List of governors of Alabama - wikipedia List of governors of Alabama Governor of Alabama Seal of the Governor Standard of the Governor Incumbent Kay Ivey since April 10, 2017 Style Governor ( informal ) The Honorable ( formal ) Status Head of State Head of Government Residence Alabama Governor 's Mansion Term length Four years, renewable once Precursor Governor of Alabama Territory Inaugural holder William Wyatt Bibb Formation December 14, 1819 ( 198 years ago ) ( 1819 - 12 - 14 ) Deputy Lieutenant Governor of Alabama Salary $119,950 ( 2013 ) Website http://www.governor.state.al.us The Governor of Alabama is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Alabama. The governor is the head of the executive branch of Alabama 's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws. There have officially been 54 governors of the state of Alabama ; this official numbering skips acting and military governors. The first governor, William Wyatt Bibb, served as the only governor of the Alabama Territory. Five people have served as acting governor, bringing the total number of people serving as governor to 59, spread over 63 distinct terms. Four governors have served multiple non-consecutive terms : Bibb Graves, Jim Folsom, and Fob James each served two, and George Wallace served three non-consecutive periods. Officially, these non-consecutive terms are numbered only with the number of their first term. William D. Jelks also served non-consecutive terms, but his first term was in an acting capacity. The longest - serving governor was George Wallace, who served 16 years over four terms. The shortest term for a non-acting governor was that of Hugh McVay, who served four and a half months after replacing the resigning Clement Comer Clay. Lurleen Wallace, wife of George Wallace, was the first woman to serve as governor of Alabama, and the third woman to serve as governor of any state. The current governor is Republican Kay Ivey, who took office on April 10, 2017. She is the second female governor of Alabama. Contents 1 Governors 1.1 Governor of the Territory of Alabama 1.2 Governors of the State of Alabama 2 Notes 3 References 4 External links Governors Governor of the Territory of Alabama Alabama Territory was formed on March 3, 1817, from Mississippi Territory. It had only one governor appointed by the President of the United States before it became a state ; he became the first state governor. Governor of the Territory of Alabama Portrait Governor Term in office Appointed by William Wyatt Bibb March 6, 1817 -- December 14, 1819 James Monroe Governors of the state of Alabama Seal for use by the Governor - Elect Governor 's Flag 1868 -- 1939 Alabama was admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819. It seceded from the Union on January 11, 1861, and was a founding member of the Confederate States of America on February 4, 1861. Following the end of the American Civil War, Alabama during Reconstruction was part of the Third Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections. Alabama was readmitted to the Union on July 14, 1868. The first Alabama Constitution, ratified in 1819, provided that a governor be elected every two years, limited to serve no more than four out of every six years. This limit remained in place until the constitution of 1868, which simply allowed governors to serve terms of two years. The current constitution of 1901 increased terms to four years, but prohibited governors from succeeding themselves. Amendment 282 to the constitution, passed in 1968, allowed governors to succeed themselves once ; a governor serves two consecutive terms can run again after waiting out the next term. The constitution had no set date for the commencement of a governor 's term until 1901, when it was set at the first Monday after the second Tuesday in the January following an election. The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1868, abolished in 1875, and recreated in 1901. According to the current constitution, should the governor be out of the state for more than 20 days, the lieutenant governor becomes acting governor, and if the office of governor becomes vacant the lieutenant governor ascends to the governorship. Earlier constitutions said the powers of the governor devolved upon the successor, rather than them necessarily becoming governor, but the official listing includes these as full governors. The governor and lieutenant governor are not elected on the same ticket. Alabama was a strongly Democratic state before the Civil War, electing only candidates