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List of Governors of Maine

 
Wikipedia: List of Governors of Maine
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Number of Governors of Maine by party affiliation
Party Governors
Republican 37
Democratic 23
Democratic-Republican 6
Whig 4
Independent 2
National Republican 1

The Governor of Maine is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Maine[1] and the commander-in-chief of its military forces.[2] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws,[3] and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Maine Legislature[4], to convene the legislature at any time,[5] and, except in cases of impeachment, to grant pardons.[6]

The governor has a four-year term, commencing on the first Wednesday after the first Tuesday of January following election.[7] The original Maine constitution had a one-year gubernatorial term; constitutional amendments expanded this to two years in 1879[8] and to four years in 1957.[9] To be elected governor, a person must be at least 30 years old, and must have been a citizen of the United States for at least 15 years and of Maine for at least 5 years, at the time of election.[10] The constitution of Maine does not establish an office of lieutenant governor; a vacancy in the office of governor is filled by the president of the Maine Senate.[11]

There have been 73 governors of Maine since statehood. The longest-serving governor was Joseph E. Brennan, who served two terms from 1979 to 1987. The shortest-serving governor was Nathaniel M. Haskell, who served only 25 hours in 1953 when his predecessor resigned. The current governor is Democrat John Baldacci, who took office on January 8, 2003 and is serving his second term.

Before Maine became a state, it was part of Massachusetts; see List of Governors of Massachusetts for this period.

