List of governors of Florida

The governor of Florida is the head of government of the state of Florida and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[2] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Florida Legislature,[3] to convene the legislature[4] and grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment.[5]

Governor of Florida
Seal of the State of Florida
Flag of the State of Florida
Incumbent
Ron DeSantis
since January 8, 2019
Government of Florida
Style
TypeHead of State
Head of Government
Member ofFlorida Executive Branch
Florida Cabinet
ResidenceFlorida Governor's Mansion
AppointerPopular vote
Term lengthFour years, renewable once consecutively
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Florida
PrecursorGovernor of the Florida Territory
Inaugural holderWilliam Dunn Moseley
FormationJune 25, 1845
DeputyLieutenant Governor of Florida
Salary$130,273 (2013)[1]
Websitewww.flgov.com

When Florida was first acquired by the United States, future president Andrew Jackson served as its military governor. Florida Territory was established in 1822 and five people served as governor over 6 distinct terms. The first territorial governor, William Pope Duval, served 12 years, the longest of any Florida governor to date.

Since statehood in 1845, there have been 45 people who have served as governor, one of whom served two distinct terms. Four state governors have served two full four-year terms: William D. Bloxham, in two stints, as well as Reubin Askew, Jeb Bush and Rick Scott who each served their terms consecutively. Bob Graham almost served two terms but resigned with three days left in his term in order to take a seat in the United States Senate.[6] The shortest term in office belongs to Wayne Mixson, who served three days following the resignation of his predecessor, Bob Graham.

The current officeholder is Ron DeSantis, a member of the Republican Party who took office on January 8, 2019.

Governors

Federal military commissioner

Spanish Florida was acquired from Spain in the Adams–Onís Treaty, which took effect July 10, 1821.[7] Parts of West Florida had already been assigned to Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi; the remainder and East Florida were governed by a military commissioner with the powers of governor until the territory was organized and incorporated.[8]

Federal Military Commissioner of Florida[lower-alpha 1]
No. Commissioner Term in office Appointed by
1 Andrew Jackson
(1767–1845)		 March 10, 1821
–
December 31, 1821
(resigned)[lower-alpha 2]		 James Monroe

Governors of the Territory of Florida

Florida Territory was organized on March 30, 1822, combining East and West Florida.[13]

Governors of the Territory of Florida
No. Governor Term in office Appointed by
1 William Pope Duval
(1784–1854)		 April 17, 1822
–
April 24, 1834
(replacement appointed)[lower-alpha 3]		 James Monroe
John Quincy Adams
Andrew Jackson
2 John Eaton
(1790–1856)		 April 24, 1834
–
March 16, 1836
(replacement appointed)[lower-alpha 4]		 Andrew Jackson
3 Richard K. Call
(1792–1862)		 March 16, 1836
–
December 2, 1839
(replacement appointed)		 Andrew Jackson
4 Robert R. Reid
(1789–1841)		 December 2, 1839
–
March 19, 1841
(replacement appointed)		 Martin Van Buren
5 Richard K. Call
(1792–1862)		 March 19, 1841
–
August 11, 1844
(replacement appointed)		 William Henry Harrison
John Tyler
6 John Branch
(1782–1863)		 August 11, 1844
–
June 25, 1845
(statehood)		 John Tyler

Governors of the State of Florida

The State of Florida was admitted to the Union on March 3, 1845. It seceded from the Union on January 10, 1861,[16] and joined the Confederate States of America on February 8, 1861,[17] as a founding member. Following the end of the American Civil War, it was part of the Third Military District.[18] Florida was readmitted to the Union on June 25, 1868.[19]

The Florida Constitution of 1838 provided that a governor be elected every 4 years, who was not allowed to serve consecutive terms.[20] The secessionist constitution of 1861 would have reduced this to two years and removed the term limit,[21] but the state fell to the Union before the first election under that constitution. The rejected constitution of 1865 and the ratified constitution of 1868 maintained the four-year term,[22][23] though without the earlier term limit, which was reintroduced in the 1885 constitution.[24] The current constitution of 1968 states that should the governor serve, or would have served had he not resigned, more than six years in two consecutive terms, he cannot be elected to the succeeding term.[25] The start of a term was set in 1885 at the first Tuesday after the first Monday in the January following the election,[24] where it has remained.[26]

