The
District of Maine of
Massachusetts was
admitted to the Union on March 15, 1820, as the State of Maine. The
Maine Constitution of 1820 originally established a gubernatorial term of one year, to begin on the first Wednesday of January; constitutional amendments expanded this to two years in 1879 and to four years in 1957. The 1957 amendment also prohibited governors from succeeding themselves after serving two terms. The constitution does not establish an office of
lieutenant governor; a vacancy in the office of governor is filled by the president of the
Maine Senate. Prior to an amendment in 1964, the president of the senate only acted as governor. == See also ==