List of Governors of Arkansas

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Governor of Arkansas
Seal of Arkansas.svg
AsaHutchinson.JPG
Incumbent
Asa Hutchinson
since January 13, 2015
Style The Honorable
Residence Arkansas Governor's Mansion
Term length Four years, renewable once
Inaugural holder James Sevier Conway
Formation 1836; Constitution of Arkansas
Succession Every four years, unless re-elected.
Salary $86,890 (2013)[1]

The Governor of Arkansas is the head of the executive branch of Arkansas's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Arkansas Legislature, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.[2]

The state has had 45 elected governors, as well as 10 acting governors who assumed powers and duties following the resignation or death of the governor, totaling 55 distinct terms. Before becoming a state, Arkansas Territory had four governors appointed to it by the President of the United States. Orval Faubus served the longest term as state governor, being elected six times to serve twelve years. Bill Clinton, elected five times over two distinct terms, fell only one month short of twelve years. The shortest term for an elected governor was the 38 days served by John Sebastian Little before his nervous breakdown; one of the acting successors to his term, Jesse M. Martin, served only three days, the shortest stint overall. The current governor is Asa Hutchinson, who took office on January 13, 2015 after his election on November 4, 2014.

Governors

Governors of the Territory of Arkansas

For the period before Arkansas Territory was formed, see the list of Governors of Missouri Territory.

Arkansaw Territory (renamed Arkansas Territory around 1822[lower-alpha 1]) was split from Missouri Territory on July 4, 1819. It lost land twice, on November 15, 1824, and May 6, 1828, with the land being made unorganized territory both times; this land eventually became part of Oklahoma.

As secretary of the territory from 1819 to 1829, Robert Crittenden served as acting governor whenever the appointed governor was not in the state. This meant he was in fact the first person to perform the office of Governor of Arkansas Territory, since James Miller did not arrive in the territory until nine months after his appointment.[4]

# Picture Governor Term in office Appointed by Notes
1 AR Miller James.jpg James Miller March 3, 1819 – December 27, 1824 James Monroe [lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 3]
2 George Izard.jpg George Izard March 4, 1825 – November 22, 1828 [lower-alpha 4][lower-alpha 5]
John Quincy Adams
3 AR Pope John.jpg John Pope March 9, 1829[8] – March 9, 1835 Andrew Jackson [lower-alpha 6][lower-alpha 7]
4 WSFulton.jpg William S. Fulton March 9, 1835 – June 15, 1836 [lower-alpha 8]

Governors of the State of Arkansas

Arkansas was admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836. It seceded from the Union on May 6, 1861, and joined the Confederate States of America on May 18, 1861; there was no Union government in exile, so there was a single line of governors, though as the state fell to Union forces there was a loyalist government put in place with an insignificant Confederate government in exile. Following the end of the American Civil War, it was part of the Fourth Military District. Arkansas was readmitted to the Union on June 22, 1868.

The first state constitution of 1836 established four-year terms for governors,[12] which was lowered to two years in the 1874, and current, constitution.[13] Amendment 63 to the Arkansas Constitution, passed in 1984, increased the terms of both governor and lieutenant governor to four years.[14] Governors were originally limited only to serving no more than eight out of every twelve years,[12] but the 1874 constitution removed any term limit. A referendum in 1992 limited governors to two terms.[15]

Until 1864, the constitutions provided that, should the office of governor be rendered vacant, the president of the senate would serve as acting governor until such time as a new governor were elected or the disability removed, or the acting governor's senate term expired.[16][17] This led to some situations where the governorship changed hands in quick succession, due to senate terms ending or new senate presidents being elected. For example, after John Sebastian Little resigned in 1907, three senate presidents acted as governor before the next elected governor took office. Should the president of the senate be similarly incapacitated, the next in line for the governorship was the speaker of the state house of representatives.

The 1864 constitution created the office of lieutenant governor[18] who would also act as president of the senate,[19] and who would serve as acting governor in case of vacancy.[20] The 1868 constitution maintained the position,[21] but the 1874 constitution removed it and returned to the original line of succession.[22] Amendment 6 to the constitution, passed in 1914 but not recognized until 1925,[23] recreated the office of lieutenant governor, who becomes governor in case of vacancy of the governor's office.[24] The governor and lieutenant governor are not elected on the same ticket.

Arkansas was a strongly Democratic state before the Civil War, electing only candidates from the Democratic party. It elected three Republican governors following Reconstruction, but after the Democratic Party re-established control, 92 years passed before voters chose another Republican.

