Governor of Minnesota

The governor of Minnesota is the head of government of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty 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 Tim Walz of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), affiliated with the national 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 amendmentTemplate:Efn to the Minnesota Constitution, governors are elected to four-year terms, with no limits on the number of terms they may serve.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Cabinet
Office	Incumbent	Term began
Commissioner of Administration	Tamar Gronvall	Oct. 9, 2023<ref name="Gronvall">Governor Walz Selects Tamar Gronvall to Serve as Commissioner of Administration, 18 Sept, 2023 press release. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024</ref>
Commissioner of Agriculture	Thom Petersen	Jan. 7, 2019
Commissioner of Children, Youth and Families	Tikki Brown	July 1, 2024<ref name="Tikki">Alex Perez, Minnesota Names Tikki Brown its First Commissioner for Children, Youth and Families, 1 May 2024, The Imprint. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024</ref>
Commissioner of Commerce	Grace Arnold	Sept. 11, 2020<ref name="Grace1">Minnesota Commerce Department, Leadership Team Accessed 8 Nov. 2024</ref>
Commissioner of Corrections	Paul Schnell	Jan. 7, 2019<ref name="Schnell">DOC Executive Leadership Team Accessed 8 Nov. 2024</ref>
Commissioner of Education	Willie Jett	Jan. 2, 2023
Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development	Matt Varilek	June 20, 2023<ref name="Varilek">Minnesota Dept. of Emplopyment and Economic Development, Matt Varilek. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024</ref>
Commissioner of Health	Brooke Cunningham	Jan. 2, 2023<ref name="Brooke">Template:Cite web</ref>
Commissioner of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education	Dennis Olsen	Jan. 7, 2019<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Commissioner of Minnesota Housing Finance Agency	Jennifer Lemaile Ho	Jan. 7, 2019
Commissioner of Human Rights	Rebecca Lucero	Jan. 7, 2019<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Commissioner of Human Services	Shireen Gandhi (interim)	Feb. 2, 2025<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Commissioner of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board	Ida Rukavina	Jan. 2, 2023
Commissioner and Chief Information Officer of MN.IT Services	Tarek Tomes	April 16, 2019
Commissioner of Labor and Industry	Nicole Blissenbach	Jan. 2, 2023
Commissioner of Management and Budget	Erin Campbell	Aug.15, 2023<ref>Governor Walz Congratulates Departing Commissioner Jim Schowalter, Selects Deputy Commissioner Erin Campbell to Serve as Commissioner of Management and Budget , July 12, 2023 press release</ref>
Commissioner of Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services	Johnny Villareal	Dec. 22, 2021<ref name="Villareal">Governor Walz Appoints Johnny Villarreal to be Commissioner of the Bureau of Mediation Services, Dec. 20, 2021 press release. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024</ref>
Chairperson of the Metropolitan Council	Charlie Zelle	Jan. 6, 2020<ref name="Zelle">Charlie Zelle named Metropolitan Council Chair. 23 Dec. 2019 press release. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024</ref>
Adjutant General	Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke	Aug. 12, 2020<ref>Cambridge native named new leader of the Minnesota National Guard, 12 Aug. 2020. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.</ref>
Commissioner of Natural Resources	Sarah Strommen	Jan. 7, 2019
Commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency	Katrina Kessler	Nov. 1, 2021<ref name="Kessler">Minnesota Pollution Control agency — Katrina Kessler, Commissioner. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024</ref>
Commissioner of Public Safety	Bob Jacobson	Jan. 2, 2023
Commissioner of Revenue	Paul Marquart	Jan. 2, 2023
Commissioner of Transportation	Nancy Daubenberger	Jan. 7, 2019<ref name="Daubenberger">Alex Chhith, Gov. Tim Walz appoints Nancy Daubenberger new MnDOT commissioner , 23 May 2022, Minnesota Star Tribune, accessed 8 Nov. 2024</ref>
Commissioner of Veterans Affairs	Brad Lindsay	Sept. 23, 2023<ref name="Lindsay">Governor Walz Thanks Retiring Commissioner Herke, Opens Selection Process for Cabinet Vacancy, 12 Sept. 2023 press release. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024</ref>

Residence

Template:Main The Minnesota Governor's Residence is located in Saint Paul, at 1006 Summit Avenue.

Succession

Template:Main The line of succession for the Governor is established by Article V, Section 5 of the Minnesota Constitution<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Minnesota Statute 4.06.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Traditions

Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener

The Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener is a tradition that dates back to 1948.<ref>2023 Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener May 12-13, 2023 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, viewed June 21, 2023</ref> The event was designed to promote the development of Minnesota's recreation industry.<ref>Marshall, Brandon - Mankato to host 2023 Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener. Rochester KAAL ABC 6, August 8, 2022</ref><ref>Mankato and Madison Lake hosting Governor’s 2023 Fishing Opener, without Gov. Walz. KARE 11, May 9, 2023</ref> The Governor goes to a selected lake in Minnesota to fish on the opening weekend of the fishing season.<ref>Fishing in Minnesota Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Viewed June 21, 2023</ref>

Timeline

Timeline of Minnesota governors

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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
• Governor's Cabinet

External links

• Website of the governor and lieutenant governor
• Minnesota Constitution, Article V Template:Webarchive