List of governors of Florida - wikipedia List of governors of Florida Governor of Florida Official seal Incumbent Rick Scott since January 4, 2011 Style Mr. Governor Residence Florida Governor 's Mansion Term length Four years, renewable once Inaugural holder William Dunn Moseley Formation 1845 Deputy Carlos López - Cantera, Lieutenant Governor Salary $130,273 ( 2013 ) Website www.flgov.com The Governor of Florida is the head of the executive branch of Florida '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 Florida Legislature, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment. When Florida was first acquired by the United States, future president Andrew Jackson served as its military governor. Florida Territory was established in 1822, and five people served as governor over six distinct terms. The first territorial governor, William Pope Duval, served 12 years, the longest of any governor to date. Since statehood in 1845 there have been 43 people who have served as governor, one of whom served two distinct terms. Three state governors have served two full four - year terms : William D. Bloxham, in two stints ; and Reubin Askew and Jeb Bush, who each served their terms consecutively. Bob Graham almost served two terms, as he resigned with only three days left. The shortest term in office belongs to Wayne Mixson, who served three days following the resignation of his predecessor, Bob Graham. The current governor is Rick Scott, who took office on January 4, 2011, following the 2010 election. He was re-elected in 2014, and his second term began on January 6, 2015. Contents 1 Governors 1.1 Federal Military Commissioner 1.2 Governors of the Territory of Florida 1.3 Governors of the State of Florida 2 Living former U.S. governors of Florida 3 Notes 4 References Governors Federal military Commissioner For a list of governors of Florida before it became a United States territory, see the list of colonial governors of Florida. Spanish Florida was acquired from Spain in the Adams -- Onís Treaty, which took effect July 10, 1821. Parts of West Florida had already been assigned to Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi ; the remainder and East Florida were governed by a military commissioner with the powers of governor until the territory was organized and incorporated. Commissioner Term in office Appointed by Notes Andrew Jackson March 10, 1821 -- December 31, 1821 James Monroe Governors of the territory of Florida Florida Territory was organized on March 30, 1822, combining East and West Florida. Governor Term in office Appointed by William Pope Duval April 17, 1822 -- April 24, 1834 James Monroe John Quincy Adams Andrew Jackson John Eaton April 24, 1834 -- March 16, 1836 Richard K. Call March 16, 1836 -- December 2, 1839 Robert R. Reid December 2, 1839 -- March 19, 1841 Martin Van Buren Richard K. Call March 19, 1841 -- August 11, 1844 William Henry Harrison John Tyler John Branch August 11, 1844 -- June 25, 1845 Governors of the state of Florida The State of Florida was admitted to the Union on March 3, 1845. It seceded from the Union on January 10, 1861, and joined the Confederate States of America on February 8, 1861, as a founding member ; there was no Union government in exile, so there was a single line of governors. Following the end of the American Civil War, it was part of the Third Military District. Florida was readmitted to the Union on June 25, 1868. The Florida Constitution of 1838 provided that a governor be elected every four years, who was not allowed to serve consecutive terms. The secessionist constitution of 1861 would have reduced this to two years and removed the term limit, but the state fell to the Union before the first election under that constitution. The rejected constitution of 1865 and the ratified constitution of 1868 maintained the four - year term, though without the earlier term limit, which was reintroduced in the 1885 constitution. The current constitution of 1968 states that should the governor serve, or would have served had he not resigned, more than six years in two consecutive terms, he can not be elected to the succeeding term. The start of a term was set in 1885 at the first Tuesday after the first Monday in the January following the election, where it has remained. Originally, the president of the state senate acted as governor should that office be vacant. The 1865 and 1868 constitutions created the office of lieutenant governor, who would similarly act as governor. This office was abolished in 1885, with the president of the senate again taking on that duty. The 1968 constitution recreated the office of lieutenant governor, who now becomes governor in the absence of the governor. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected on the same ticket. Florida was a strongly Democratic state before the Civil War, electing only candidates from the Democratic and Whig parties. It elected three Republican governors following Reconstruction, but after the Democratic Party re-established control, 90 years passed before voters chose another Republican. # Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor William Dunn Moseley June 25, 1845 -- October 1, 1849 Democratic 1845 Office did not exist Thomas Brown October 1, 1849 -- October 3, 1853 Whig 1849 James E. Broome October 3, 1853 -- October 5, 1857 Democratic 1853 Madison S. Perry October 5, 1857 -- October 7, 1861 Democratic 1857 John Milton October 7, 1861 -- April 1, 1865 Democratic 1861 6 Abraham K. Allison April 1, 1865 -- May 19, 1865 Democratic -- Interregnum May 19, 1865 -- July 13, 1865 -- 7 William Marvin July 13, 1865 -- December 20, 1865 Provisional -- 8 David S. Walker December 20, 1865 -- July 4, 1868 Democratic William W.J. Kelly 9 Harrison Reed July 4, 1868 -- January 7, 1873 Republican 1868 William Henry Gleason ( removed December 14, 1868 ) Vacant Edmund C. Weeks ( appointed January 24, 1870 ) ( term ended December 27, 1870 ) Samuel T. Day ( took office December 27, 1870 ) 10 Ossian B. Hart January 7, 1873 -- March 18, 1874 Republican 1872 Marcellus Stearns 11 Marcellus Stearns March 18, 1874 -- January 2, 1877 Republican Vacant 12 George Franklin Drew January 2, 1877 -- January 4, 1881 Democratic 1876 Noble A. Hull ( resigned March 3, 1879 ) Vacant 13 William D. Bloxham January 4, 1881 -- January 7, 1885 Democratic 1880 Livingston W. Bethel 14 Edward A. Perry January 7, 1885 -- January 8, 1889 Democratic 1884 Milton H. Mabry 15 Francis P. Fleming January 8, 1889 -- January 3, 1893 Democratic 1888 Office did not exist 16 Henry L. Mitchell January 3, 1893 -- January 5, 1897 Democratic 1892 17 William D. Bloxham January 5, 1897 -- January 8, 1901 Democratic 1896 18 William Sherman Jennings January 8, 1901 -- January 3, 1905 Democratic 1900 19 Napoleon B. Broward January 3, 1905 -- January 5, 1909 Democratic 1904 20 Albert W. Gilchrist January 5, 1909 -- January 7, 1913 Democratic 1908 21 Park Trammell January 7, 1913 -- January 2, 1917 Democratic 1912 22 Sidney Johnston Catts January 2, 1917 -- January 4, 1921 Prohibition 1916 23 Cary A. Hardee January 4, 1921 -- January 6, 1925 Democratic 1920 24 John W. Martin January 6, 1925 -- January 8, 1929 Democratic 1924 25 Doyle E. Carlton January 8, 1929 -- January 3, 1933 Democratic 1928 26 David Sholtz January 3, 1933 -- January 5, 1937 Democratic 1932 27 Fred P. Cone January 5, 1937 -- January 7, 1941 Democratic 1936 28 Spessard Holland January 7, 1941 -- January 2, 1945 Democratic 1940 29 Millard F. Caldwell January 2, 1945 -- January 4, 1949 Democratic 1944 30 Fuller Warren January 4, 1949 -- January 6, 1953 Democratic 1948 31 Daniel T. McCarty January 6, 1953 -- September 28, 1953 Democratic 1952 32 Charley Eugene Johns September 28, 1953 -- January 4, 1955 Democratic 33 LeRoy Collins January 4, 1955 -- January 3, 1961 Democratic 1956 34 C. Farris Bryant January 3, 1961 -- January 5, 1965 Democratic 1960 35 W. Haydon Burns January 5, 1965 -- January 3, 1967 Democratic 1964 36 Claude R. Kirk, Jr. January 3, 1967 -- January 5, 1971 Republican 1966 Ray C. Osborne ( office created January 7, 1969 ) 37 Reubin Askew January 5, 1971 -- January 2, 1979 Democratic 1970 Thomas Burton Adams, Jr. Jim Williams 38 Bob Graham January 2, 1979 -- January 3, 1987 Democratic 1978 Wayne Mixson 1982 39 Wayne Mixson January 3, 1987 -- January 6, 1987 Democratic Vacant 40 Bob Martinez January 6, 1987 -- January 8, 1991 Republican 1986 Bobby Brantley 41 Lawton Chiles January 8, 1991 -- December 12, 1998 Democratic 1990 Buddy MacKay 1994 42 Buddy MacKay December 12, 1998 -- January 5, 1999 Democratic