| Governor of Maine | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the governor | |
 | |
| Government of Maine | |
| Style | The Honorable |
| Status | Head of state Head of government |
| Residence | The Blaine House |
| Seat | Augusta, Maine |
| Appointer | Popular vote |
| Term length | 4 years, renewable once consecutively |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Maine |
| Precursor | Governor of Massachusetts (District of Maine) |
| Inaugural holder | William King |
| Formation | March 15, 1820 |
| Succession | Line of succession |
| Salary | $70,000 (2022)[1] |
| Website | Official website |
Thegovernor of Maine is thehead of government of the U.S. state ofMaine. Before Maine wasadmitted to the Union in 1820, Maine was part ofMassachusetts and thegovernor of Massachusetts was chief executive.
The current governor of Maine isJanet Mills, aDemocrat, who took office January 2, 2019.
The governor of Maine receives a salary of $70,000, which is the lowest salary out of all 50 state governors, as of 2022.[2] This will be raised to $125,000 upon a new governor taking office in 2026, per a bill passed in 2025, as the Maine Constitution prohibits changing the salary of the sitting governor.[3]
Under Article V, Section 4, a person must as of the commencement of the term in office, be 30 years old, for 15 years a citizen of the United States, and for five years a resident of Maine. A governor must retain residency in Maine while in office. Section 5 provides that a person shall not assume the office of Governor[4] while holding any other office under the United States, Maine, or "any other power".
Governors are elected directly for four-year terms. They may be elected any number of times, but with alimit of two consecutive elected terms.(Article V, Section 2).[4] Elections are by popular vote, but if two people tie for first place, the Legislature meets injoint session to choose between them (Article V, Section 3).[4]
TheMaine Constitution of 1820 originally established a gubernatorial term of one year,[5] to begin on the first Wednesday of January; constitutional amendments expanded this to two years in 1879[6] and to four years in 1957.[7] The 1957 amendment also prohibited governors from succeeding themselves after serving two terms.[7]
The governor iscommander-in-chief of "the army and navy of the State, and of the militia" (theMaine National Guard), except when underfederal control (Article V, Section 7).[4] The governor generally has the power to appoint civil, military, and judicial officers (aside from probate judges and justices of the peace), subject toconfirmation by the Legislature, unless the Maine Constitution or a statute has provided another means of appointment (Article V, Section 8).[4] The governor also has the power to grantpardons, reprieves, andcommutations, except in cases ofimpeachment. This clemency power also includes juvenile offenses (Article V, Section 11).[4]
The Governor oversees the executive branch, which includes Maine's state agencies. Their cabinet is often considered to be the state's commissioners, which are generally nominated by the governor but legally chosen by theMaine Legislature.
| Office | Name | Since |
|---|---|---|
| Governor | Janet Mills | 2019 |
| Commissioner of the Department of Administrative & Financial Services | Kirsten Figueroa[9] | 2019 |
| Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry | Amanda Beal[10] | 2019 |
| Commissioner of the Department of Corrections | Randall Liberty[11] | 2019 |
| Commissioner of the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management | Douglas Farnham[12] | 2016 |
| Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development | Heather Johnson[13] | 2019 |
| Commissioner of the Department of Education | Pender Makin[14] | 2019 |
| Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection | Melanie Loyzim[15] | 2021 |
| Commissioner of the Department of Health & Human Services | Jeanne Lambrew[16] | 2019 |
| Commissioner of the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife | Judy Camuso[17] | 2019 |
| Commissioner of the Department of Marine Resources | Patrick C. Keliher[12] | 2012 |
| Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety | Michael Sauschuck[11] | 2019 |
| Commissioner of the Department of Transportation | Bruce Van Note[18] | 2019 |
| Commissioner of the Department of Labor | Laura Fortman[19] | 2019 |
| Commissioner of the Department of Professional & Financial Regulation | Anne Head[12][20] | 2008 |
| Executive Director of Workers' Compensation Board | John Rohde[21] | 2019 |
Maine is one of five states that does not have an office oflieutenant governor.[22] Under current law, if there is a vacancy in the office of governor, thepresident of the Maine Senate becomes governor. As of December 4, 2024[update], the Senate president is DemocratMattie Daughtry.
The Blaine House inAugusta is the official governor's mansion, and is located across the street from theMaine State House. It became the official residence in 1919, and is named forJames G. Blaine, who once owned the mansion. The house was built by Captain James Hall in 1833 and declared aNational Historic Landmark in 1964.[23]
| Timeline of Maine governors |
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