from the Democratic - Republican and Democratic parties. It had two Republican governors following Reconstruction, but after the Democratic Party re-established control, 112 years passed before voters chose another Republican. Governors of the State of Alabama No. Portrait Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor William Wyatt Bibb December 14, 1819 -- July 10, 1820 Democratic - Republican 1819 Office did not exist Thomas Bibb July 10, 1820 -- November 9, 1821 Democratic - Republican Israel Pickens November 9, 1821 -- November 25, 1825 Democratic - Republican 1821 1823 John Murphy November 25, 1825 -- November 25, 1829 Jackson Democrat 1825 1827 Gabriel Moore November 25, 1829 -- March 3, 1831 Jackson Democrat 1829 6 -- Samuel B. Moore March 3, 1831 -- November 26, 1831 Democratic 7 John Gayle November 26, 1831 -- November 21, 1835 Democratic 1831 1833 8 Clement Comer Clay November 21, 1835 -- July 17, 1837 Democratic 1835 9 Hugh McVay July 17, 1837 -- November 30, 1837 Democratic 10 Arthur P. Bagby November 30, 1837 -- November 22, 1841 Democratic 1837 1839 11 Benjamin Fitzpatrick November 22, 1841 -- December 10, 1845 Democratic 1841 1843 12 Joshua L. Martin December 10, 1845 -- December 16, 1847 Independent 1845 13 Reuben Chapman December 16, 1847 -- December 17, 1849 Democratic 1847 14 Henry W. Collier December 17, 1849 -- December 20, 1853 Democratic 1849 1851 15 John A. Winston December 20, 1853 -- December 1, 1857 Democratic 1853 1855 16 Andrew B. Moore December 1, 1857 -- December 2, 1861 Democratic 1857 1859 17 John Gill Shorter December 2, 1861 -- December 1, 1863 Democratic 1861 18 Thomas H. Watts December 1, 1863 -- May 1, 1865 Democratic 1863 -- Vacant May 1, 1865 -- June 21, 1865 -- 19 Lewis E. Parsons June 21, 1865 -- December 13, 1865 Democratic 20 Robert M. Patton December 13, 1865 -- July 24, 1868 Pre-War Whig 1865 -- Wager Swayne March 2, 1867 -- January 11, 1868 Military 21 William Hugh Smith July 24, 1868 -- November 26, 1870 Republican 1868 Andrew J. Applegate ( took office August 13, 1868 ) ( died August 21, 1870 ) Vacant 22 Robert B. Lindsay November 26, 1870 -- November 17, 1872 Democratic 1870 Edward H. Moren 23 David P. Lewis November 17, 1872 -- November 24, 1874 Republican 1872 Alexander McKinstry 24 George S. Houston November 24, 1874 -- November 28, 1878 Democratic 1874 Robert F. Ligon 1876 Office did not exist 25 Rufus W. Cobb November 28, 1878 -- December 1, 1882 Democratic 1878 1880 26 Edward A. O'Neal December 1, 1882 -- December 1, 1886 Democratic 1882 1884 27 Thomas Seay December 1, 1886 -- December 1, 1890 Democratic 1886 1888 28 Thomas G. Jones December 1, 1890 -- December 1, 1894 Democratic 1890 1892 29 William C. Oates December 1, 1894 -- December 1, 1896 Democratic 1894 30 Joseph F. Johnston December 1, 1896 -- December 1, 1900 Democratic 1896 1898 -- William D. Jelks December 1, 1900 -- December 26, 1900 Democratic 1900 31 William J. Samford December 1, 1900 -- June 11, 1901 Democratic 32 William D. Jelks June 11, 1901 -- January 14, 1907 Democratic 1902 Russell M. Cunningham ( acted as governor April 25, 1904 -- March 5, 1905 ) 33 B.B. Comer January 14, 1907 -- January 17, 1911 Democratic 1906 Henry B. Gray 34 Emmet O'Neal January 17, 1911 -- January 18, 1915 Democratic 1910 Walter D. Seed, Sr. 35 Charles Henderson January 18, 1915 -- January 20, 1919 Democratic 1914 Thomas Kilby 36 Thomas Kilby January 20, 1919 -- January 15, 1923 Democratic 1918 Nathan Lee Miller 37 William W. Brandon January 15, 1923 -- January 17, 1927 Democratic 1922 Charles S. McDowell ( acted as governor July 10, 1924 -- July 11, 1924 ) 38 Bibb Graves January 17, 1927 -- January 19, 1931 Democratic 1926 William C. Davis 39 Benjamin M. Miller January 19, 1931 -- January 14, 1935 Democratic 1930 Hugh Davis Merrill 38 Bibb Graves January 14, 1935 -- January 17, 1939 Democratic 1934 Thomas E. Knight ( died May 17, 1937 ) Vacant 40 Frank M. Dixon January 17, 1939 -- January 19, 1943 Democratic 1938 Albert A. Carmichael 41 Chauncey Sparks January 19, 1943 -- January 20, 1947 Democratic 1942 Leven H. Ellis 42 Jim Folsom January 20, 1947 -- January 15, 1951 Democratic 1946 James C. Inzer 43 Gordon Persons January 15, 1951 -- January 17, 1955 Democratic 1950 James Allen 42 Jim Folsom January 17, 1955 -- January 19, 1959 Democratic 1954 William G. Hardwick 44 John M. Patterson January 19, 1959 -- January 14, 1963 Democratic 1958 Albert Boutwell 45 George Wallace January 14, 1963 -- January 16, 1967 Democratic 1962 James Allen 46 Lurleen Wallace January 16, 1967 -- May 7, 1968 Democratic 1966 Albert Brewer ( acted as governor July 25, 1967 ) 47 Albert Brewer May 7, 1968 -- January 18, 1971 Democratic Vacant 45 George Wallace January 18, 1971 -- January 15, 1979 Democratic 1970 Jere Beasley ( acted as governor June 5, 1972 -- July 7, 1972 ) 48 Fob James January 15, 1979 -- January 17, 1983 Democratic 1978 George McMillan 45 George Wallace January 17, 1983 -- January 19, 1987 Democratic 1982 Bill Baxley 49 H. Guy Hunt January 19, 1987 -- April 22, 1993 Republican 1986 Jim Folsom, Jr. 1990 50 Jim Folsom Jr. April 22, 1993 -- January 16, 1995 Democratic Vacant 48 Fob James January 16, 1995 -- January 18, 1999 Republican 1994 Don Siegelman 51 Don Siegelman January 18, 1999 -- January 20, 2003 Democratic 1998 Steve Windom 52 Bob Riley January 20, 2003 -- January 17, 2011 Republican 2002 Lucy Baxley 2006 Jim Folsom, Jr. 53 Robert J. Bentley January 17, 2011 -- April 10, 2017 Republican Kay Ivey 2014 54 Kay Ivey April 10, 2017 -- present Republican Vacant Notes Jump up ^ Records are scarce as to when Bibb was actually appointed. The territory was formed on March 3, 1817, but he was appointed by President James Monroe, who did not take office until the next day. Other resources indicate that other major appointments for the territory were made on March 6, 1817. Jump up ^ Repeat governors are officially numbered only once ; subsequent terms are marked with their original number italicized. Jump up ^ The office of Lieutenant Governor was created in the 1868 constitution, abolished in the 1875 Constitution, and recreated in the 1901 Constitution. Jump up ^ Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted. Jump up ^ William Wyatt Bibb died in office ; as president of the senate, Thomas Bibb succeeded him. Jump up ^ Gabriel Moore resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate ; as president of the senate, Samuel B. Moore succeeded him. Jump up ^ Clay resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate ; as president of the senate, McVay succeeded him. Jump up ^ Martin was a Democrat who opposed party leaders and ran as an independent. Jump up ^ Watts was arrested by Union forces soon after the American Civil War ended ; he was released a few weeks later. Parsons was appointed provisional governor by the Union occupation. Between Watts 's arrest and Parsons 's appointment, Alabama had no governor, and was under the direct rule of General George Henry Thomas. Jump up ^ The United States Congress stripped Patton of most of his authority in March 1867, after which time the state was effectively under the control of Major General Swayne. The start date given for Swayne is the date of the first Reconstruction Act, which placed Alabama into the Third Military District ; all references only say `` March 1867 '' and `` when the Reconstruction Acts were passed ''. In December 1867, President Andrew Johnson ordered the removal of General Swayne, and he was replaced on January 11, 1868, by General Julius Hayden. Jump up ^ Lindsay was sworn into office on November 26, 1870, but William Hugh Smith refused to leave his seat for two weeks, claiming Lindsay was fraudulently elected ; he finally left office on December 8, 1870, when a court so ordered. Jump up ^ At the start of Samford 's term, he was out of state seeking medical treatment ; as president of the senate, Jelks acted as governor in his absence. Samford later died in office, and Jelks succeeded him. Jump up ^ Terms were lengthened from two to four years beginning with this term. Jump up ^ Jelks was out of state for medical treatment for nearly a year ; as lieutenant governor, Cunningham acted as governor in his absence. Jump up ^ Brandon was out of state for 21 days as a delegate to the 1924 Democratic National Convention ; as lieutenant governor, McDowell acted as governor for two days. Jump up ^ Wallace was out of state for 20 days for medical treatment ; as lieutenant governor, Brewer became acting governor on July 25, 1967 ; Wallace returned to the state later that day. Wallace later died in office, and Brewer succeeded her. Jump up ^ Wallace was out of state for 52 days for medical treatment following an assassination attempt while campaigning for President of the United States ; as lieutenant governor, Beasley acted as governor for 32 days. ^ Jump up to : Represented the Democratic Party. Jump up ^ Hunt was removed from office upon being convicted of illegally using campaign and inaugural funds to pay personal debts ; he was later pardoned by the state parole board based on innocence. As lieutenant governor, Folsom succeeded him. Jump up ^ Represented the Republican Party. Jump up ^ Bentley resigned from office as part of a plea deal involving campaign violations. As lieutenant governor, Ivey succeeded him. Governor Ivey 's first term expires on January 14, 2019. References General `` Alabama Governors ''. Alabama Department of Archives & History. Retrieved August 1, 2007. `` Alabama : Past Governors Bios ''. National Governors Association. Retrieved September 3, 2015. Constitutions `` Constitution of the State of Alabama ''. Alabama Legislature. 