Vacant 43 Jeb Bush January 5, 1999 -- January 2, 2007 Republican 1998 Frank Brogan ( resigned March 3, 2003 ) 2002 Toni Jennings 44 Charlie Crist January 2, 2007 -- January 4, 2011 Republican 2006 Jeff Kottkamp Independent 45 Rick Scott January 4, 2011 -- Incumbent Republican Jennifer Carroll ( resigned March 12, 2013 ) Vacant Carlos López - Cantera ( appointed February 3, 2014 ) 2014 Living former U.S. governors of Florida As of January 2017, there are six former governors who are currently living at this time, the oldest U.S. governor of Florida being Wayne Mixson ( served 1987, born 1922 ). The most recent death of a former U.S. governor of Florida was that of Reubin Askew ( served 1971 -- 1979, born 1928 ), on March 13, 2014. The most recently serving U.S. governor of Florida to die was Lawton Chiles, who served from January 8, 1991 until he died in office on December 12, 1998. Governor Gubernatorial term Date of birth ( and age ) Bob Graham 1979 -- 1987 ( 1936 - 11 - 09 ) November 9, 1936 ( age 80 ) Wayne Mixson ( 1922 - 06 - 16 ) June 16, 1922 ( age 95 ) Bob Martinez 1987 -- 1991 ( 1934 - 12 - 25 ) December 25, 1934 ( age 82 ) Buddy MacKay 1998 -- 1999 ( 1933 - 03 - 22 ) March 22, 1933 ( age 84 ) Jeb Bush 1999 -- 2007 ( 1953 - 02 - 11 ) February 11, 1953 ( age 64 ) Charlie Crist 2007 -- 2011 ( 1956 - 07 - 24 ) July 24, 1956 ( age 61 ) Notes Book : Governors of Florida Jump up ^ Jackson 's official titles were `` Commissioner of the United States '' and `` Governor of East and West Florida ''. Jump up ^ Jackson left Florida on October 8, 1821. His resignation was submitted on November 13, 1821, and the president accepted it on December 31, 1821. Jump up ^ The official numbering includes repeat terms, as well as the provisional governor. Jump up ^ The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1868, abolished in 1885, and recreated in 1968. Jump up ^ Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted. Jump up ^ Milton died in office, having committed suicide due to the pending defeat of the Confederate States of America, stating in his final address to the legislature that `` death would be preferable to reunion. '' As president of the senate, Allison acted as governor until he resigned to go into hiding from approaching Union troops, and was captured by them on June 19, 1865. Following his resignation, Florida was without governance until a federal governor was appointed. Jump up ^ Marvin and Walker were appointed by President Andrew Johnson following the American Civil War. Jump up ^ Most sources state Walker was a Democrat ; the state archives say he was `` Conservative ''. ^ Jump up to : Represented the Republican Party. Jump up ^ Reed was popularly elected under the terms of the 1868 constitution, and took the oath of office on June 8, 1868 ; it was not until July 4, 1868, however, that the federal commander of Florida, still under Reconstruction, recognized the validity of the state constitution and the election. Jump up ^ During an attempted impeachment of Reed, Gleason proclaimed himself governor. The Supreme Court eventually sided with Reed, and Gleason was removed from office. Jump up ^ Appointed as temporary lieutenant governor to replace William Henry Gleason. However, the state comptroller did not believe the governor could appoint a replacement to an elected office and refused to pay Weeks, and the Senate refused to accept his presidency over them, even proposing a motion to arrest him. Governor Reed called for a special election to replace him, and though Weeks fought it, the Florida Supreme Court declared his term to have ended when the new election results were certified. Jump up ^ Hart died in office ; as lieutenant governor, Stearns acted as governor for the remainder of the term. Jump up ^ McCarty died in office ; as president of the senate, Johns acted as governor until a special election, in which Collins was chosen. Jump up ^ This term was only two years as the election schedule was changed so that it would not coincide with presidential elections. Jump up ^ Graham resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate ; as lieutenant governor, Mixson succeeded him. Jump up ^ Chiles died in office ; as lieutenant governor, MacKay succeeded him. Jump up ^ Crist was elected as a member of the Republican Party, and switched to independent in April 2010. Jump up ^ Governor Scott 's second term expires on January 8, 2019 ; he will be term limited. References General `` Governors of Florida ''. National Governors Association. Retrieved August 29, 2016. `` A Guide to Florida Governors and the Florida Cabinet ''. State Library and Archives of Florida. Retrieved April 19, 2015. Constitutions `` Constitution of the State of Florida ''. Florida Legislature. 