Office of the Governor
| History |
Duties
The Governor...
Is chief executive officer of the state and is commander-in-chief of the military forces of the state, except when such forces are called into the service of the United States.
Transacts all executive business with the officers of the government, civil and military, and may require information in writing on any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices.
Is responsible for seeing that the laws of Arizona are faithfully executed.
Delivers a message to the Legislature at the beginning of every regular session on the condition of the state and recommends such matters as the governor deems expedient.
May convene the Legislature in special session.
May grant reprieves, commutations, and pardons after convictions for all offenses except treason and cases of impeachment upon conditions and with restrictions and limitations as provided by law.
May approve or disapprove every bill passed by the Legislature. The veto power of the governor does not extend to any bill passed by the Legislature and referred to the people for adoption or rejection.
Is, by law, the sole official means of communication between this state and the government of any other state of the United States. |
Governors Since Statehood
1912-1917
1917
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Republican |
Campbell had more votes than Hunt in the 1916 election. However, Hunt contested the election results. The Arizona Supreme Court announced on Jan. 27, 1917, that Campbell was the de facto governor (Arizona Gazette, January 1917).
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Thomas E. Campbell |
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1918
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Democrat |
Further court action returned Hunt to the governor's office in 1918. |
George W.P. Hunt |
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1919-1923
1923-1929
1929-1931
1931-1933
1933-1937
1937-1939
1939-1941
1941-1948
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Democrat |
Died in office May 25, 1948. |
Sidney P. Osborn
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1948-1949
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Democrat |
Became acting governor upon the death of Gov. Osborn on May 25, 1948. |
Daniel E. Garvey
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1949-1951
1951-1955
1955-1959
1959-1965
1965-1967
1967-1971
1971-1975
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Republican |
First governor to serve a four-year elected term. |
John R. "Jack" Williams |
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1975-1977
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Democrat |
Resigned to become ambassador to Argentina, Oct. 20, 1977. |
Raul Castro |
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1977-1978
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Democrat |
Became governor upon resignation of Gov. Castro, Oct. 20, 1977.
Died in office March 4, 1978. |
H. Wesley Bolin |
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1978-1979
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Democrat |
As attorney general, he became governor upon death of Gov. Bolin on March 4, 1978, and finished the term. When Castro resigned, Bolin became governor and appointed Rose Mofford secretary of state.
Arizona's laws of succession dictate that officials can "move up" only if they are elected to their office. The next highest elected officeholder was Bruce Babbitt, the attorney general. |
Bruce Babbitt |
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1979-1987
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Democrat |
After succeeding Wesley Bolin and completing Bolin's unexpired term, Bruce Babbitt then ran successfully for governor in the next two elections. |
Bruce Babbitt |
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1987-1988
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Republican |
Impeached by the House of Representatives, February 1988.
The Senate voted to convict him, April 4, 1988. |
Evan Mecham |
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1988-1991
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Democrat |
Upon impeachment of Gov. Mecham, she became acting governor February 1988. When the Senate voted to convict Mecham, Mofford became governor April 5, 1988, making her the first woman to hold the office. She served until the next governor was elected. |
Rose Mofford |
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1991-1995
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Republican |
Symington became governor March 6, 1991, following a runoff election with Terry Goddard. In 1988, the people of Arizona voted in favor of a proposition requiring the winning official to garner more than 50 percent of the vote. In 1990 none of the candidates running for governor garnered 50 percent of the vote in the general election. A run-off election was held between the top vote getters, Fife Symington and Terry Goddard. |
J. Fife Symington |
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1995-1997
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Republican |
Symington was elected to a second term by garnering more than 50 percent of the vote in the 1994 general election. In the same election, voters repealed a provision requiring the winning officials to get more than 50 percent of the vote.
On Sept. 3, 1997, Gov. Symington was convicted on seven counts of fraud . He resigned from office effective Sept. 5, 1997, at 5 p.m.
The conviction was later overturned. |
J. Fife Symington |
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1997-1999
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Republican |
Secretary of State Jane Dee Hull became governor upon the resignation of J. Fife Symington, effective Sept. 5, 1997, at 5 p.m.
She took the oath of office on Monday, Sept. 8, 1997. |
Jane Dee Hull |
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1999-2002
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Republican |
Gov. Hull was elected by voters to the governor's office on Nov. 3, 1998. She took the oath on Monday, Jan. 4, 1999. |
Jane Dee Hull |
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2003-2006
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Democrat |
Napolitano was Arizona's third female governor. |
Janet Napolitano |
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2007-2009
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Democrat |
Napolitano was the first woman governor to win re-election. On Dec. 1, 2008, Barack Obama introduced Napolitano as his nominee for United States Secretary of Homeland Security director. |
Janet Napolitano |
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2009-2010
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Republican |
On Jan. 20, 2009, Janet Napolitano was confirmed as Homeland Security director and resigned as governor. Secretary of state Janice K. Brewer became governor. She was sworn in on Jan. 21, 2009. She is the 22nd person to take the oath of office as governor of Arizona and is Arizona’s fifth secretary of state to succeed to the governor's office in mid-term. |
Janice K. Brewer |
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2011-Present
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Republican |
Gov. Brewer was elected by voters to the governor's office on Nov. 2, 2010. She was sworn in on January 3, 2011. |
Janice K. Brewer |
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