Governor of Mississippi
| Mississippi Governor | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $122,160 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $3,828,841 |
| Term limits: | Two terms |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | Four years |
| Authority: | Mississippi Constitution, Article V, Section I the Executive Department |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Governor of Mississippi Tate Reeves | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 2, 2027 |
| Last election: | November 7, 2023 |
| Other Mississippi Executive Offices | |
| Governor •Lieutenant Governor •Secretary of State •Attorney General •Treasurer •Auditor •Superintendent of Education •Agriculture Commissioner •Insurance Commissioner •Executive Director of Environmental Quality • Executive Director of Employment Security •Public Service Commission •Transportation Commission | |
TheGovernor of the State of Mississippi is an elected constitutional officer, the head of the executive branch and the highest state office inMississippi. This office is elected to four-year terms in the odd-numbered year preceding a presidential election.[1] Governors of Mississippi are prohibited from serving more than two terms in office.[2]
Mississippi has a Republicantrifecta. The Republican Party controls the office of governor and both chambers of the state legislature.
Mississippi has a Republicantriplex. The Republican Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.
Current officeholder
The current Governor of Mississippi isTate Reeves (R). Reeves assumed office in 2020.
Authority
Thestate Constitution addresses the office of the governor inArticle V, the Executive Department.
Under Article V, Section I:
The chief executive power of this state shall be vested in a Governor...[3] |
Qualifications
The term of office of the governor of Mississippi is four years. The fee for party candidates is $300 made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee. There is no fee for independent candidates but a total of 1,000 signatures must be submitted.
Additionally, a gubernatorial candidate must be:[3]
- at least 30 years old
- a citizen of the United States for 20 years
- a resident of the state five years
Elections
Mississippi belongs to the handful of states that hold off-year elections, that is, elections in off-numbered years that are neither presidential nor midterm years. In Mississippi's case, elections are held in the year after a midterm and before a presidential; thus,2015, 2019, 2023, and 2027 are all gubernatorial election years. Legally, the inauguration is always held the second Tuesday in January after an election.
In the event of a tie, theHouse of Representatives casts ballots between the two highest vote-getters.
If no candidate secures majorities of both the popular and electoral votes, underArticle V, Section 141, the Mississippi House of Representatives shall consider the two highest vote getters and vote,vive voce, to choose the governor. Such a vote shall be recorded in the journal.[3]
Term limits
Mississippi governors are restricted to two terms in office during their lifetime.[3]
Mississippi Constitution, Article 5, Section 116
| Any person elected to the office of Governor shall be eligible to succeed himself in office. However, no person shall be elected to the office of Governor more than twice, and no person who has held the office of Governor or has acted as Governor for more than two (2) years of a term to which another person was elected shall be elected to the office of Governor more than once.[3] |
Partisan composition
The chart below shows the partisan breakdown of Mississippi governors from 1992 to 2013.
2027
General election
The general election will occur on November 2, 2027.
General election for Governor of Mississippi
Andy Gipson is running in the general election for Governor of Mississippi on November 2, 2027.
Candidate | ||
 | Andy Gipson (R) | |
| There are noincumbents in this race. | |||
 = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Past elections
Vacancies
Details of vacancies are addressed underArticle V, Section 131.
In the event of a temporary vacancy in the governorship, due to illness, absence, or disability, the office shall first devolve to thelieutenant governor, followed by the President Pro Tem of the Senate and then the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Should all three of those officers be unable to discharge the office of the governor, theMississippi Secretary of State shall convene a special session of the Senate wherein its members shall elect a new President Pro Tem who will be able to serve as acting governor.
Any individual acting as the governor receives the base compensation for his or her elected office plus the difference between that wage and the gubernatorial salary. Acting governors have the full powers and emoluments of the office.
If there is a question of the governor's permanent disability or of whether a temporarily absent governor is fit to resume the office, then the secretary of state shall request that theMississippi Supreme Court investigate and decide the matter. Once delivered in writing to the Secretary of State, that opinion is "final and conclusive."
Duties
Thegovernor serves as commander-in-chief of the army and navy of the state, and of the militia, except when they shall be called into the service of the United States, (§ 119), and sees that all laws are upheld and executed (§ 123).
