| Governor of Iowa | |
|---|---|
since May 24, 2017 | |
| Government of Iowa | |
| Style | The Honorable |
| Residence | Terrace Hill |
| Term length | Four years, no term limits |
| Precursor | Governor ofIowa Territory |
| Inaugural holder | Ansel Briggs |
| Formation | December 3, 1846 (178 years ago) (1846-12-03) |
| Succession | Line of succession |
| Deputy | Lieutenant Governor of Iowa |
| Salary | $130,000 (2022)[1] |
| Website | governor |
Thegovernor of Iowa is thehead of government of theU.S. state ofIowa. Thegovernor is the head of theexecutive branch of the state government[2] and is charged with enforcing state laws.[3] The officeholder has the power to either approve orveto bills passed by theIowa General Assembly,[4] to convene the legislature,[5] as well as to grantpardons, except in cases oftreason andimpeachment.[6] The governor of Iowa is also thecommander-in-chief of thestate'smilitary forces.[7] The governor has the ability to sign executive orders, these have range from topics including the establishment of councils, committees and task forces, and appropriation reductions to prevent a state budget deficit.[1]
There have been 41 individuals who held the position of Iowa governor, with two of those serving multiple distinct terms,Samuel J. Kirkwood andTerry Branstad. The current governor,Kim Reynolds, is the first woman to hold the position and was sworn in on May 24, 2017. The longest-serving isTerry Branstad, who served from 1983 to 1999 and then again from 2011 to 2017. He is the longest-serving governor inU.S. history, surpassing the previous record of 21 years set byGeorge Clinton ofNew York. The shortest-serving wasRobert D. Fulton, who served 16 days.
Iowa Territory was formed on July 4, 1838, fromWisconsin Territory. It had four governors appointed by thepresident of the United States, though the first resigned days after he was confirmed by the Senate and before ever reaching the territory.
| No. | Governor | Term in office[a] | Appointed by | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henry Atkinson (1782–1842) | June 13, 1838 – July 7, 1838 (resigned before taking office)[b] | Martin Van Buren | |
| 2 | Robert Lucas[c] (1781–1853) [10] | July 7, 1838[d] – June 17, 1841 (successor appointed)[e] | Martin Van Buren | |
| 3 | John Chambers (1780–1852) [15] | March 25, 1841[f] – November 18, 1845 (successor appointed) | William Henry Harrison | |
| 4 | James Clarke (1812–1850) [20] | November 8, 1845[g] – December 3, 1846 (statehood) | James K. Polk | |
The southeast portion of Iowa Territory wasadmitted to the Union as the State of Iowa on December 28, 1846. The firstConstitution of Iowa, adopted in 1846, created the office of governor with a four-year term,[24] with no specific start date. The 1857 constitution reduced this term to two years,[25] but an amendment in 1972 increased this back to four years.[26] The 1857 constitution also set the start of the term to the second Monday in the January following the election,[27] which was moved one day later by a 1988 amendment.[28]
The office oflieutenant governor was created in the 1857 constitution, elected for the same term as the governor.[29] An amendment in 1988 specified that the lieutenant governor would be elected on the same ticket as the governor.[30] If the office becomes vacant, it devolves upon the lieutenant governor for the remainder of the term or vacancy.[31] Prior to 1857, if the office became vacant, theSecretary of State of Iowa would act as governor.[32] There is noterm limit on the number of terms a governor may serve.
| Timeline of Iowa governors |
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Last Thursday, at half past ten a.m., Lieut. Governor Newbold became full fledged Governor of Iowa by taking the oath as prescribed by the Constitution.
Iowa was invoked but never defined (see thehelp page).