Governor of Vermont
Encyclopedia
The Governor of Vermont is the governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...

 (chief executive, head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...

) of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...

. The governor is elected in even numbered years by direct voting for a term
Term of office
Term of office or term in office refers to the length of time a person serves in a particular office.-Prime Minister:In the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister has no term limits...

 of two years; Vermont and bordering New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...

 are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every two years, instead of every four. There is no limit on the number of terms a governor can serve.

The incumbent governor is Peter Shumlin. In his election he was endorsed by the Vermont Democratic and Working Families Party. He is the 81st governor of the State of Vermont. (Two others, Thomas Chittenden
Thomas Chittenden
Thomas Chittenden was an important figure in the founding of Vermont.Chittenden was born in East Guilford, Connecticut and moved to Vermont in 1774, where he founded the town of Williston. During the American Revolution, Chittenden was a member of a committee empowered to negotiate with the...

 and Moses Robinson
Moses Robinson
Moses Robinson prominent Vermont political figure who served as governor during the Vermont Republic, and helped steward Vermont's transition to U.S. statehood. Not to be confused with the black dancer Moses J. Robinson from West Haven, Utah.Robinson was born in Hardwick, Massachusetts where he...

, served as governor of the Vermont Republic
Vermont Republic
The term Vermont Republic has been used by later historians for the government of what became modern Vermont from 1777 to 1791. In July 1777 delegates from 28 towns met and declared independence from jurisdictions and land claims of British colonies in New Hampshire and New York. They also...

 before Vermont's admission to the Union in 1791.)

The governor's working offices are located in The Pavilion in the state capital of Montpelier, Vermont
Montpelier, Vermont
Montpelier is a city in the U.S. state of Vermont that serves as the state capital and the shire town of Washington County. As the capital of Vermont, Montpelier is the site of the Vermont State House, seat of the legislative branch of Vermont government. The population was 7,855 at the 2010...

. The governor's ceremonial office, used during the legislative session of the General Assembly
Vermont General Assembly
The Vermont General Assembly is the legislative body of the U.S. state of Vermont. The Legislature is formally known as the "General Assembly," but the style of "Legislature" is commonly used, including by the body itself...

, is located in the Vermont State House
Vermont State House
The Vermont State House, located in Montpelier, is the state capitol of Vermont and the seat of the Vermont General Assembly. The current Greek Revival structure is the third building on the same site to be used as the State House...

, also in Montpelier.

The Constitution of Vermont
Constitution of Vermont
The Constitution of the State of Vermont is the fundamental body of law of the U.S. State of Vermont. It was adopted in 1793 following Vermont's admission to the Union in 1791 and is largely based upon the 1777 Constitution of Vermont which was ratified at Windsor in the Old Constitution House. At...

 details the powers of the governor:
  • To commission or appoint all officers ("except where provision is, or shall be, otherwise made by law or this Frame of Government")
  • To fill all vacancies in office until the office can be filled in the manner directed by state constitution or by state law
    State law
    In the United States, state law is the law of each separate U.S. state, as passed by the state legislature and adjudicated by state courts. It exists in parallel, and sometimes in conflict with, United States federal law. These disputes are often resolved by the federal courts.-See also:*List of U.S...

  • To correspond with other States
  • To "transact business with officers of government, civil and military"
  • To "prepare such business as may appear necessary, to lay before the General Assembly
    Vermont General Assembly
    The Vermont General Assembly is the legislative body of the U.S. state of Vermont. The Legislature is formally known as the "General Assembly," but the style of "Legislature" is commonly used, including by the body itself...

    .
  • To grant pardon
    Pardon
    Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...

    s and remit fines, except for cases of treason
    Treason
    In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...

    , in which the Governor may only grant reprieves until the end of the next session
    Parliamentary session
    A legislative session is the period of time in which a legislature, in both parliamentary and presidential systems, is convened for purpose of lawmaking, usually being one of two or more smaller divisions of the entire time between two elections...

     of the General Assembly, and for cases of impeachment
    Impeachment
    Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....

    , in which the Governor cannot grant either reprieves or pardons
  • To "take care that the laws be faithfully executed" and "expedite the execution of such measures as may be resolved upon by the General Assembly"
  • To "draw upon the Treasury
    Treasury
    A treasury is either*A government department related to finance and taxation.*A place where currency or precious items is/are kept....

     for such sums as may be appropriated
    Appropriation (law)
    In law and government, appropriation is the act of setting apart something for its application to a particular usage, to the exclusion of all other uses....

     by the General Assembly"
  • To "lay embargo
    Embargo
    An embargo is the partial or complete prohibition of commerce and trade with a particular country, in order to isolate it. Embargoes are considered strong diplomatic measures imposed in an effort, by the imposing country, to elicit a given national-interest result from the country on which it is...

    es, or prohibit the export
    Export
    The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...

    ation of any commodity
    Commodity
    In economics, a commodity is the generic term for any marketable item produced to satisfy wants or needs. Economic commodities comprise goods and services....

    " for up to 30 days during a recess of the General Assembly
  • To "grant such licenses as shall be directed by law"
  • To call special session
    Special session
    In a legislature, a special session is a period when the body convenes outside of the normal legislative session. This most frequently occurs in order to complete unfinished tasks for the year , such as outlining the government's budget for the next fiscal year, biennium, or other period...

    s of the General Assembly when necessary
  • To be the "Captain-General
    Captain General
    Captain general is a high military rank and a gubernatorial title.-History:This term Captain General started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of commander in chief of an army in the field, probably the first usage of the term General in military settings...

     and Commander-in-Chief
    Commander-in-Chief
    A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...

    " of the "forces of the State" (the Vermont State Guard and Vermont National Guard
    Vermont National Guard
    The Vermont National Guard is composed of the Vermont Army National Guard and the Vermont Air National Guard. Green Mountain Boys, despite the inclusion of women in both branches since the mid-twentieth century. Flag of the Green Mountain Boys as their banner...

    ), although the Governor cannot "command in person, in time of war, or insurrection, unless by the advice and consent
    Advice and consent
    Advice and consent is an English phrase frequently used in enacting formulae of bills and in other legal or constitutional contexts, describing a situation in which the executive branch of a government enacts something previously approved of by the legislative branch.-General:The expression is...

     of the Senate
    Vermont Senate
    The Vermont Senate is the upper house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The Senate consists of 30 members. Senate districting divides the 30 members into three single-member districts, six two-member districts, three three-member districts, and one...

    , and no longer than they shall approve thereof"


There is a separately-elected Lieutenant Governor of Vermont, who assumes the powers of the Governor in case there is a vacancy in the office of Governor or the Governor was unable to serve. The Lieutenant Governor is also the Lieutenant-General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....

of the "forces of the State."

External links

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