1968. Retrieved March 31, 2010. `` Constitution of 1885 ''. State Library and Archives of Florida. 1885. Retrieved April 19, 2015. `` Constitution of 1868 ''. State Library and Archives of Florida. 1868. Retrieved April 19, 2015. `` Constitution of 1865 ''. State Library and Archives of Florida. 1865. Retrieved April 19, 2015. `` Constitution of the State of Florida ''. State Library and Archives of Florida. 1868. Archived from the original on March 6, 2010. Retrieved April 19, 2015. `` Constitution of 1838 ''. State Library and Archives of Florida. 1838. Retrieved April 19, 2015. Specific Jump up ^ `` CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries ''. The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014. Jump up ^ FL Const. art. IV, § 1a Jump up ^ FL Const. art. III, § 8 Jump up ^ FL Const. art. III, § 3c Jump up ^ FL Const. art. IV, § 8 Jump up ^ `` Adams - Onís Treaty ''. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved July 6, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Andrew Jackson, Commissioner of the United States ''. Florida Department of State. Retrieved October 28, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Andrew Jackson ''. State Library and Archives of Florida. Archived from the original on February 2, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2010. Jump up ^ Morris, Allen ; Joan Perry Morris ( 1999 ). The Florida Handbook, 1999 -- 2000. Peninsular Books. ISBN 978 - 0 - 9616000 - 7 - 5. Retrieved July 6, 2010. Jump up ^ Harold D. Moser ; David R. Hoth ; George H. Hoemann, eds. ( 1996 ). The Papers of Andrew Jackson : 1821 -- 1824. University of Tennessee Press. p. 513. ISBN 0 - 87049 - 897 - 5. Retrieved July 6, 2010. Jump up ^ Stanislaus Murray Hamilton, ed. ( 1902 ). The Writings of James Monroe. G.P. Putnam 's Sons. p. 207. Retrieved July 6, 2010. Jump up ^ Peters, Virginia Bergman ( 1979 ). The Florida Wars. Hamden : The Shoestring Press. pp. 63 -- 74. ISBN 0 - 208 - 01719 - 4. Jump up ^ `` Florida and the Civil War '' A Short History ``. Florida Memory. State Library & Archives of Florida. Archived from the original on April 26, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2010. Jump up ^ `` February 1861 -- 1865 ''. This Day in History. Florida Historical Society. Archived from the original on January 10, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2010. Jump up ^ Cox, Merlin ( January 1968 ). `` Military Reconstruction in Florida ''. Florida Historical Quarterly. 46 ( 3 ) : 219. Jump up ^ `` June in Florida History ''. This Day in History. Florida Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 14, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2010. Jump up ^ 1838 Const. art III, § 2 Jump up ^ 1861 Const. art. III, § 2 Jump up ^ 1865 Const. art. III, § 2 Jump up ^ 1868 Const. art. V, § 2 ^ Jump up to : 1885 Const. art. IV, § 2 ^ Jump up to : FL Const. art. IV, § 5 Jump up ^ FL Const. art. IV, § 2 Jump up ^ 1838 Const. art III, § 18 Jump up ^ 1865 Const. art. III, § 19 Jump up ^ 1868 Const. art. V, § 15 Jump up ^ 1885 Const. art. IV, § 19 Jump up ^ FL Const. art. IV, § 3 Jump up ^ `` John Milton ''. National Governors Association. Retrieved March 30, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Abraham Kurkindolle Allison ''. National Governors Association. Retrieved March 30, 2010. Jump up ^ `` David Shelby Walker ''. State Library and Archives of Florida. Archived from the original on January 23, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Florida Governors ' Portraits -- Harrison Reed ''. Museum of Florida History. Retrieved March 30, 2010. Jump up ^ Davis, William Watson ( 1913 ). The Civil War and Reconstruction in Florida, Volume 53. Columbia University. pp. 550 -- 555. Retrieved July 6, 2010. Jump up ^ Cases argued and adjudged in the Supreme Court of Florida. XIII. State of Florida. 