Contents

Governors

      Democratic       Republican

# Name Party Took office Left office Term Notes
1   William King Democratic-Republican March 15, 1820 May 28, 1821 1 [N 1]
2   William D. Williamson Democratic-Republican May 28, 1821 December 5, 1821 [N 2][N 3]
3   Benjamin Ames Democratic-Republican December 5, 1821 January 2, 1822 [N 4][N 5]
4   Daniel Rose Democratic-Republican January 2, 1822 January 5, 1822 [N 2]
5   Albion K. Parris Democratic-Republican January 5, 1822 January 3, 1827 2 [N 6]
3
4
5
6
6   Enoch Lincoln Democratic-Republican January 3, 1827 October 8, 1829 7 [N 7]
8
9
7   Nathan Cutler Democratic October 8, 1829 January 6, 1830 [N 8]
8   Joshua Hall Democratic January 6, 1830 February 9, 1830 [N 4]
9   Jonathan Hunton National Republican February 9, 1830 January 5, 1831 10
10   Samuel E. Smith Democratic January 5, 1831 January 1, 1834 11
12
13
11   Robert Dunlap Democratic January 1, 1834 January 3, 1838 14
15
16
17
12   Edward Kent Whig January 19, 1838 January 2, 1839 18 [N 9]
13   John Fairfield Democratic January 2, 1839 January 12, 1841 19 [N 5]
20
14   Richard H. Vose Whig January 12, 1841 January 13, 1841 [N 2]
15   Edward Kent Whig January 13, 1841 January 5, 1842 21
16   John Fairfield Democratic January 5, 1842 March 7, 1843 22 [N 10]
23
17   Edward Kavanaugh Democratic March 7, 1843 January 1, 1844 [N 2][N 5]
18   David Dunn Democratic January 1, 1844 January 3, 1844 [N 4][N 5]
19   John W. Dana Democratic January 3, 1844 January 3, 1844 [N 2]
20   Hugh J. Anderson Democratic January 3, 1844 May 12, 1847 24
25
26
21   John W. Dana Democratic May 12, 1847 May 8, 1850 27
28
29
22   John Hubbard Democratic May 8, 1850 January 5, 1853 30
31
32
23   William G. Crosby Whig January 5, 1853 January 3, 1855 33
34
24   Anson P. Morrill Republican January 3, 1855 January 2, 1856 35
25   Samuel Wells Democratic January 2, 1856 January 8, 1857 36
26   Hannibal Hamlin Republican January 8, 1857 February 25, 1857 37 [N 10]
27   Joseph H. Williams Republican February 25, 1857 January 6, 1858 [N 2]
28   Lot M. Morrill Republican January 6, 1858 January 2, 1861 38
39
40
29   Israel Washburn Jr. Republican January 2, 1861 January 7, 1863 41
42
30   Abner Coburn Republican January 7, 1863 January 6, 1864 42
31   Samuel Cony Republican January 6, 1864 January 2, 1867 43
44
45
32   Joshua L. Chamberlain Republican January 2, 1867 January 4, 1871 46
47
48
49
33   Sidney Perham Republican January 4, 1871 January 7, 1874 50
51
52
34   Nelson Dingley, Jr. Republican January 7, 1874 January 5, 1876 53
54
35   Selden Connor Republican January 5, 1876 January 8, 1879 55
56
57
36   Alonzo Garcelon Democratic January 8, 1879 January 17, 1880 58
37   Daniel F. Davis Republican January 17, 1880 January 13, 1881 59
38   Harris M. Plaisted Democratic January 13, 1881 January 3, 1883 60
39   Frederick Robie Republican January 3, 1883 January 5, 1887 61
62
40   Joseph R. Bodwell Republican January 5, 1887 December 15, 1887 63 [N 7]
41   Sebastian Streeter Marble Republican December 15, 1887 January 2, 1889 [N 2]
42   Edwin C. Burleigh Republican January 2, 1889 January 4, 1893 64
65
42   Henry B. Cleaves Republican January 4, 1893 January 2, 1897 66
67
44   Llewellyn Powers Republican January 2, 1897 January 2, 1901 68
69
45   John Fremont Hill Republican January 2, 1901 January 4, 1905 70
71
46   William T. Cobb Republican January 4, 1905 January 6, 1909 72
73
47   Bert M. Fernald Republican January 6, 1909 January 4, 1911 74
48   Frederick W. Plaisted Democratic January 4, 1911 January 1, 1913 75
49   William T. Haines Republican January 1, 1913 January 6, 1915 76
50   Oakley C. Curtis Democratic January 6, 1915 January 3, 1917 77
51   Carl E. Milliken Republican January 3, 1917 January 5, 1921 78
79
52   Frederic H. Parkhurst Republican January 5, 1921 January 31, 1921 79 [N 7]
53   Percival P. Baxter Republican January 31, 1921 January 7, 1925 [N 11]
80
54   Ralph Owen Brewster Republican January 7, 1925 January 2, 1929 81
82
55   William Tudor Gardiner Republican January 2, 1929 January 4, 1933 83
84
56   Louis J. Brann Democratic January 4, 1933 January 6, 1937 85
86
57   Lewis O. Barrows Republican January 6, 1937 January 1, 1941 87
88
58   Sumner Sewall Republican January 1, 1941 January 3, 1945 89
90
59   Horace A. Hildreth Republican January 3, 1945 January 5, 1949 91
92
60   Frederick G. Payne Republican January 5, 1949 December 24, 1952 93 [N 10]
94
61   Burton M. Cross Republican December 24, 1952 January 6, 1953 [N 8]
62   Nathaniel M. Haskell Republican January 6, 1953 January 7, 1953 95 [N 2][N 12]
63   Burton M. Cross Republican January 7, 1953 January 5, 1955
64   Edmund Muskie Democratic January 5, 1955 January 2, 1959 96 [N 10]
97
65   Robert Haskell Republican January 2, 1959 January 7, 1959 [N 2]
66   Clinton Clauson Democratic January 7, 1959 December 30, 1959 98 [N 7]
67   John H. Reed Republican December 30, 1959 January 5, 1967 [N 11]
99
100
68   Kenneth M. Curtis Democratic January 5, 1967 January 2, 1975 101
102
69   James B. Longley Independent January 2, 1975 January 3, 1979 103
70   Joseph E. Brennan Democratic January 3, 1979 January 7, 1987 104
105
71   John R. McKernan, Jr. Republican January 7, 1987 January 5, 1995 106
107
72   Angus King Independent January 5, 1995 January 8, 2003 108
109
73   John Baldacci Democratic January 8, 2003 Incumbent 110 [N 13]
111

Other high offices held

This is a table of congressional and other federal offices held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Maine except where noted. * denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.

