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Governor of Oregon
| Oregon Governor | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| 2011-2013 FY Budget: | $18,762,015 |
| Term limits: | 8 years in office during any 12 year period |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Oregon Constitution, Article V, Section I |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder | |
 | |
| Name: | John Kitzhaber |
| Officeholder Party: | Democratic |
| Assumed office: | January 2011 |
| Compensation: | $93,600 |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 4, 2014 |
| Last election: | November 2, 2010 |
| Other Oregon Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
Contents |
As of May 2013, Oregon is one of 12 Democratic state government trifectas.
Current officeholder
The current governor is John Kitzhaber, a Democrat elected in 2010. Governor Kitzhaber also served as Governor of Oregon from 1995 to 2003.
Authority
The state Constitution addresses the office of the governor in Article V, the Executive Department.[1]
Under Article V, Section I:
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The cheif [sic] executive power of the State, shall be vested in a Governor... |
Qualifications
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A candidate for the governorship must be:
- a United States citizen
- at least 30 years old
- a resident of Oregon for at least three years
The age requirements does not apply to someone who succeeds to office under Section 8a of Article V.[1]
Elections
Oregon elects governors in the midterm elections, that is, even years that are not Presidential election years. For Oregon, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 are all gubernatorial election years. Legally, the gubernatorial inauguration is always set for the second Monday in the January following an election. Thus, January 10, 2011 and January 12, 2015 are inaugural days.
In the event of a tie, a joint session of the legislature shall cast ballots to choose from the two top vote getters. If the election is contested, the legislature shall decide the manner of addressing and settling the contest.
Term limits
- See also: States with gubernatorial term limits
Oregon governors are restricted to 8 years in office during any 12 year period.
Oregon Constitution, Article V, Section 1
| The cheif [sic] executive power of the State, shall be vested in a Governor, who shall hold his office for the term of four years; and no person shall be eligible to such office more than Eight, in any period of twelve years. |
Partisan composition
The chart below shows the partisan breakdown of Oregon State Governors from 1992-2013.
Vacancies
- See also: How gubernatorial vacancies are filled
Details of vacancy appointments are addressed under Article V, Section 8a.[1]
The state of Oregon has no formal office of the Lieutenant Governor. Instead, the Secretary of State serves as the ex officio Lieutenant Governor and succeeds the Governor is the latter dies, resigns, is removed from office, or is unable to discharge the office.
After the Secretary of State, the Treasurer, the President Pro Tem of the Senate, and then the Speaker of the House shall follow in the line of succession.
An Acting Governor holds the office until the Governor's disability is removed or until the next biennial election, when a special election shall be held. When the Treasurer or Secretary of State is the Acting Governor, an appointment is made for someone to fill the office of the Treasurer or Secretary of State.
An appointed Treasurer or Secretary of State may not succeed to the elected governorship.
Duties
The governor is the commander-in-chief of state military (§ 9). The governor also has the power to grant pardons and reprieves and to commute sentences (§ 14). The governor may convene a special session of the state legislature (§ 12).
Additionally, the Oregon Governor serves on the State Land Board which is tasked with managing state-owned lands to "obtain the greatest benefit for the people of Oregon, consistent with resource conservation and sound land management."
Other duties and privileges of the office include:
- Making periodic addresses to the General Assembly concerning and the state of the state and making recommendations on legislation (§ 11)
- Upholding and ensuring the faithful execution of all state laws (§ 10)
- Requiring written information from the head of any Administrative or Military Department on their duties and offices (§ 13)
- Vetoing bills, including enjoying a line item veto and an emergency clause veto (§ 15a). The gubernatorial veto is subject to a two-third majority override of the legislature (§ 15b)
- Making vacancies, including recess vacancies, for all offices not otherwise provided for. The appointment shall be for the remainder of the term if the next general election is within 61 days. Otherwise, a special election shall be called (§ 16)
- Issuing writs of special election for all vacancies that occur in the legislature (§ 17)
- Signing all commissions issues in the name of the state of Oregon (§ 18)[1]
State budget
The budget for the Governor's office in Fiscal Year 2011-2013 was $18,762,015.[2]
Compensation
In 2012, the Governor of Oregon was paid an estimated $93,600 according to the Council of State Governments.
History
Partisan balance 1992-2013
During every year from 1992-2013 there were Democratic governors in office for Oregon. Oregon is one of seven states that were run by a Democratic governor for more than 80 percent of the years between 1992-2013. Oregon was under a Democratic trifecta for the final year of the study.
Across the country, there were 493 years of Democratic governors (44.82%) and 586 years of Republican governors (53.27%) from 1992-2013.
Over the course of the 22-year study, state governments became increasingly more partisan. At the outset of the study period (1992), 18 of the 49 states with partisan legislatures had single-party trifectas and 31 states had divided governments. In 2013, only 13 states have divided governments, while single-party trifectas held sway in 36 states, the most in the 22 years studied.
The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Office of the Governor of Oregon, the Oregon State Senate and the Oregon House of Representatives from 1992-2013.
.PNG)
Contact information
Office of the Governor
160 State Capitol
900 Court Street
Salem, Oregon 97301-4047
Phone:503.378.4582
Fax:503.378.6827
See also
External links
References
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