1871. Retrieved July 6, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Thomas Leroy Collins ''. National Governors Association. Retrieved March 30, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Haydon Burns ''. National Governors Association. Retrieved March 30, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Can Crist Win in Florida as an Independent ? ''. Time. May 3, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2010. Governors of Florida Military ( 1821 ) Jackson Territorial ( 1822 -- 45 ) Duval Eaton Call Reid Call Branch State ( since 1845 ) Moseley Brown Broome Perry Milton Allison Marvin Walker Reed Hart Stearns Drew Bloxham Perry Fleming Mitchell Bloxham Jennings Broward Gilchrist Trammell Catts Hardee Martin Carlton Sholtz Cone Holland Caldwell Warren McCarty Johns Collins Bryant Burns Kirk Askew Graham Mixson Martinez Chiles MacKay Bush Crist Scott Years in Florida ( 1845 -- present ) 19th century Pre-1845 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 20th century 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1990 1991 1994 1995 21st century 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Chief executives of the United States Federal President of the United States State governors ( current list ) Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Territorial ( current list ) American Samoa District of Columbia Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico United States Virgin Islands Defunct Pre-state territories Panama Canal Zone Cuba Philippine Islands ( until 1935 ) Philippine Commonwealth ( until 1946 ) Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands State of Florida Tallahassee ( capital ) Topics Climate Delegations Environment Geography Geology Government History Law Media Newspapers Radio TV State parks Tourist attractions Transportation Society Floridians Culture Crime Demographics Economy Education Politics Sports Regions Big Bend Central Florida Emerald Coast First Coast Florida Heartland Florida Keys Florida Panhandle Forgotten Coast Glades Gold Coast Halifax area Nature Coast North Central Florida North Florida South Florida Southwest Florida Space Coast Suncoast Tampa Bay Area Treasure Coast Metro areas Cape Coral -- Fort Myers Deltona -- Daytona Beach -- Ormond Beach Fort Walton Beach -- Crestview -- Destin Gainesville Jacksonville Lakeland -- Winter Haven Miami -- Fort Lauderdale -- Pompano Beach Naples -- Marco Island North Port -- Bradenton -- Sarasota Ocala Orlando -- Kissimmee -- Sanford Palm Bay -- Melbourne -- Titusville West Palm Beach - Boca Raton Panama City -- Lynn Haven -- Panama City Beach Pensacola -- Ferry Pass -- Brent Port St. Lucie Punta Gorda Sebastian -- Vero Beach Tallahassee Tampa - St. Petersburg -- Clearwater Largest cities Jacksonville Miami Tampa Orlando St. Petersburg Hialeah Tallahassee Port St. Lucie Fort Lauderdale West Palm Beach Cape Coral Pembroke Pines Hollywood Counties Alachua Baker Bay Bradford Brevard Broward Calhoun Charlotte Citrus Clay Collier Columbia DeSoto Dixie Duval Escambia Flagler Franklin Gadsden Gilchrist Glades Gulf Hamilton Hardee Hendry Hernando Highlands Hillsborough Holmes Indian River Jackson Jefferson Lafayette Lake Lee Leon Levy Liberty Madison Manatee Marion Martin Miami ‐ Dade Monroe Nassau Okaloosa Okeechobee Orange Osceola Palm Beach Pasco Pinellas Polk Putnam Santa Rosa Sarasota Seminole St. Johns St. Lucie Sumter Suwannee Taylor Union Volusia Wakulla Walton Washington Former Counties Mosquito Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Governors_of_Florida&oldid=798596326 '' Categories : Lists of state governors of the United States Governors of Florida Lists of Florida politicians State constitutional officers of Florida Hidden categories : Articles containing potentially dated statements from January 2017 All articles containing potentially dated statements Featured lists Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Deutsch Español Français Bahasa Indonesia Latina Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Português Русский Slovenščina Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 2 September 2017, at 20 : 33. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who is the governor of your state now florida
Answer: Rick Scott