Governor of Tennessee
| Tennessee Governor | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $204,336 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $6,675,600 |
| Term limits: | Two consecutive terms |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Tennessee Constitution, Article III, Section I |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Governor of Tennessee Bill Lee | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | 2026 |
| Last election: | 2022 |
| Other Tennessee Executive Offices | |
| Governor •Lieutenant Governor •Secretary of State •Attorney General •Comptroller •Treasurer •Superintendent of Education •Agriculture Commissioner •Insurance Commissioner •Natural Resources Commissioner •Labor Commissioner •Public Service Commission | |
TheGovernor of the State of Tennessee is an elected constitutional officer, the head of the executive branch and the highest state office inTennessee. The Governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and is limited to two consecutive terms.[1]
Tennessee has a Republicantrifecta. The Republican Party controls the office of governor and both chambers of the state legislature.
Tennessee has a Republicantriplex. The Republican Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.
Current officeholder
The current Governor of Tennessee isBill Lee (R). Lee assumed office in 2019.
Authority
Thestate Constitution addresses the office of the governor inArticle III, the Executive Department.
Under Article III, Section I:
The supreme executive power of this state shall be vested in a governor.[1] |
Qualifications
A candidate for governor must be:
- at least 30 years old
- a citizen of the United States
- a citizen of Tennessee for at least seven years upon his or her election
Additionally, no member of Congress and no one holding any other state office or any federal office may execute the duties of the office of the governor.[1]
Vacancies
Details of vacancies are addressed underArticle III, Section 4 and underArticle III, Section 12
When the governorship is vacated less than 18 months into a term, the successor only serves until a special election is held at the next general election. More than 18 months into a term, the successor completes the remainder of the term.
If the elected Governor dies, resigns or is removed, the first person in the line of succession is theLieutenant Governor of Tennessee, who is also the Speaker of theSenate. The next in line is the Speaker of theHouse.[2]
Duties
The Governor is the head of the executive branch ofTennessee's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces (§ 5). Thegovernor has a duty to enforce state laws and the stateconstitution (§ 10).
The governor is also the keeper of the Great Seal of the State of Tennessee (§ 15).
According toArticle III of the Tennessee Constitution, other duties and privileges of the office include:
- Granting reprieves and pardons, except in cases of impeachment (§ 6)
- Requiring written information from any officer of an executive department on any aspect of that officer's department or duties (§ 8)
- Convening extraordinary sessions of the legislature, provided she or he proclaims the purposes and limitations of the special session when she or he calls it (§ 9)
- Periodically addressing theGeneral Assembly concerning the state of the state and making recommendations for legislation (§ 11)
- Signing and sealing all commissions granted by the state of Tennessee (§ 16)
- Vetoing bills and joint resolutions, subject to a majority override of the state legislature (§ 18)[1]
Elections
Tennessee elects governors in the midterm elections, that is, even years that are not presidential election years. For Tennessee, 2018, 2022, 2026, 2030, and 2034 are all gubernatorial election years. Legally, the gubernatorial inauguration is always set for the third Saturday in the January following an election.
In the event of a tie or a contested election, a joint session of the legislature shall cast ballots to choose a winner.[1]
Tennessee is one of only two states, the other beingHawaii, where the Governor is the only statewide elected office.
Term limits
Tennessee governors are restricted to two consecutive terms in office, after which they must wait one term before being eligible to run again.
Tennessee Constitution, Article III, Section 4
| A person may be eligible to succeed in office for additional four-year terms, provided that no person presently serving or elected hereafter shall be eligible for election to more than two terms consecutively, including an election to a partial term.[1] |
Partisan composition
The chart below shows the partisan breakdown of Tennessee governors from 1992 to 2013.
2022
General election
General election for Governor of Tennessee
The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Tennessee on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Bill Lee (R) | 64.9 | 1,129,390 |
 | Jason Martin (D)  | 32.9 | 572,818 | |
 | John Gentry (Independent) | 0.9 | 15,395 | |
 | Constance Every (Independent) | 0.6 | 10,277 | |
 | Deborah Rouse (Independent) | 0.2 | 3,772 | |
 | Rick Tyler (Independent) | 0.1 | 2,380 | |
 | Charles Morgan (Independent) | 0.1 | 1,862 | |
| Basil Marceaux (Independent) | 0.1 | 1,568 | ||
| Alfred O'Neil (Independent) | 0.1 | 1,216 | ||
 | Michael Scantland (Independent) | 0.0 | 815 | |
 | Lemichael Wilson (L) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 386 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 3 | ||
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 1,739,882 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Hosie Holomon III (Independent)
- Jake Johns (Independent)
- Wendell Jackson (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Tennessee
Jason Martin defeatedJB Smiley Jr. andCarnita Atwater in the Democratic primary for Governor of Tennessee on August 4, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jason Martin | 39.4 | 101,552 |
 | JB Smiley Jr. | 38.8 | 100,062 | |
 | Carnita Atwater | 21.8 | 56,227 | |
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 257,841 | ||
| = 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. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Casey Nicholson (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Tennessee
IncumbentBill Lee advanced from the Republican primary for Governor of Tennessee on August 4, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bill Lee | 100.0 | 494,362 |
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 494,362 | ||
| = 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Past elections
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 Tennessee 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
- See also:Tennessee state budget and finances
The state operates on an annual budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[3]
- Budget instructions are sent to state agencies inAugust of the year preceding the start of the new fiscal year.
