Governor of California

The Governor of California is an elected official who is the chief executive of the State of California. As chief executive, he and his designates have direct responsibility over the day to day affairs of the State. The purpose of the Governor is best summed up by the California Constitution which says, "The supreme executive power of this State is vested in the Governor. The Governor shall see that the law is faithfully executed." The current Governor is Arnold Schwarzenegger who succeeded Gray Davis in a 2003 recall election.

List of Governors

Governor	Took Office	Left Office	Governor	Took Office	Left Office	Governor	Took Office	Left Office
...	...	...	...	Henry Gage	1899	1903	Refused nomination
...	...	...	...	George Pardee	1903	1907	Refused nomination
...	...	...	...	James Gillett	1907	1911	Declined to seek second term
...	...	...	...	Hiram Johnson	1911	1917	Elected to U.S. Senate
...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
...	...	...	...	James Rolph	1934
...	...	...	...	Frank Merriam	1934	1939
...	...	...	...	Culbert Olson	1939	1943
...	...	...	...	Earl Warren	1943	1953	Appointed as Chief Justice
Goodwin Knight	1953	1959	Lost election
Pat Brown	1959	1967	Lost election
Ronald Reagan	1967	1975	Declined to seek third term
Jerry Brown	1975	1983	Declined to seek third term
George Deukmejian	1983	1991	Declined to seek third term
Pete Wilson	1991	1999	Lost election
Henry Markham	1891	1895	Declined to seek second term	Gray Davis	1999	2003	Recalled by voters
...	...	...	James Budd	1895	1899	Arnold Schwarzenegger	2003	Current
William Irwin	1875	1880	Clement Young	1927	1931