Originally, the president of the state senate acted as governor should that office be vacant.[27] The 1865 and 1868 constitutions created the office of lieutenant governor,[28][29] who would similarly act as governor. This office was abolished in 1885, with the president of the senate again taking on that duty.[30] The 1968 constitution recreated the office of lieutenant governor, who now becomes governor in the absence of the governor.[31] The governor and lieutenant governor are elected on the same ticket.[25]

Florida was a strongly Democratic state before the Civil War, electing only one candidate from the Whig party (the Democrat's chief opposition at the time).[32] It elected three Republican governors following Reconstruction, but after the Democratic Party re-established control, 90 years passed before voters chose another Republican.

Governors of the State of Florida[lower-alpha 5]
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor[lower-alpha 6][lower-alpha 7]
1 William Dunn Moseley
(1795–1863)		 June 25, 1845
–
October 1, 1849
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1845 Office did not exist
2   Thomas Brown
(1785–1867)		 October 1, 1849
–
October 3, 1853
(term-limited)		 Whig 1848
3 James E. Broome
(1808–1883)		 October 3, 1853
–
October 5, 1857
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1852
4 Madison S. Perry
(1814–1865)		 October 5, 1857
–
October 7, 1861
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1856
5 John Milton
(1807–1865)		 October 7, 1861
–
April 1, 1865
(died in office)[lower-alpha 8]		 Democratic 1860
6 Abraham K. Allison
(1814–1893)		 April 1, 1865
–
May 19, 1865
(resigned)[lower-alpha 9]		 Democratic President of
the Senate
acting as
governor
— Vacant May 19, 1865
–
July 13, 1865		 — Office vacated
after civil war
7 William Marvin
(1808–1902)		 July 13, 1865
–
December 20, 1865
(provisional term ended)		 — Provisional
governor
appointed by
President[lower-alpha 10]
8 David S. Walker
(1815–1891)		 December 20, 1865
–
July 4, 1868
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic[lower-alpha 11] 1865   William W. J. Kelly[lower-alpha 12]
9 Harrison Reed
(1813–1899)		 July 4, 1868[lower-alpha 13]
–
January 7, 1873
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1868 William Henry Gleason
(removed December 14, 1868)[lower-alpha 14]
Vacant
Edmund C. Weeks
(appointed January 24, 1870)
(term ended December 27, 1870)[lower-alpha 15]
Samuel T. Day
(took office December 27, 1870)
10 Ossian B. Hart
(1821–1874)		 January 7, 1873
–
March 18, 1874
(died in office)		 Republican 1872 Marcellus Stearns
11 Marcellus Stearns
(1839–1891)		 March 18, 1874
–
January 2, 1877
(lost election)		 Republican Lieutenant
governor
acting as
governor		 Acting as governor
12 George Franklin Drew
(1827–1900)		 January 2, 1877
–
January 4, 1881
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic 1876 Noble A. Hull
(resigned March 3, 1879)
Vacant
13 William D. Bloxham
(1835–1911)		 January 4, 1881
–
January 7, 1885
(not candidate for election)[lower-alpha 16]		 Democratic 1880 Livingston W. Bethel
14 Edward A. Perry
(1831–1889)		 January 7, 1885
–
January 8, 1889
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1884 Milton H. Mabry
15 Francis P. Fleming
(1841–1908)		 January 8, 1889
–
January 3, 1893
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1888 Office did not exist
16 Henry L. Mitchell
(1831–1903)		 January 3, 1893
–
January 5, 1897
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1892
17 William D. Bloxham
(1835–1911)		 January 5, 1897
–
January 8, 1901
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1896
18 William Sherman Jennings
(1863–1920)		 January 8, 1901
–
January 3, 1905
