The governor of Minnesota is the head of government of the state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty people have been governor of Minnesota, and previously three 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; territorial governors were appointed to the office by the United States president. The current governor of Minnesota is Tim Walz of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), affiliated with the Democratic Party.
Powers and qualifications
Similar to 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, with no limits on the number of terms they may serve.
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 members include:
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
!colspan=3 |Cabinet
|-
!Office
!Incumbent
!data-sort-type="date" |Term began
|-
|data-sort-value="Administration" |Commissioner of Administration
|data-sort-value="Gronvall, Tamar" align="center" |Tamar Gronvall
|data-sort-value="20231009" |Oct. 9, 2023
|-
|data-sort-value="Agriculture" |Commissioner of Agriculture
|data-sort-value="Petersen, Thom" align="center" |Thom Petersen
|data-sort-value="20190107" |Jan. 7, 2019
|-
|data-sort-value="Children" |Commissioner of Children, Youth and Families
|data-sort-value="Brown, Tikki" align="center" |Tikki Brown
|data-sort-value="20240701" |July 1, 2024
|-
|data-sort-value="Commerce" |Commissioner of Commerce
|data-sort-value="Arnold, Grace" align="center" |Grace Arnold
|data-sort-value="20200911" |Sept. 11, 2020
|-
|data-sort-value="Corrections" |Commissioner of Corrections
|data-sort-value="Schnell, Paul" align="center" |Paul Schnell
|data-sort-value="20190107" |Jan. 7, 2019
|-
|data-sort-value="Education" |Commissioner of Education
|data-sort-value="Jett, Willie" align="center" |Willie Jett
|data-sort-value="20230102" |Jan. 2, 2023
|-
|data-sort-value="Employment" |Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development
|data-sort-value="Varilek, Matt" align="center" |Matt Varilek
|data-sort-value="20230620" |June 20, 2023
|-
|data-sort-value="Health" |Commissioner of Health
|data-sort-value="Cunningham, Brooke" align="center" |Brooke Cunningham
|data-sort-value="20230102" |Jan. 2, 2023
|-
|data-sort-value="Higher Education" |Commissioner of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education
|data-sort-value="Olsen, Dennis" align="center" |Dennis Olsen
| data-sort-value="20190107"|Jan. 7, 2019
|-
|data-sort-value="Housing Finance" |Commissioner of Minnesota Housing Finance Agency
|data-sort-value="Ho, Jennifer" align="center" |Jennifer Lemaile Ho
|data-sort-value="20190107" |Jan. 7, 2019
|-
|data-sort-value="Human Rights" |Commissioner of Human Rights
|data-sort-value="Lucero, Rebecca" align="center" |Rebecca Lucero
|data-sort-value="20190107" |Jan. 7, 2019
|-
|data-sort-value="Human Services" |Commissioner of Human Services
|data-sort-value="Harpstead, Jodi" align="center" |Shireen Gandhi (interim)
|data-sort-value="20190812" |Feb. 2, 2025
|-
|data-sort-value="Iron Range Resources" |Commissioner of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board
|data-sort-value="Rukavina, Ida" align="center" |Ida Rukavina
|data-sort-value="20230102" |Jan. 2, 2023
|-
|data-sort-value="IT Services" |Commissioner and Chief Information Officer of MN.IT Services
|data-sort-value="Tomes, Tarek" align="center" |Tarek Tomes
|data-sort-value="20190416" |April 16, 2019
|-
|data-sort-value="Labor" |Commissioner of Labor and Industry
|data-sort-value="Blissenbach, Nicole" align="center" |Nicole Blissenbach
|data-sort-value="20230102" |Jan. 2, 2023
|-
|data-sort-value="Management and Budget" |Commissioner of Management and Budget
|data-sort-value="Campbell, Erin" align="center" |Erin Campbell
|data-sort-value="20230815" |Aug.15, 2023
|-
|data-sort-value="Mediation Services" |Commissioner of Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services
|data-sort-value="Villareal, Johnny" align="center" |Johnny Villareal
|data-sort-value="20211222" |Dec. 22, 2021
|-
|data-sort-value="Metropolitan Council" |Chairperson of the Metropolitan Council
|data-sort-value="Zelle, Charlie" align="center" |Charlie Zelle
|data-sort-value="20200106" |Jan. 6, 2020
|-
|data-sort-value="Military Affairs" |Adjutant General
|data-sort-value="Manke, Shawn" align="center" |Maj. Gen. Shawn P. Manke
|data-sort-value="20200812" |Aug. 12, 2020
|-
|data-sort-value="Natural Resources" |Commissioner of Natural Resources
|data-sort-value="Strommen, Sarah" align="center" |Sarah Strommen
|data-sort-value="20190107" |Jan. 7, 2019
|-
|data-sort-value="Pollution Control" |Commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
|data-sort-value="Kessler, Katrina" align="center" |Katrina Kessler
|data-sort-value="20211101" |Nov. 1, 2021
|-
|data-sort-value="Public Safety" |Commissioner of Public Safety
|data-sort-value="Jacobson, Bob" align="center" |Bob Jacobson
|data-sort-value="20230102" |Jan. 2, 2023
|-
|data-sort-value="Revenue" |Commissioner of Revenue
|data-sort-value="Marquart, Paul" align="center" |Paul Marquart
|data-sort-value="20230102" |Jan. 2, 2023
|-
|data-sort-value="Transportation" |Commissioner of Transportation
|data-sort-value="Daubenberger, Nancy" align="center" |Nancy Daubenberger
|data-sort-value="20190107" |Jan. 7, 2019
|-
|data-sort-value="Veterans Affairs" |Commissioner of Veterans Affairs
|data-sort-value="Lindsay, Brad" align="center" |Brad Lindsay
|data-sort-value="20230923" |Sept. 23, 2023
|-
|}
Residence
The Minnesota Governor's Residence is located in Saint Paul, at 1006 Summit Avenue.
Succession
The line of succession for the Governor is established by Article V, Section 5 of the Minnesota Constitution and Minnesota Statute 4.06.
Traditions
Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener
The Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener is a tradition that dates back to 1948. The event was designed to promote the development of Minnesota's recreation industry. The Governor goes to a selected lake in Minnesota to fish on the opening weekend of the fishing season.
Timeline
{| role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
| <strong>Timeline of Minnesota governors</strong>
|-
|
<div class="center"></div>
|}
See also
- List of governors of Minnesota
- List of Minnesota gubernatorial elections
- 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
Notes
References
External links
- Governor's Cabinet
- Website of the governor and lieutenant governor
- Minnesota Constitution, Article V