Parties

      Democratic (48)[lower-alpha 9]       Republican (7)[lower-alpha 10]

#[lower-alpha 11] Portrait Governor Term in office[lower-alpha 12] Party Term[lower-alpha 13] Lt. Governor[lower-alpha 14][lower-alpha 15]
1 AR Conway James Sevier.jpg   James Sevier Conway September 13, 1836 – November 4, 1840 Democratic 1 Office did not exist
2 Archibald Yell - 2er Gouverneur Arkansas.jpg Archibald Yell November 4, 1840 – April 29, 1844 Democratic 2[lower-alpha 16]
— 75px Samuel Adams April 29, 1844 – November 5, 1844 Democratic
3 Thomas Stevenson Drew - Gouverneur von Arkansas.jpg Thomas Stevenson Drew November 5, 1844 – January 10, 1849 Democratic 3
4[lower-alpha 17]
— 75px Richard C. Byrd January 10, 1849 – April 19, 1849 Democratic
4 AR Roane John.jpg John Selden Roane April 19, 1849 – November 15, 1852 Democratic
5 75px Elias Nelson Conway November 15, 1852 – November 16, 1860 Democratic 5
6
6 75px Henry Massey Rector November 16, 1860 – November 4, 1862 Democratic 7[lower-alpha 18][lower-alpha 19]
— 75px Thomas Fletcher November 4, 1862 – November 15, 1862 Democratic
7 Governor Harris Flanigin.jpg Harris Flanagin November 15, 1862 – May 26, 1865[lower-alpha 20] Democratic 8[lower-alpha 21][lower-alpha 22]
8 75px Isaac Murphy April 18, 1864 – July 2, 1868 Republican 9[lower-alpha 21]   Calvin C. Bliss[37]
9 Powell Clayton.jpg Powell Clayton July 2, 1868 – March 17, 1871 Republican 10[lower-alpha 23] James M. Johnson[39][lower-alpha 24]
Vacant
— 75px Ozra Amander Hadley[lower-alpha 25] March 17, 1871 – January 6, 1873 Republican
10 75px Elisha Baxter January 6, 1873 – November 12, 1874 Republican 11[lower-alpha 26][lower-alpha 27] Volney V. Smith[41]
11 Augustus Hill Garland - Brady-Handy.jpg Augustus Hill Garland November 12, 1874 – January 11, 1877 Democratic 12 Office did not exist
13
12 75px William Read Miller January 11, 1877 – January 13, 1881 Democratic 14
15
13 75px Thomas James Churchill January 13, 1881 – January 13, 1883 Democratic 16
14 AR James Berry.jpg James Henderson Berry January 13, 1883 – January 15, 1885[lower-alpha 28] Democratic 17
15 Simon Pollard Hughes, Jr - Gouverneur von Arkansas.jpg Simon Pollard Hughes, Jr. January 17, 1885[lower-alpha 28] – January 17, 1889 Democratic 18
19
16 75px James Philip Eagle January 17, 1889 – January 14, 1893 Democratic 20
21
17 75px William Meade Fishback January 14, 1893 – January 18, 1895 Democratic 22
18 AR Clarke John.jpg James Paul Clarke January 18, 1895 – January 18, 1897 Democratic 23
19 Daniel Webster Jones (governor).jpg Daniel Webster Jones January 18, 1897 – January 18, 1901 Democratic 24
25
20 Jeff Davis.jpg Jeff Davis January 18, 1901 – January 18, 1907 Democratic 26
27
28
21 AR Little John.jpg John Sebastian Little January 18, 1907 – February 11, 1907[lower-alpha 29] Democratic 29[lower-alpha 30]
— AR Moore John.jpg John Isaac Moore February 11, 1907[lower-alpha 29] – May 14, 1907 Democratic
— 75px Xenophon Overton Pindall May 14, 1907 – January 11, 1909 Democratic
— 75px Jesse M. Martin January 11, 1909 – January 14, 1909 Democratic
22 Portrait of George Washington Donaghey.jpg George Washington Donaghey January 14, 1909 – January 16, 1913 Democratic 30
31
23 Joseph T. Robinson cropped.jpg Joseph Taylor Robinson January 16, 1913 – March 8, 1913 Democratic 32[lower-alpha 31]
— 75px William Kavanaugh Oldham March 8, 1913 – March 13, 1913 Democratic
— 75px Junius Marion Futrell March 13, 1913 – August 6, 1913[lower-alpha 32] Democratic
24 75px George Washington Hays August 6, 1913[lower-alpha 32] – January 10, 1917[lower-alpha 33] Democratic Vacant
25 Charles Hillman Brough in 1916.jpg Charles Hillman Brough January 10, 1917[lower-alpha 33] – January 11, 1921[lower-alpha 34] Democratic 33
34
26 AR McRae Thomas.jpg Thomas Chipman McRae January 11, 1921[lower-alpha 34] – January 13, 1925[58] Democratic 35
36
27 75px Tom Jefferson Terral January 13, 1925[58] – January 11, 1927 Democratic 37
28 JohnEllisMartineau.jpg John Ellis Martineau January 11, 1927 – March 2, 1928 Democratic 38[lower-alpha 35] Harvey Parnell
29 75px Harvey Parnell March 2, 1928 – January 10, 1933 Democratic Vacant
39 William Lee Cazort
40 Lawrence Elery Wilson
30 75px Junius Marion Futrell January 10, 1933 – January 12, 1937 Democratic 41 William Lee Cazort
42
31 75px Carl Edward Bailey January 12, 1937 – January 14, 1941 Democratic 43 Robert L. Bailey
44
32 75px Homer Martin Adkins January 14, 1941 – January 9, 1945 Democratic 45
46 James L. Shaver
33 75px Benjamin Travis Laney January 9, 1945 – January 11, 1949 Democratic 47
48 Nathan Green Gordon
34 Sid mcmath1.JPG Sid McMath January 11, 1949 – January 13, 1953 Democratic 49
50
35 75px Francis Cherry January 13, 1953 – January 11, 1955 Democratic 51
36 Orval Faubus speaking, 20 August 1959.jpg Orval Faubus January 11, 1955 – January 10, 1967 Democratic 52
53
54
55
56
57
37 75px Winthrop Rockefeller January 10, 1967 – January 12, 1971 Republican 58 Maurice Britt
59
38 75px Dale Bumpers January 12, 1971 – January 3, 1975[60] Democratic 60 Bob C. Riley
61[lower-alpha 36]
— 75px Bob C. Riley January 3, 1975[60] – January 14, 1975 Democratic Acting as governor
39 AR Pryor David.jpg David Pryor January 14, 1975 – January 3, 1979 Democratic 62 Joe Purcell
63[lower-alpha 37]
— 75px Joe Purcell January 3, 1979 – January 9, 1979 Democratic Acting as governor
40 Bill Clinton.jpg Bill Clinton January 9, 1979 – January 19, 1981 Democratic 64 Joe Purcell
41 75px Frank D. White January 19, 1981 – January 11, 1983 Republican 65 Winston Bryant[lower-alpha 38]
42 Bill Clinton.jpg Bill Clinton January 11, 1983 – December 12, 1992 Democratic 66
67
68[lower-alpha 39]
69[lower-alpha 40] Jim Guy Tucker
43 Jim Guy Tucker.jpg Jim Guy Tucker December 12, 1992 – July 15, 1996 Democratic Vacant
70[lower-alpha 41] Mike Huckabee[lower-alpha 42]
44 Mike Huckabee at 2014 CPAC (cropped).jpg Mike Huckabee July 15, 1996 – January 9, 2007 Republican Vacant
Winthrop P. Rockefeller[lower-alpha 5]
71
72
Vacant
45 Governor Mike Beebe.jpg Mike Beebe January 9, 2007 – January 13, 2015 Democratic 73 Bill Halter
74 Mark Darr[lower-alpha 42]
Vacant
46 AsaHutchinson.JPG Asa Hutchinson January 13, 2015 – Incumbent Republican 75[lower-alpha 43] Tim Griffin