The governor may convene thelegislature whenever, in his or her judgment, the public interest requires it, according to thestate constitution. However, during such meetings the governor has cannot consider or act upon subjects or matters other than those designated in the proclamation of the meeting, except impeachments and examination into the accounts of state officers. (§ 120)
The governor has the power to grant reprieves and pardons and to remit fines. This power does not extend to cases of treason or impeachment and must be exercised with the advice and consent of the Senate. (§ 124)
As a privilege of the office, the governor may keep and use the Great Seal of the State of Mississippi. (§ 126)[3]
Other duties and privileges of the office include:
- Requiring written information from any officer of an executive department of any aspect of his or her office (§ 121)
- Periodically addressing the legislature on the state of the state and making recommendations (§ 122)
- Suspending county level Treasurers and Tax Collectors who are suspected of defaulting for the length of the investigation (§ 125)
- Making and sealing all commissions granted by the state of Mississippi (§ 127)
Divisions
Note:Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for information that describes the divisions (if any exist) of a state executive office. That information for the Governor of Mississippi has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, pleaseemail us.
State budget
Role in state budget
The state operates on an annual budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[6]
- Budget instructions are sent to state agencies inJune of the year preceding the start of the new fiscal year.
- State agencies submit their budget requests to thegovernor inAugust.
- The governor submits his or her proposed budget to thestate legislature byNovember 15. This deadline is extended toJanuary 31 for a newly elected governor.
- The legislature typically adopts a budget inMarch or April. The fiscal year beginsJuly 1.
Mississippi is one of 44 states in which the governor hasline item veto authority.[6][7]
The governor is legally required to submit a balanced budget proposal. Likewise, the legislature is legally required to pass a balanced budget.[6]
Governor's office budget
The Office of the Governor's budget for fiscal year 2025 was $3,828,841.[8]
Compensation
See statutes:MS Code §25-3-31 (2013)
UnderArticle 5, Section 118 of theMississippi Constitution, the governor’s salary is determined by law, and may not be increased or decreased during the current term. The Mississippi Code states that no public official can be compensated, directly or indirectly, greater than 150 percent of the salary of the governor.[9]
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $122,160, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[10]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $122,160, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[11]
2021
In 2021, the governor received a salary of $122,160, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[12]
2020
In 2020, the governor received a salary of $122,160, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[13]
2019
In 2019, the governor received a salary of $122,160, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[14]
2018
In 2018, the governor received a salary of $122,160, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[15]
2017
In 2017, the governor received a salary of $122,160, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[16]
2016
In 2016, the governor received a salary of $122,160, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[17]
2015
In 2015, the governor received a salary of $122,160, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[18]
2014
In 2014, the governor's salary remained at$122,160, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[19]
2013
In 2013, the governor's salary remained at$122,160, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[20]
2012
In 2012, the governor's salary was$122,160, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[21]
History
Partisan balance 1992-2013
From 1992-2013, in Mississippi there were Democratic governors in office for four years while there were Republican governors in office for 18 years, including the last 10. Mississippi is one of eight states that were run by a Republican governor for more than 80 percent of the years between 1992-2013. Mississippi was under Republicantrifectas for the last two years of the study period.
Across the country, there were 493 years of Democratic governors (44.82%) and 586 years of Republican governors (53.27%) from 1992 to 2013.
Over the course of the 22-year study, state governments became increasingly more partisan. At the outset of the study period (1992), 18 of the 49 states with partisan legislatures had single-party trifectas and 31 states had divided governments. In 2013, only 13 states had divided governments, while single-party trifectas held sway in 36 states, the most in the 22 years studied.
The chart below shows the partisan composition of theOffice of the Governor of Mississippi, theMississippi State Senate and theMississippi House of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.
.PNG)
SQLI and partisanship
The chart below depicts the partisanship of the Mississippi state government and the state's SQLI ranking for the years studied. For the SQLI, the states were ranked from 1-50, with 1 being the best and 50 the worst. Mississippi has consistently ranked in the bottom-2 of the SQLI ranking regardless of a trifecta or a divided government. The state has been ranked in the last place for fifteen separate years and ranked 49th six separate years. Mississippi had two trifecta, both Democratic and Republican, between 2000 and 2004 and in 2012, respectively.