- State agencies submit their budget requests to thegovernor byOctober 1.
- The governor submits his or her proposed budget to thestate legislature byFebruary 1. The deadline for new governors isMarch 1.
- The legislature typically adopts a budget betweenApril and June. A simple majority is required to pass a budget. The fiscal year beginsJuly 1.
Tennessee is one of 44 states in which the governor hasline item veto authority.[3][4]
The governor is constitutionally required to submit a balanced budget proposal. Likewise, the legislature is required to adopt a balanced budget.[3]
Governor's office budget
The budget for the Governor's Office in Fiscal Year 2024-2025 was $6,675,600.[5]
Compensation
See statutes:Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-1-102 (2014)
Title 8, Chapter 1, Section 102 (§ 8-1-102) of the Tennnesse Code Annotated sets the governor's annual salary equal to that of theChief Justice of theTennessee Supreme Court, payable in monthly installments out of the state treasury.[6] The amount of compensation is prescribed by law, pursuant toArticle III, Section 7 of theTennessee Constitution:
| He shall, at stated times, receive a compensation for his services, which shall not be increased or diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected.[1] |
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $204,336, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[7]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $204,336, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[8]
2021
In 2021, the governor received a salary of $198,780, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[9]
2020
In 2020, the governor’s salary was increased to $198,780, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[10]
2019
In 2019, the governor’s salary was increased to $194,112, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[11]
2018
In 2018, the governor’s salary was increased to $190,116, according to theCouncil of State Governments. However, Gov.Bill Haslam (R) returned his salary to the state.[12]
2017
In 2017, the governor’s salary was increased to $187,680, according to theCouncil of State Governments. However, Gov.Bill Haslam (R) returned his salary to the state.[13]
2016
In 2016, the governor’s salary was increased to $187,500, according to theCouncil of State Governments. However, Gov.Bill Haslam (R) returned his salary to the state.[14]
2015
In 2015, the governor’s salary was increased to $184,632, according to theCouncil of State Governments. However, Gov.Bill Haslam (R) returned his salary to the state.[15]
2014
In 2014, the governor received a salary of $181,980, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[16]
2013
In 2013, the governor's salary was $178,356. However, Gov.Bill Haslam (R) returned his salary to the state.[17]
Historical officeholders
There have been 50 different governors of Tennessee since 1796. Counting those who served multiple, non-consecutive terms brings the total to 58, as reflected in the chart below. The breakdown of the 50 officeholders is as follows: 32 Democrats, 6 Democratic-Republicans, 7 Republicans, 3 Whigs, 2 Whig/Know-Nothing, 2 Republican/Whig, 1 Democratic/Opposition Party, 1 Democratic/Whig, and 1 Farm-Labor.[18]
| List of officeholders from 1796-present | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Tenure | Party | ||
| 1 | John Sevier | 1796 - 1801 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 2 | Archibald Roane | 1801 - 1803 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 1 | John Sevier | 1803 – 1809 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 3 | Willie Blount | 1809 - 1815 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 4 | Joseph McMinn | 1815 - 1821 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 5 | William Carroll | 1821 - 1827 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 6 | Samuel Houston | 1827 - 1829 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 7 | William Hall | 1829 - 1829 |  Democratic | ||
| 5 | William Carroll | 1829 – 1835 | Democratic | ||
| 8 | Newton Cannon | 1835 - 1839 | Whig | ||
| 9 | James Knox Polk | 1839 - 1841 | Democratic | ||
| 10 | James Chamberlain Jones | 1841 - 1845 | Whig | ||
| 11 | Aaron Venable Brown | 1845 - 1847 | Democratic | ||
| 12 | Neill Smith Brown | 1847 - 1849 | Whig/Know-Nothing | ||
| 13 | William Trousdale | 1849 - 1851 | Democratic | ||
| 14 | William Bowen Campbell | 1851 - 1853 | Whig | ||
| 15 | Andrew Johnson | 1853 - 1857 | Democratic | ||
| 16 | Isham Green Harris | 1857 - 1862 | Democratic | ||
| Never took office | Robert Looney Caruthers | 1863 - 1863 | Democratic | ||
| 15 | Andrew Johnson | 1862 – 1865 | Democratic | ||
| Edward Hazzard East | 1865 - 1865 | Democratic/Opposition Party | |||
| 17 | William Gannaway Brownlow | 1865 - 1869 | Whig/Know-Nothing | ||
| 18 | DeWitt Clinton Senter | 1869 - 1871 |  Republican/Whig | ||
| 19 | John Calvin Brown | 1871 - 1875 | Democratic/Whig | ||
| 20 | James Davis Porter | 1875 - 1879 | Democratic | ||
| 21 | Albert Smith Marks | 1879 - 1881 | Democratic | ||
| 22 | Alvin Hawkins | 1881 - 1883 | Republican/Whig | ||
