office as next Alabama governor". The Birmingham News. Retrieved December 10, 2018. Bentley under state law won't officially be governor until just after the stroke of midnight Tuesday morning.
  34. Owen, Thomas McAdory (1979). Alabama Official and Statistical Register. Alabama Department of Archives & History. p. 17. Retrieved September 28, 2008.
  35. Sobel p. 39
  36. "Forrest Hood James". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  37. Nossiter, Adam (12 June 1997). "Ex-Gov. Hunt of Alabama Cleared by Pardon Board". The New York Times. p. 18. Retrieved September 28, 2008.
  38. 38.0 38.1 "Don Siegelman (1999-2003)". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  39. Blinder, Alan (10 April 2017). "Robert Bentley, Alabama Governor, Resigns Amid Scandal". The New York Times. Retrieved April 10, 2017.

Notes

  1. Data is sourced from the Alabama Department of Archives and History, unless supplemental references are required.
  2. Repeat governors are officially numbered only once;[2] subsequent terms are marked with their original number italicized.
  3. The office of Lieutenant Governor was created in the 1868 constitution, abolished in the 1875 Constitution, and recreated in the 1901 Constitution.
  4. Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
  5. Bibb was inaugurated on November 9, even though Alabama did not formally become a state until December 14.[2]
  6. Multiple sources state that Thomas Bibb did not succeed William Wyatt Bibb until either July 15[4] or July 25.[2] It is unknown if this was the formal inauguration, or if a vacancy existed in the office; it is assumed that succession was automatic, as per the constitution, and that Thomas Bibb's term began on July 10.
  7. Moore resigned to take office in the United States Senate.[5]
  8. 8.0 8.1 Sources disagree on the exact date McVay succeeded Clay, with the Alabama Department of Archives and History and National Governors Association mentioning both July 16 and July 17, though July 17 is used more prominently. Further confusing matters, the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress says that Clay's term in the United States Senate began on June 19.[7]
  9. Clay resigned to take office in the United States Senate.[6]
  10. Martin withdrew in the final days of the election.[9] It is unknown if his name still appeared on the ballot, but no sources list any votes recorded for him.
  11. Martin was a Democrat who opposed party leaders and ran as an independent.[10]
  12. Chapman lost the Democratic nomination to Henry W. Collier.[11]
  13. 13.0 13.1 Though modern sources say Watts was captured on May 1, contemporary news sources report he was arrested on May 3.[12][13]
  14. Watts was arrested by Union forces soon after the American Civil War ended; he was released a few weeks later.[14][15]
  15. Sources disagree on Watts' party; the Alabama Department of Archives and History says Democratic,[2] but most others say Whig.[14][16][17]
  16. Parsons was appointed and therefore did not run for office under a party; he was a member of the Democratic Party.[18]
  17. Parsons was appointed provisional governor by the Union occupation.[18]
  18. 18.0 18.1 Some sources say Patton left office on July 24, after Smith was sworn in on July 14;[19][2] it is unknown what would cause this discrepancy.
  19. Patton later switched to the Republican Party, but ran as a Whig.[19]
  20. 20.0 20.1 The United States Congress stripped Patton of most of his authority in March 1867, after which time the state was effectively under the control of Major General Swayne.[19]
  21. The date given for Swayne is the date of the first Reconstruction Act, which placed Alabama into the Third Military District; all references only say "March 1867"[19] and "when the Reconstruction Acts were passed".[20]
  22. In December 1867, President Andrew Johnson ordered the removal of Major General Swayne, and he was replaced on January 11, 1868, by Major General Julius Hayden.[21]
  23. 23.0 23.1 Lindsay was sworn into office on November 26, 1870, but Smith refused to leave his seat for two weeks, claiming Lindsay was fraudulently elected; he finally left office on December 8, 1870, when a court so ordered.[22]
  24. 24.0 24.1 All modern sources say Lewis took office on November 17; however, all contemporary news sources say it was on November 25.[23]
  25. 25.0 25.1 All modern sources say Cobb took office on November 28; however, all contemporary news sources say it was on November 27.[26]
  26. Houston instead successfully ran for United States Senate.[25]
  27. Seay instead unsuccessfully ran for United States Senate.[27]
  28. Oates instead unsuccessfully ran for United States Senate.[28]
  29. Johnston instead unsuccessfully ran for United States Senate.[29]
  30. At the start of Samford's term, he was out of state seeking medical treatment; as president of the senate, Jelks acted as governor in his absence. Samford later died in office, and Jelks succeeded him.[30]
  31. First term under the 1901 constitution, which lengthened terms to four years.
  32. Jelks was out of state for medical treatment for nearly a year; as lieutenant governor, Cunningham acted as governor in his absence.[31]
  33. 33.00 33.01 33.02 33.03 33.04 33.05 33.06 33.07 33.08 33.09 33.10 33.11 33.12 33.13 33.14 33.15 33.16 33.17 33.18 33.19 33.20 33.21 33.22 33.23 The constitutional start date for 1911 was January 16. However, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in the case of Oberhaus v. State ex rel. McNamara that, regardless of when the swearing in took place, B. B. Comer's term did not end until the end of Monday, and Emmet O'Neal's term did not begin until the first minute of the next day.[32] This precedent appears to have quietly continued, as contemporary news coverage of Robert J. Bentley's inauguration noted he would not officially take office until midnight.[33] Therefore, governors since 1911 that served to the end of their term are noted as leaving office on Monday, and their successor taking office on Tuesday. It is assumed this did not apply ex post facto to terms between when the constitutional date was established in 1901, and the court ruling in 1911.
  34. Brandon was out of state for 21 days as a delegate to the 1924 Democratic National Convention; as lieutenant governor, McDowell acted as governor for two days.[2]
  35. Wallace was out of state for 20 days for medical treatment; as lieutenant governor, Brewer became acting governor on July 25, 1967; Wallace returned to the state later that day.[2][34]
  36. Brewer lost the Democratic Party nomination to George Wallace.[35]
  37. Wallace was out of state for 52 days for medical treatment following an assassination attempt while campaigning for President of the United States; as lieutenant governor, Beasley acted as governor for 32 days.[2]
  38. James lost the Democratic nomination to George Wallace.[36]
  39. Hunt was forced to resign upon being convicted of illegally using campaign and inaugural funds to pay personal debts; he was later pardoned by the state parole board.[37]
  40. 40.0 40.1 40.2 40.3 Represented the Democratic Party
  41. Represented the Republican Party
  42. Bentley resigned from office as part of a plea deal involving campaign violations.[39]
  43. Ivey's first full term began on January 15, 2019, and will expire on January 16, 2023.