Living former U.S. governors of Arkansas

As of January 2016, there are five former U.S. governors of Arkansas who are currently living at this time, the oldest U.S. governor of Arkansas being David Pryor (1975–1979, born 1934). The most recent death of a former U.S. governor of Arkansas was that of Dale Bumpers (1971–1975), who died on January 1, 2016. The most recently serving governor to die was Frank D. White, who served from 1981 to 1983 and died on May 21, 2003.

Governor Gubernatorial term Date of birth (and age)
David Pryor 1975–1979 (1934-08-29) August 29, 1934 (age 90)
Bill Clinton 1979–1981
1983–1992		 (1946-08-19) August 19, 1946 (age 78)
Jim Guy Tucker 1992–1996 (1943-06-12) June 12, 1943 (age 81)
Mike Huckabee 1996–2007 (1955-08-24) August 24, 1955 (age 69)
Mike Beebe 2007–2015 (1946-12-28) December 28, 1946 (age 78)

Notes

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References

General
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Constitutions
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Specific

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External links

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ AR Const. art. VI
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 1836 Const. art. V, § 4
  13. ↑ AR Const. art. VI, § 1
  14. ↑ AR Const. amendment 63
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ 1836 Const. art. V, § 18
  17. ↑ 1861 Const. art. V, § 18
  18. ↑ 1864 Const. art. VI, § 19
  19. ↑ 1864 Const. art. VI, § 20
  20. ↑ 1864 Const. art. VI, § 23
  21. ↑ 1868 Const. art. VI, § 1
  22. ↑ AR Const. art. VI, § 12
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Arkansas Supreme Court, Bryant v. English, 311 Ark. 187, 843 S.W.2d 308 (1992).
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ 1861 Const. art. IV, § 8
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ 1864 Const. art. IV, § 8
  37. ↑ Herndon p. 287
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Herndon p. 293
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Herndon p. 306
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  46. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  47. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  48. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  49. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  50. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  51. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  52. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  53. ↑ Futrell v. Oldham, accessed September 9, 2015
  54. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  55. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  56. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  57. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  58. ↑ 58.0 58.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  59. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  60. ↑ 60.0 60.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  61. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.


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