Name Gubernatorial term U.S. Congress Other offices held
House Senate
William D. Williamson 1821 H
Albion K. Parris 1822–1827 S* U.S. Representative from Massachusetts
Enoch Lincoln 1827–1829 H U.S. Representative from Massachusetts
Robert Dunlap 1834–1838 H
John Fairfield 1839–1841, 1842–1843 H S*
Edward Kavanagh 1843–1844 H
Hugh J. Anderson 1844–1847 H
Anson P. Morrill 1858–1861 H
Hannibal Hamlin 1857 H S* Vice President of the United States
Lot M. Morrill 1858–1861 S U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
Sidney Perham 1871–1874 H
Nelson Dingley, Jr. 1874–1876 H
Harris M. Plaisted 1881–1883 H
Edwin C. Burleigh 1889–1893 H S
Llewellyn Powers 1897–1901 H
Bert M. Fernald 1909–1911 S
Ralph Owen Brewster 1925–1929 H S
Horace A. Hildreth 1945–1949 Ambassador to Pakistan
Frederick G. Payne 1949–1952 S*
Edmund Muskie 1955–1959 S* U.S. Secretary of State
Kenneth M. Curtis 1967–1974 Ambassador to Canada
Joseph E. Brennan 1979–1987 H
John R. McKernan, Jr. 1987–1995 H
John Baldacci 2003–present H

Living former governors

As of September 2009, five former governors are alive, the oldest being John H. Reed (1959–1967, born 1921). The most recent governor to die was Burton M. Cross (1952–1953, 1953–1955), on October 22, 1998. The most recently-serving governor to die was James B. Longley (1975–1979), on August 16, 1980.

Name Gubernatorial term Date of birth
John H. Reed 1959–1967 January 5, 1921
Kenneth M. Curtis 1967–1975 February 8, 1931
Joseph E. Brennan 1979–1987 November 2, 1934
John R. McKernan, Jr. 1987–1995 May 20, 1948
Angus King 1995–2003 March 31, 1944

Notes

  1. ^ Resigned to take appointment as a minister to negotiate a treaty with Spain.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i As president of the state senate, filled unexpired term.
  3. ^ Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States House of Representatives.
  4. ^ a b c As speaker of the state house, filled unexpired term.
  5. ^ a b c d Resigned.[citation needed]
  6. ^ Elected to the United States Senate; completed term.
  7. ^ a b c d Died in office.
  8. ^ a b As president of the state senate, filled unexpired term until his senate term expired.
  9. ^ Edward Kent won a close election, but Democrats challenged the election. He was finally declared winner by the state supreme court and sworn in on January 19, 1838.
  10. ^ a b c d Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
  11. ^ a b As president of the senate, filled unexpired term, and was later elected in his own right.
  12. ^ Burton Cross had been elected to the governorship, but his senate term ended 25 hours before his term as governor began; therefore, he could not act as governor for that day.
  13. ^ Governor Baldacci's term expires in 2011; he is term limited.

References

General
Constitutions
Specific
  1. ^ ME Const. art. V (Pt. I), § 1.
  2. ^ ME Const. art. V (Pt. I), § 7.
  3. ^ ME Const. art. V (Pt. I), § 12.
  4. ^ ME Const. art. IV (Pt. III), § 3.
  5. ^ ME Const. art. V (Pt. I), § 13.
  6. ^ ME Const. art. V (Pt. I), § 11.
  7. ^ ME Const. art. V (Pt. I), § 2.
  8. ^ ME Const. Amend. 23.
  9. ^ ME Const. Amend. 87.
  10. ^ ME Const. art. V (Pt. I), § 4.
  11. ^ ME Const. art. V (Pt. I), § 14.
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