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1900
19 Napoleon B. Broward
(1857–1910)		 January 3, 1905
–
January 5, 1909
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1904
20 Albert W. Gilchrist
(1858–1926)		 January 5, 1909
–
January 7, 1913
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1908
21 Park Trammell
(1876–1936)		 January 7, 1913
–
January 2, 1917
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1912
22 Sidney Johnston Catts
(1863–1936)		 January 2, 1917
–
January 4, 1921
(term-limited)		 Prohibition 1916
23 Cary A. Hardee
(1876–1957)		 January 4, 1921
–
January 6, 1925
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1920
24 John W. Martin
(1884–1958)		 January 6, 1925
–
January 8, 1929
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1924
25 Doyle E. Carlton
(1885–1972)		 January 8, 1929
–
January 3, 1933
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1928
26 David Sholtz
(1891–1953)		 January 3, 1933
–
January 5, 1937
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1932
27 Fred P. Cone
(1871–1948)		 January 5, 1937
–
January 7, 1941
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1936
28 Spessard Holland
(1892–1971)		 January 7, 1941
–
January 2, 1945
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1940
29 Millard Caldwell
(1897–1984)		 January 2, 1945
–
January 4, 1949
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1944
30 Fuller Warren
(1905–1973)		 January 4, 1949
–
January 6, 1953
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1948
31 Daniel T. McCarty
(1912–1953)		 January 6, 1953
–
September 28, 1953
(died in office)		 Democratic 1952
32 Charley Eugene Johns
(1905–1990)		 September 28, 1953
–
January 4, 1955
(lost election)		 Democratic President of
the Senate
acting as
governor
33 LeRoy Collins
(1909–1991)		 January 4, 1955
–
January 3, 1961
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1954
(special)[lower-alpha 17]
1956
34 C. Farris Bryant
(1914–2002)		 January 3, 1961
–
January 5, 1965
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1960
35 W. Haydon Burns
(1912–1987)		 January 5, 1965
–
January 3, 1967
(lost election)		 Democratic 1964[lower-alpha 18]
36 Claude R. Kirk Jr.
(1926–2011)		 January 3, 1967
–
January 5, 1971
(lost election)		 Republican 1966
Ray C. Osborne
(office created January 7, 1969)
37 Reubin Askew
(1928–2014)		 January 5, 1971
–
January 2, 1979
(term-limited)		 Democratic 1970 Thomas Burton Adams Jr.
1974 Jim Williams
38 Bob Graham
(b. 1936)		 January 2, 1979
–
January 3, 1987
(resigned)[lower-alpha 19]		 Democratic 1978 Wayne Mixson
1982
39 Wayne Mixson
(1922–2020)		 January 3, 1987
–
January 6, 1987
(successor took office)		 Democratic Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
40 Bob Martinez
(b. 1934)		 January 6, 1987
–
January 8, 1991
(lost election)		 Republican 1986 Bobby Brantley
41 Lawton Chiles
(1930–1998)		 January 8, 1991
–
December 12, 1998
(died in office)		 Democratic 1990 Buddy MacKay
1994
42 Buddy MacKay
(b. 1933)		 December 12, 1998
–
January 5, 1999
(successor took office)[lower-alpha 20]		 Democratic Succeeded from
lieutenant
governor		 Vacant
43 Jeb Bush
(b. 1953)		 January 5, 1999
–
January 2, 2007
(term-limited)		 Republican 1998 Frank Brogan
(resigned March 3, 2003)
2002
Toni Jennings
44 Charlie Crist
(b. 1956)		 January 2, 2007
–
January 4, 2011
(not candidate for election)		 Republican[lower-alpha 21] 2006 Jeff Kottkamp
45 Rick Scott
(b. 1952)		 January 4, 2011
–
January 7, 2019[lower-alpha 22]
(term-limited)		 Republican 2010 Jennifer Carroll
(resigned March 12, 2013)
Vacant
Carlos Lopez-Cantera
(appointed February 3, 2014)
2014
46 Ron DeSantis
(b. 1978)		 January 8, 2019
–
Incumbent[lower-alpha 23]		 Republican 2018 Jeanette Núñez
2022