- SQLI average with Democratic trifecta: 49.75
- SQLI average with Republican trifecta: 50
- SQLI average with divided government: 49.69
Historical officeholders
There have been 65 governors since 1817. Of the 65 officeholders, seven were Republican, 52 were Democrat, one was Whig, one was Union-Democratic, one was Provisional, one was Military, and three are unknown.[22]
| List of officeholders from 1817-present | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Tenure | Party | ||
| 1 | David Holmes | 1817 - 1820 |  Democratic | ||
| 2 | George Poindexter | 1820 - 1822 | Democratic | ||
| 3 | Walter Leake | 1822 - 1825 | Democratic | ||
| 4 | Gerard Chittocque Brandon | 1825 - 1826 | Unknown | ||
| 5 | David Holmes | 1826 - 1826 | Democratic | ||
| 6 | Gerard Chittocque Brandon | 1826 - 1832 | Unknown | ||
| 7 | Abram Marshall Scott | 1832 - 1833 | Democratic | ||
| 8 | Charles Lynch | 1833 - 1833 | Democratic | ||
| 9 | Hiram George Runnels | 1833 - 1835 | Democratic | ||
| 10 | John Anthony Quitman | 1835 - 1836 | Democratic | ||
| 11 | Charles Lynch | 1836 - 1838 | Whig | ||
| 12 | Alexander Gallatin Mcnutt | 1838 - 1842 | Democratic | ||
| 13 | Tilghman Mayfield Tucker | 1842 - 1844 | Democratic | ||
| 14 | Albert Gallatin Brown | 1844 - 1848 | Democratic | ||
| 15 | Joseph W. Matthews | 1848 - 1850 | Democratic | ||
| 16 | John Anthony Quitman | 1850 - 1851 | Democratic | ||
| 17 | John Isaac Guion | 1851 - 1851 | Democratic | ||
| 18 | James Whitfield | 1851 - 1852 | Democratic | ||
| 19 | Henry Stuart Foote | 1852 - 1854 | Union-Democratic | ||
| 20 | John Jones Pettus | 1854 - 1854 | Democratic | ||
| 21 | John Jones McRae | 1854 - 1857 | Democratic | ||
| 22 | William McWillie | 1857 - 1859 | Democratic | ||
| 23 | John Jones Pettus | 1859 - 1863 | Democratic | ||
| 24 | Charles Clark | 1863 - 1865 | Democratic | ||
| 25 | William Lewis Sharkey | 1865 - 1865 | Provisional | ||
| 26 | Benjamin Grubb Humphreys | 1865 - 1868 | Democratic | ||
| 27 | Adelbert Ames | 1868 - 1870 | Military | ||
| 28 | James Lusk Alcorn | 1870 - 1871 |  Republican | ||
| 29 | Ridgely Ceylon Powers | 1871 - 1874 | Unknown | ||
| 30 | Adelbert Ames | 1874 - 1876 | Republican | ||
| 31 | John Marshall Stone | 1876 - 1882 | Democratic | ||
| 32 | Robert Lowry | 1882 - 1890 | Democratic | ||
| 33 | John Marshall Stone | 1890 - 1896 | Democratic | ||
| 34 | Anselm McLaurin | 1896 - 1900 | Democratic | ||
| 35 | Andrew Houston Longino | 1900 - 1904 | Democratic | ||
| 36 | James Vardaman | 1904 - 1908 | Democratic | ||
| 37 | Edmond Favor Noel | 1908 - 1912 | Democratic | ||
| 38 | Earl Leroy Brewer | 1912 - 1916 | Democratic | ||
| 39 | Theodore Gilmore Bilbo | 1916 - 1920 | Democratic | ||
| 40 | Lee Maurice Russell | 1920 - 1924 | Democratic | ||
| 41 | Henry Lewis Whitfield | 1924 - 1927 | Democratic | ||
| 42 | Dennis Herron Murphree | 1927 - 1928 | Democratic | ||
| 43 | Theodore Gilmore Bilbo | 1928 - 1932 | Democratic | ||
| 44 | Martin Sennet Conner | 1932 - 1936 | Democratic | ||
| 45 | Hugh Lawson White | 1936 - 1940 | Democratic | ||
| 46 | Paul B. Johnson Sr. | 1940 - 1943 | Democratic | ||
| 47 | Dennis Herron Murphree | 1943 - 1944 | Democratic | ||
| 48 | Thomas Lowry Bailey | 1944 - 1946 | Democratic | ||
| 49/50[23] | Fielding Lewis Wright | 1946 - 1952 | Democratic | ||
| 51 | Hugh Lawson White | 1952 - 1956 | Democratic | ||
| 52 | James Plemon Coleman | 1956 - 1960 | Democratic | ||
| 53 | Ross Robert Barnett | 1960 - 1964 | Democratic | ||
| 54 | Paul B. Johnson Jr. | 1964 - 1968 | Democratic | ||
| 55 | John Bell Williams | 1968 - 1972 | Democratic | ||
| 56 | William Lowe Waller | 1972 - 1976 | Democratic | ||
| 57 | Charles Clifton Finch | 1976 - 1980 | Democratic | ||
| 58 | William Forrest Winter | 1980 - 1984 | Democratic | ||
| 59 | William A. Allain | 1984 - 1988 | Democratic | ||
| 60 | Raymond Edwin Mabus | 1988 - 1992 | Democratic | ||
| 61 | Daniel Kirkwood Fordice | 1992 - 2000 | Republican | ||
| 62 | David Ronald "Ronnie" Musgrove | 2000 - 2004 | Democratic | ||
| 63 | Haley Barbour | 2004 - 2012 | Republican | ||
| 64 | Phil Bryant | 2012 - 2020 | Republican | ||
| 65 | Tate Reeves | 2020 - Present | Republican | ||
State profile
| Demographic data for Mississippi | ||