| 23 | William Brimage Bate | 1883 - 1887 | Democratic | ||
| 24 | Robert Love Taylor | 1887 - 1891 | Democratic | ||
| 25 | John Price Buchanan | 1891 - 1893 | Farm-Labor | ||
| 26 | Peter Turney | 1893 - 1897 | Democratic | ||
| 24 | Robert Love Taylor | 1897 – 1899 | Democratic | ||
| 27 | Benton McMillin | 1899 - 1903 | Democratic | ||
| 28 | James Beriah Frazier | 1903 - 1905 | Democratic | ||
| 29 | John Isaac Cox | 1905 - 1907 | Democratic | ||
| 30 | Malcolm Rice Patterson | 1907 - 1911 | Democratic | ||
| 31 | Ben Walter Hooper | 1911 - 1915 | Republican | ||
| 32 | Thomas Clarke Rye | 1915 - 1919 | Democratic | ||
| 33 | Albert Houston Roberts | 1919 - 1921 | Democratic | ||
| 34 | Alfred Alexander Taylor | 1921 - 1923 | Republican | ||
| 35 | Austin Peay III | 1923 - 1927 | Democratic | ||
| 36 | Henry Hollis Horton | 1927 - 1933 | Democratic | ||
| 37 | Harry Hill McAlister | 1933 - 1937 | Democratic | ||
| 38 | Gordon Browning | 1937 - 1939 | Democratic | ||
| 39 | William Prentice Cooper | 1939 - 1945 | Democratic | ||
| 40 | Jim Nance McCord | 1945 - 1949 | Democratic | ||
| 38 | Gordon Browning | 1949 – 1953 | Democratic | ||
| 41 | Frank Goad Clement | 1953 - 1959 | Democratic | ||
| 42 | Earl Buford Ellington | 1959 - 1963 | Democratic | ||
| 41 | Frank Goad Clement | 1963 – 1967 | Democratic | ||
| 42 | Earl Buford Ellington | 1967 – 1971 | Democratic | ||
| 43 | Bryant Winfield Culberson Dunn | 1971 - 1975 | Republican | ||
| 44 | Ray Blanton | 1975 - 1979 | Democratic | ||
| 45 | Lamar Alexander | 1979 - 1987 | Republican | ||
| 46 | Ned Ray McWherter | 1987 - 1995 | Democratic | ||
| 47 | Don Sundquist | 1995 - 2003 | Republican | ||
| 48 | Phil Bredesen | 2003 - 2011 | Democratic | ||
| 49 | Bill Haslam | 2011 - 2019 | Republican | ||
| 50 | Bill Lee | 2019 - present | Republican | ||
History
Partisan balance 1992-2013
From 1992-2013, in Tennessee there were Democratic governors in office for 11 years while there were Republican governors in office for 11 years, including the last three. Tennessee was under Republicantrifectas for the last three 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 Tennessee, theTennessee State Senate and theTennessee House of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.
.PNG)
SQLI and partisanship
The chart below depicts the partisanship of the Tennessee 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. Tennessee experienced both Democratic and Republican trifectas during the years of the study. Its best ranking, finishing 21st, occurred in 2012 during a Republican trifecta. Its worst ranking, finishing 40th, occurred in 2004 during a Democratic trifecta.
- SQLI average with Democratic trifecta: 34.00
- SQLI average with Republican trifecta: 23.00
- SQLI average with divided government: 31.71
State profile
| Demographic data for Tennessee | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 6,595,056 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 41,235 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 77.8% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 16.8% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 1.6% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.3% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 4.9% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 85.5% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 24.9% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $45,219 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 21.4% | 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 Tennessee. **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
Tennesseevoted 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, one is located in Tennessee, accounting for 0.5 percent of the total pivot counties.[19]
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. Tennessee had one Retained Pivot County, 0.55 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.
More Tennessee coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Tennessee
- United States congressional delegations from Tennessee
- Public policy in Tennessee
- Endorsers in Tennessee
- Tennessee fact checks
- More...
Contact information
Governor's Office
State Capitol, 1st Floor
600 Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: 615.741.2001
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑1.01.11.21.31.41.51.6Tennessee State Government, "Tennessee Constitution, accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Lexis-Nexis, "Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-2-101," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑3.03.13.2National 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
- ↑Tennessee.gov, "Tennessee House Bill 2973," accessed January 23, 2025
- ↑LexisNexis, "Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-1-102 (2014)" 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 28, 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," June 25, 2013
- ↑National Governors Association, "Former Tennessee Governors," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip ofAtlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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