Territory of Michigan Michigan Territory was organized on June 30, 1805, from the north half of
Indiana Territory. It had three governors appointed by the
president of the United States, including the longest-serving governor of any territory,
Lewis Cass, who served for 18 years.
State of Michigan Michigan was
admitted to the Union on January 26, 1837. The original 1835
Constitution of Michigan provided for the election of a governor and a lieutenant governor every 2 years. The current constitution of 1963 increased this term to four years. There was no term limit on governors until a 1993 constitutional amendment limited governors to two terms. Should the office of governor become vacant, the
lieutenant governor becomes governor, followed in order of succession by the
secretary of state and the
attorney general. Prior to the current constitution, the duties of the office would devolve upon the lieutenant governor, without that person actually becoming governor. Beginning in 1850, the term begins at noon on January 1 of the year following the election; before, it had no set start date, and terms would last until when their successor was inaugurated, which would be at least the first Monday in January following their election. Prior to the modern 1963 constitution, the governor and lieutenant governor were elected through separate votes, allowing them to be from different political parties. In 1963, this was changed, so that votes are cast jointly for a governor and lieutenant governor of the same political party. ==See also==