The Governor of Minnesota is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty different people have been governor of Minnesota, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial governor, also served as state governor several years later. State governors are elected to office by popular vote, but territorial governors were appointed to the office by the United States president. The current governor of Minnesota is Mark Dayton of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL).
Powers and qualifications
Like the U.S. President, the governor has veto power over bills passed by the Minnesota State Legislature. As in most states, but unlike the U.S. President, the governor can also make line-item vetoes, where specific provisions in bills can be stripped out while allowing the overall bill to be signed into law.
The governor of Minnesota must be 25 years old upon assuming office, and must have been a Minnesota resident for one year before the election.
Since a 1958 amendment to the Minnesota Constitution governors are elected to four-year terms. Previously, they served two-year terms. There is no term limit for governor of the state.
Cabinet
The governor has a cabinet consisting of the leaders of various state departments. The governor appoints these department heads, who, other than the head of the Department of Military Affairs and the chairs of the Metropolitan Council and the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, are called commissioners. Cabinet-level departments include:
- Department of Administration
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Commerce
- Department of Corrections
- Department of Education
- Department of Employment and Economic Development
- Office of Enterprise Technology
- Department of Health
- Minnesota Office of Higher Education
- Minnesota Housing Finance Agency
- Department of Human Rights
- Department of Human Services
- Department of Iron Range Resources
- Department of Labor and Industry
- Minnesota Management and Budget
- Bureau of Mediation Services
- Metropolitan Council
- Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission
- Department of Military Affairs
- Department of Natural Resources
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
- Department of Public Safety
- Department of Revenue
- Department of Transportation
- Department of Veterans Affairs
Residence
The Minnesota Governor's Residence is located in Saint Paul, at 1006 Summit Avenue.
Gallery
See also
- List of Governors of Minnesota
- List of Minnesota gubernatorial elections
- Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
- List of Lieutenant Governors of Minnesota
- Minnesota Secretary of State
- Minnesota Attorney General
- Minnesota State Auditor
- Minnesota State Treasurer (office abolished January 6, 2003)
- Politics of Minnesota
References
External links
- Website of the governor and lieutenant governor
- Minnesota Constitution, Article V