Acting governor

Florida has had a number of people serve as acting governor. The state's first three constitutions provided that the succession in office became operative whenever the governor was out of the state. Thus, in 1853 when Governor Thomas Brown attended an event in Boston—the Senate president who would normally succeed the governor at the time was also out of state. Therefore, the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, A.K. Allison, became acting governor on September 16, 1853. He served for 17 days.[46]

Article IV Section 3 (b) of the Florida Constitution now calls for the lieutenant governor to "act as Governor" during the governor's physical or mental incapacity. This provision has been invoked one time. On June 18, 2008, Governor Charlie Crist filed a proclamation with the secretary of state transferring power of governor to Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp pursuant to the constitutional provision while he underwent knee surgery.[47]

See also
  • Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Florida
  • List of Florida state legislatures

Notes
  1. Jackson's official titles were "Commissioner of the United States" and "Governor of East and West Florida".[9]
  2. Jackson left Florida on October 8, 1821.[10] His resignation was submitted on November 13, 1821,[11] and the president accepted it on December 31, 1821.[12]
  3. At some point in 1827, the territorial secretary William M. McCarty acted as governor.[14]
  4. Eaton was instead appointed minister to Spain.[15]
  5. Data is sourced from the National Governors Association, unless supplemental references are required.
  6. The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1868,[28] abolished in 1885,[30] and recreated in 1968.[31]
  7. Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
  8. Milton committed suicide due to the pending defeat of the Confederate States of America, stating in his final address to the legislature that "death would be preferable to reunion."[33]
  9. Allison resigned to go into hiding from approaching Union troops, and was captured by them on June 19, 1865.[34]
  10. Marvin was appointed provisional governor by the Union occupation.[35]
  11. Most sources state Walker was a Democrat; the state archives say he was "Conservative".[36]
  12. Represented the Republican Party
  13. Reed was popularly elected under the terms of the 1868 constitution, and took the oath of office on June 8, 1868; it was not until July 4, 1868, however, that the federal commander of Florida, still under Reconstruction, recognized the validity of the state constitution and the election.[37]
  14. During an attempted impeachment of Reed, Gleason proclaimed himself governor. The Supreme Court eventually sided with Reed, and Gleason was removed from office.[38]
  15. Appointed as temporary lieutenant governor to replace William Henry Gleason. However, the state comptroller did not believe the governor could appoint a replacement to an elected office and refused to pay Weeks, and the Senate refused to accept his presidency over them, even proposing a motion to arrest him. Governor Reed called for a special election to replace him, and though Weeks fought it, the Florida Supreme Court declared his term to have ended when the new election results were certified.[39]
  16. Bloxham lost the Democratic nomination to Edward A. Perry.[40]
  17. Special election to fill the remainder of McCarty's term[41]
  18. This term was only two years as the election schedule was changed so that it would not coincide with presidential elections.[42]
  19. Graham resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.[43]
  20. MacKay was a candidate in the 1998 election but lost; he succeeded Lawton Chiles after the election but before his successor took office.
  21. Crist was elected as a member of the Republican Party, and switched to independent in April 2010.[44]
  22. Due to Ron DeSantis and Jeannette Núñez taking their oath of office ahead of time, they became governor and lieutenant governor at midnight on January 8, rather than waiting for an inauguration ceremony. Thus, Scott and Lopez-Cantera's terms ended at the end of January 7.[45]
  23. DeSantis' second term began on January 3, 2023, and will expire January 5, 2027; he will be term-limited