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 2,989,390 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 46,923 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 59.2% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 37.4% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 1% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 1.2% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 2.9% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 82.3% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 20.7% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $39,665 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 27% | 11.3% |
| Source:U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Clickhere for more information on the 2020 census andhere for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Mississippi. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the censushere. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
Mississippivoted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted forDonald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting forBarack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won thesePivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, two are located in Mississippi, accounting for 0.97 percent of the total pivot counties.[24]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won asRetained Pivot Counties and those won byJoe Biden (D) asBoomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Mississippi had two Retained Pivot Counties, 1.10 of all Retained Pivot Counties.
More Mississippi coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Mississippi
- United States congressional delegations from Mississippi
- Public policy in Mississippi
- Endorsers in Mississippi
- Mississippi fact checks
- More...
Contact information
P.O. Box 139
Jackson, Mississippi 39205
Phone: 601-359-3150
E-mail: governor@govreeves.ms.gov
See also
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Governor of Mississippi
- Official State of Mississippi Website
- Secretary of State, "Qualifications and Fees for Mississippi Candidates"
Footnotes
- ↑Official State of Mississippi Website, "Home," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Justia, "Mississippi Constitution," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑3.03.13.23.33.43.5Justia, "Mississippi Constitution," accessed January 25, 2022
- ↑4.04.1Associated Press, "Mississippi - Summary Vote Results," August 04, 2015
- ↑Yahoo! News, "Truck driver wins Dem nomination for Mississippi governor," November 5, 2015
- ↑6.06.16.2National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2021," accessed January 24, 2023
- ↑National Conference of State Legislatures, "Separation of Powers: Executive Veto Powers," accessed January 26, 2024
- ↑State of Mississippi, "Budget Bulletin Fiscal Year 2025," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑2013 Mississippi Code, “Salaries and Compensation, General Provisions,” accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries," January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑National Governors Association, "Former Mississippi Governors," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Wright is considered both the 49th and 50th governor of Mississippi. He was the 49th governor while completing the remainder of Thomas Bailey's term, and the 50th governor for his elected term.
- ↑The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip ofAtlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
 | State ofMississippi Jackson (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections | What's on my ballot? |Elections in 2025 |How to vote |How to run for office |Ballot measures |
| Government | Who represents me? |U.S. President |U.S. Congress |Federal courts |State executives |State legislature |State and local courts |Counties |Cities |School districts |Public policy |
- Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments
- Pages using DynamicPageList3 parser function
- Pages using DynamicPageList3 dplreplace parser function
- State executive office pages without divisions sections
- Mississippi
- Offices of the American governors
- Mississippi state executive offices
- Offices of state executive officials by state
