478 A BICENTENNIAL HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI Elected Executives Governor – Must be a qualified elector, at least thirty years old, a citizen of the United States for twenty years, and a resident of the state five years. Lieutenant Governor – Same qualifications as required of the Governor. Secretary of State – A qualified elector, at least twenty-five years old, and a citizen of the state five years. Attorney General – A qualified elector, a practicing attorney for five years, at least twenty-six years old and a citizen of the state five years. Treasurer – Same as Secretary of State. Auditor – Same as Secretary of State. Commissioner of Insurance – Same as Secretary of State. Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce – A qualified elector with a general knowledge of agriculture, mining, manufacturing, statistics, and general industries; and an experienced and practical agriculturist. Governors 1817-2017 David Holmes – 1817-1820 George Poindexter – 1820-1822 Walter Leake – 1822-1825 Gerard Chittocque Brandon – 1825-1826 David Holmes – 1826 Gerard Chittocque Brandon – 1826-1832 Abram M. Scott – 1832-1833 Charles Lynch – 1833 Hiram G. Runnels – 1833-1835 John Anthony Quitman – 1835-1836 Charles Lynch – 1836-1838 Alexander Gallatin McNutt – 1838-1842 Tilghman Mayfield Tucker – 1842-1844 Albert Gallatin Brown – 1844-1848 Joseph W. Matthews – 1848-1850 John Anthony Quitman – 1850-1851 John Isaac Guion – 1851 James Whitfield – 1851-1852 Henry Stuart Foote – 1852-1854 John Jones Pettus – 1854 John J. McRae – 1854-1857 William McWillie – 1857-1859 John Jones Pettus – 1859-1863 Charles Clark – 1863-1865 William Lewis Sharkey – 1865 Benjamin Grubb Humphreys – 1865-1868 Adelbert Ames – 1868-1870 James Lusk Alcorn – 1870-1871 Ridgley Ceylon Powers – 1871-1874 Adelbert Ames – 1874-1876 John Marshall Stone – 1876-1882 Robert Lowry – 1882-1890 John Marshall Stone – 1890-1896 Anselm Joseph McLaurin – 1896-1900 Andrew Houston Longino – 1900-1904 James Kimble Vardaman – 1904-1908 Edmond Favor Noel – 1908-1912 Earl LeRoy Brewer – 1912-1916 Theodore Gilmore Bilbo – 1916-1920 Lee Maurice Russell – 1920-1924 Henry Lewis Whitfield – 1924-1927 Dennis Murphree – 1927-1928 Theodore Gilmore Bilbo – 1928-1932 Martin Sennet (Mike) Conner – 1932-1936 Hugh Lawson White – 1936-1940 Paul Burney Johnson, Sr. – 1940-1943 Dennis Murphree – 1943-1944 Thomas Lowry Bailey – 1944-1946 Fielding Lewis Wright – 1946-1952 Hugh Lawson White – 1952-1956 James Plemon (J.P.) Coleman – 1956-1960 Ross Robert Barnett – 1960-1964 Paul Burney Johnson, Jr. – 1964-1968 John Bell Williams – 1968-1972 William Lowe (Bill) Waller, Sr. – 1972-1976 Charles Clifton (Cliff) Finch – 1976-1980 William Forrest Winter – 1980-1984 William A. (Bill) Allain – 1984-1988 Raymond Edwin (Ray) Mabus, Jr. – 1988-1992 Daniel Kirkwood (Kirk) Fordice – 1992-2000 David Ronald (Ronnie) Musgrove – 2000-2004 Haley Barbour – 2004-2012 Phil Bryant – 2012-present THE LEGISLATURE From the first state constitution adopted in 1817 through the ratification and revision of each subsequent constitution, the bulk of governmental power and authority has been vested into the hands of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Mississippi gives its sole law-making authority to the bicameral legislature: the 122 members of the House of Representatives and the fifty-two members of the Senate. They are voted into office for four-year terms. Both chambers of the legislature operate with a constitutional provision stipulating no money may be spent from the state’s treasury unless the legislature passes a specific law to do so. Additionally, the Senate exercises advice and consent authority over certain appointments made by the governor to state agencies, boards, commissions, and departments of