References
General
  • "Former Florida Governors". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  • "A Guide to Florida Governors and the Florida Cabinet". State Library and Archives of Florida. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  • Buccellato, Robert (2015). Florida Governors Lasting Legacies (Images of America). Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1467113694.
  • Sobel, Robert (1978). Biographical directory of the governors of the United States, 1789–1978, Vol. I. Meckler Books. ISBN 9780930466015. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
Constitutions
Specific
  1. "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  2. FL Const. art. IV, § 1a
  3. FL Const. art. III, § 8
  4. FL Const. art. III, § 3c
  5. FL Const. art. IV, § 8
  6. "MIXSON TO BE GOVERNOR FOR 3 DAYS GRAHAM WILL QUIT EARLY SO HE CAN RUN FOR U.S. SENATE SEAT". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  7. "Adams-Onís Treaty". Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Oklahoma Historical Society. Archived from the original on July 31, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  8. "Andrew Jackson, Commissioner of the United States". Florida Department of State. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  9. "Andrew Jackson". State Library and Archives of Florida. Archived from the original on February 2, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  10. Morris, Allen; Joan Perry Morris (1999). The Florida Handbook, 1999–2000. Peninsular Books. ISBN 978-0-9616000-7-5. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  11. Harold D. Moser; David R. Hoth; George H. Hoemann, eds. (1996). The Papers of Andrew Jackson: 1821–1824. University of Tennessee Press. p. 513. ISBN 0-87049-897-5. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  12. Stanislaus Murray Hamilton, ed. (1902). The Writings of James Monroe. G.P. Putnam's Sons. p. 207. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  13. Peters, Virginia Bergman (1979). The Florida Wars. Hamden: The Shoestring Press. pp. 63–74. ISBN 0-208-01719-4.
  14. "McCarty, William Mason". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  15. Whitfield, James B. (1946). "All Governors of Territorial Florida had been Members of Congress". Florida Historical Quarterly. 25 (3). Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  16. "Florida and the Civil War" A Short History". Florida Memory. State Library & Archives of Florida. Archived from the original on April 26, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  17. "February 1861–1865". This Day in History. Florida Historical Society. Archived from the original on January 10, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  18. Cox, Merlin (January 1968). "Military Reconstruction in Florida". Florida Historical Quarterly. 46 (3): 219.
  19. "June in Florida History". This Day in History. Florida Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 14, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  20. 1838 Const. art III, § 2
  21. 1861 Const. art. III, § 2
  22. 1865 Const. art. III, § 2
  23. 1868 Const. art. V, § 2
  24. 1885 Const. art. IV, § 2
  25. FL Const. art. IV, § 5
  26. FL Const. art. IV, § 2
  27. 1838 Const. art III, § 18
  28. 1865 Const. art. III, § 19
  29. 1868 Const. art. V, § 15
  30. 1885 Const. art. IV, § 19
  31. FL Const. art. IV, § 3
  32. "Whig Party | History, Beliefs, Significance, & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2018-10-19.
  33. "John Milton". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  34. "Abraham Kurkindolle Allison". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  35. "William Marvin". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  36. "David Shelby Walker". State Library and Archives of Florida. Archived from the original on January 23, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  37. "Florida Governors' Portraits – Harrison Reed". Museum of Florida History. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved March 30, 2010.
  38. Davis, William Watson (1913). The Civil War and Reconstruction in Florida, Volume 53. Columbia University. pp. 550–555. ISBN 9780722201985. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  39. Cases argued and adjudged in the Supreme Court of Florida. Vol. XIII. State of Florida. 1871. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  40. Prince, Sigsbee, Jr. (January 1951). "Edward A. Perry, Yankee General of the Florida Brigade". The Florida Historical Quarterly. 29 (3): 202. JSTOR 30138822.
  41. "Thomas Leroy Collins". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  42. "Haydon Burns". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  43. "Daniel Robert Graham". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  44. "Can Crist Win in Florida as an Independent?". Time. May 3, 2010. Archived from the original on May 5, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2010.
  45. "DeSantis already governor when ceremony begins". Tampa Bay Times. January 5, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  46. Allen Morris & Joan Perry Morris, "The Florida Handbook" 2007-2008.
  47. "Gov. Crist Has Surgery on Knee".

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