In California, the Governor holds the highest executive position, responsible for implementing and upholding state laws. This role involves close collaboration with the legislative branch to shape new legislation and overseeing numerous state departments within the executive branch. These departments are managed by officials who are either elected, appointed by the Governor, or part of the state’s civil service.
Governors in California are elected by the state’s citizens to serve a term of four years. A governor is eligible for reelection and can serve a second consecutive four-year term if voted in again. To qualify for this significant public service role, individuals must be United States citizens, residents of California, and at least 18 years of age. The Governor also acts as the Commander-in-Chief of the state’s militia and is the primary point of contact between California, the federal government, and other state governments.
Historically, the requirements to become Governor of California have changed over time, reflecting the state’s evolving demographics and political landscape. When California’s first Constitution was established in 1849, it stipulated that a Governor needed to be at least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen, and a resident of California for a minimum of two years. These initial qualifications were notably less stringent compared to many other states at that time, particularly the residency requirement, which was deliberately set lower to accommodate the influx of new residents who might not have met a longer residency period.
Interestingly, the 1849 Constitution did not specify a minimum period of U.S. citizenship, unlike many other states. This omission was intentional to prevent discrimination against Californios, the native people of Spanish and Mexican descent, who had only recently become American citizens in 1848 following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. However, in 1879, a revised Constitution amended these requirements, increasing the minimum residency and citizenship duration to five years each. The minimum age requirement remained at 25 until 1972, when it was lowered to 18, aligning with the then-newly ratified Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which set the national voting age at 18.