1901. `` Constitution of the State of Alabama ''. Alabama Legislature. 1875. `` Constitution of the State of Alabama ''. Alabama Legislature. 1868. `` Constitution of the State of Alabama ''. Alabama Legislature. 1865. `` Constitution of the State of Alabama ''. Alabama Legislature. 1861. `` Constitution of the State of Alabama ''. Alabama Legislature. 1819. Specific Jump up ^ `` CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries ''. The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` Alabama Governors ''. Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved April 10, 2012. Jump up ^ Shearer, Benjamin. The Uniting States -- The Story of Statehood for the Fifty United States, Volume 1 : Alabama to Kentucky. Westport, Connecticut : Greenwood Press. p. 41. Retrieved August 2, 2010. Jump up ^ 1819 Const. art. IV, § 4 Jump up ^ 1868 Const. art. V, § 2 Jump up ^ AL Const. art. V, § 114 ^ Jump up to : AL Const. art. V, § 116 Jump up ^ AL Const. amendment 282 ^ Jump up to : 1868 Const. art. V, § 1 ^ Jump up to : 1875 Const. art. V, § 1 ^ Jump up to : AL Const. art. V, § 112 Jump up ^ AL Const. art. V, § 127 Jump up ^ 1819 Const. art. IV, § 18 ; 1861 Const. art. IV, § 18 ; 1865 Const. art V, § 19 ; 1868 Const. art. V, § 15 ; 1875 Const. art. V § 15 Jump up ^ `` Joshua Lanier Martin ''. National Governors Association. Retrieved September 3, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Thomas Hill Watts ''. National Governors Association. Retrieved September 3, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Lewis Eliphalet Parsons ''. National Governors Association. Retrieved September 3, 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Robert Miller Patton ''. National Governors Association. Retrieved September 3, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Alabama Governor Robert Patton ''. Alabama Department of Archives & History. Retrieved October 13, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Wager T. Swayne ''. Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved September 21, 2015. Jump up ^ White, James Terry ( 1900 ). The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. James T. White & Company. p. 435. Retrieved January 18, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Alabama Governor William Jelks ''. Alabama Department of Archives & History. Retrieved October 13, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Alabama Governor Russell Cunningham ''. Alabama Department of Archives & History. Retrieved October 13, 2008. Jump up ^ Owen, Thomas McAdory ( 1979 ). Alabama Official and Statistical Register. Alabama Department of Archives & History. p. 17. Retrieved September 28, 2008. Jump up ^ Nossiter, Adam ( 12 June 1997 ). `` Ex-Gov. Hunt of Alabama Cleared by Pardon Board ''. The New York Times. p. 18. Retrieved September 28, 2008. Jump up ^ Blinder, Alan ( 10 April 2017 ). `` Robert Bentley, Alabama Governor, Resigns Amid Scandal ''. The New York Times. Retrieved April 10, 2017. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Governors of Alabama. Office of the Governor of Alabama Governors and Lieutenant Governors of Alabama Governors W. Bibb T. Bibb Pickens Murphy G. Moore S. Moore Gayle Clay McVay Bagby Fitzpatrick Martin Chapman Collier Winston A. Moore Shorter Watts Parsons Patton Swayne Smith Lindsay Lewis Houston Cobb E.A. O'Neal Seay T. Jones Oates Johnston Samford Jelks Comer E. O'Neal Henderson Kilby Brandon Graves Miller Graves Dixon Sparks Folsom Sr. Persons Folsom Sr. Patterson G. Wallace L. Wallace Brewer G. Wallace James G. Wallace Hunt Folsom Jr. James Siegelman Riley Bentley Ivey Lieutenant Governors Applegate Moren McKinstry Ligon Cunningham Gray Seed Kilby Miller McDowell Davis Merrill Knight Carmichael Ellis Inzer Allen Hardwick Boutwell Allen Brewer Beasley McMillan B. Baxley Folsom Siegelman Windom L. 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Question: how long is a governor's term in alabama
Answer: Four years