The term of the
governor of Tennessee is limited by the
state constitution. The first constitution, enacted in 1796, set a term of two years for the governor and provided that no person could serve as governor for more than 6 years in any 8-year period.
[Jonathan M. Atkins]
"William Carroll"
in '' Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture'' (online edition). Accessed January 27, 2012. The term of office was lengthened to four years, without the possibility of consecutive terms, by constitutional amendments adopted in 1953.
Under the current provisions of the state constitution, as amended in 1978, the governor is elected to a four-year term and may serve no more than two terms consecutively.
Tennessee Democratic Party
The Tennessee Democratic Party (TNDP) is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in Tennessee. The party was founded in 1826 and is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Tennessee Democratic Party began alongside President Andrew Jack ...
held the Tennessee governorship continuously.
Tennessee has had 50 governors, including the incumbent, Bill Lee. Seven governors ( John Sevier, William Carroll, Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He assumed the presidency as he was vice president at the time of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a De ...
, Robert Love Taylor, Gordon Browning, Frank G. Clement
Frank Goad Clement (June 2, 1920 – November 4, 1969) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 41st Governor of Tennessee from 1953 to 1959 and from 1963 to 1967. Inaugurated for the first time at age 32, he was the state's younges ...
, and Buford Ellington
Earl Buford Ellington (June 27, 1907 – April 3, 1972) was an American politician who served as the 42nd governor of Tennessee from 1959 to 1963, and again from 1967 to 1971. Along with his political ally, Frank G. Clement, he helped lead a ...
) have served non-consecutive terms. This tally does not include William Blount (the territorial governor) or Robert L. Caruthers
Robert Looney Caruthers (July 31, 1800 – October 2, 1882) was an American judge, politician, and professor. He helped establish Cumberland University in 1842, serving as the first president of its board of trustees, and was a cofounder of ...
(who never took office), though the ''Blue Book'' includes them in its list of governors.Past Governors
," ''Tennessee Blue Book'' (2011–2012), pp. 547, 553. All governors are counted only once, regardless of number of terms served (e.g.,
John Sevier is considered the 1st governor, rather than the 1st and 3rd governor). The ''Blue Book'' does not include
Edward H. East in its list of governors.
Southwest Territory
The
Territory South of the River Ohio
The Territory South of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Southwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1790, until June 1, 1796, when it was admitted to the United States a ...
, commonly called the Southwest Territory, was formed in 1790 from lands ceded by North Carolina to the United States government. The territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Tennessee in 1796.
; Parties
State of Tennessee
; Parties
(6)
(31)
(4)
(1)
(10)
References
;Specific
;General
* Vile, John R., and Byrnes, Mark E. ''Tennessee Government and Politics: Democracy in the Volunteer State''. 1998, Vanderbilt University Press
p. 43
External links
''Tennessee Blue Book: Historical Listings of Constitutional Officers''''Tennessee Blue Book: Past Governors of Tennessee''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tennessee, List Of Governors Of
Lists of state governors of the United States
*
Governors
governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...