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Archives - State Agencies - Governor

GOVERNOR
[Constitution, Article V, Section l; NDCC Chapter 54-07]

The office of the Governor was created by the North Dakota State Constitution in 1889. The Governor was elected to a two-year term until passage of a constitutional amendment in 1964 established a four-year term of office. A constitutional amendment approved in 1974 requires the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor to be elected on a joint ballot.

The Governor is the chief executive officer of the state and has general supervision over all executive branch state agencies. In addition to serving as commander-in-chief of the state's military forces, the Governor has the authority to convene special sessions of the State Legislature; veto legislation and line items on appropriations bills; recommend legislative measures; and grant reprieves, commutations, and pardons for all offenses except treason and impeachment.

The Governor of Dakota Territory had duties similar to the present chief executive. As required by the Organic Law of 1861, the Governor of Dakota Territory was appointed by the President of the United States and served a four-year term. The Governor of Dakota Territory was commander-in-chief of the militia; was superintendent of Indian affairs until 1871; was empowered to grant pardons and reprieves; appointed notaries public; and could approve or veto legislation passed by the Territorial Legislature.

Thirty men have served as Governor of North Dakota from statehood in 1889 to 1985. Twenty-three were Republicans, six were Democrats, and one, Eli C.D. Shortridge (1893-1894), a Populist. Two North Dakota Governors have been removed from office: Lynn Frazier was recalled along with the Attorney General and the Commissioner of Agriculture and Labor in 1921, and William Langer was removed from office in 1934 following a federal felony conviction. Two Governors, Frank A. Briggs (1898) and Arthur Sorlie (1928), died in office.
The Governor of Dakota Territory and the state of North Dakota have had the authority to appoint many officials to numerous territorial and state agencies, boards, and commissions.
Similarly, the Governor has been a member of numerous state boards and commissions.

The Governor serves as chief executive of the state and commander-in-chief of its military forces, except when they are called into service of the United States; calls the Legislative Assembly into special session; delivers the state of the state address and the budget message at the beginning of each legislative session; exercises veto power over acts of the Legislative Assembly; appoints certain state executive officers and members of boards and commissions including those regulating occupations and professions; holds authority in conjunction with the Board of Pardons on matters of extradition, pardons, reprieves, and commutations of sentence, except in cases of impeachment or treason.

SERIES

Administration
30153    Incoming Letters, 1889-1920; 1918-1920.
30154    Outgoing Letters, 1889-1907.
30155    Subject Files, 1889-1905.
30156    Office Register, 1950.
30157    Insurance Index, 1903-1924; 1937-1939.
30158    Northern Pacific Railroad Company Right of Way File, 1913.
30159    Desk Diaries, 1955-1956.
30160    Correspondence Concerning Social Security Benefits, 1950-1972.
30161    Proclamations, 1902-1978.
30162    Appointment Files, 1889-1905.
30163    Proclamations Received from Other States and Territories, 1890-1904,1917-1918.
30164    Official Signatures of Officers of Various States and Territories, 1891-1903.
30165    Farm Loan and State Deposit Verification Correspondence, 1913.
30166    Permanent Fund Investments Schedules, 1913.
30167    Removal of Public Officials Files, 1939-1974.
30168    Reports of State Agencies and Institutions, 1892-1924.
30169    State Agency Budget Proposals, 1941-1943.
30170    State Budget Board Reports, 1955-1965.
30171    State Constitution Analysis, ca.1889.
30172    Sheriff’s Jail Reports, 1896-1904.
30173    Scrapbooks, 1961-1967.
30174    Poll Book from Contested Elections, 1886, 1888, 1898, 1904.
30175    Insurance Policies, 1890-1896.
30187    Minutes of State Agencies, Boards and Commissions, 1933-1980
30695    Reports Register, 1903-1917.
30770    Executive Record, 1884-1913.
30771    Appointment Registers, 1893-1944.
30772    Record Index, 1889-1906.
30775    Ledger, 1931-1965.
30775    Removal of Public Officials Docket, 1930-1933.

            North Dakota Governor’s Papers, 1889-1897. (University of North Dakota microfilm)      
10106    Frank White Papers, 1892-1946.
20914    Frank A. Briggs Papers, 1898.
10175    John Burke Papers, 1911-1921.
             John Burke Papers, 1906-1942. (University of North Dakota microfilm)
10864    John E. Davis, Papers, 1911-1973.
             Louis Hanna Papers, 1907-1908. (University of North Dakota microfilm)
             Lynn Frazier Papers, 1919-1920. (University of North Dakota microfilm)
             Arthur Sorlie Papers, 1924-1928. (University of North Dakota microfilm)
20115    George Shafer Letter, 1932.
             George Shafer Papers, 1928-1948. (University of North Dakota microfilm)
             William Langer Papers. 1900-1959. (University of North Dakota microfilm)
20089    William Langer, Papers, 1896-1953.
             Ole Olson Paper, 1934-1935. (University of North Dakota microfilm)
             Thomas Moodie Papers, 1934-1935. (University of North Dakota microfilm)
             Walter Welford Papers, 1935-1936. (University of North Dakota microfilm)
11065    Walter Welford, Papers, 1901-1937.
10421    John Moses Papers, 1900-1944.
20293    John Moses Papers, 1936.
30176    John Moses Records, 1939-1942.
30177    Fred Aandahl Papers, 1944-1952.
             Fred Aandahl Papers, 1935-1961. (University of North Dakota microfilm)
30178    C. Norman Brunsdale and John E. Davis Records, 1945-1960.
11035    Clarence Norman Brunsdale Papers, 1889-1976
            John E. Davis Papers, 1937-1960. (University of North Dakota microfilm)
10489    William L. Guy Papers, 1920s-2004.
31233    William L. Guy Records, 1961-1972.
30179    William L. Guy Audio-Visual Materials, 1961-1972.
10787    Arthur A. Link Papers, 1970-1972.
30181    Arthur A. Link, Records, 1973-1980.
30180    Allen I. Olson Records, 1981-1984.
31602 George A. Sinner Records, 1975-1993.
31888    Edward T. Schafer Records, 1993-2000.

Banking and Financial Institutions
30182    State Examiner’s Reports, 1891-1938.

Board of Pardons
30776    Minutes, 1901-1951.
30777    Record of Commutations, Pardons, Rewards, and Restoration of Citizenship, 1895-1914.
30183    Outgoing Letters, 1905-1915.
30184    Criminal Case Files, 1889-1908.
30185    Extradition Files, 1889-1904.
30186    Transcripts of Testimony, 1941-1942.

George Washington Bicentennial Commission
30685    North Dakota State George Washington Bicentennial Committee Records, 1929-1932.

Governmental Survey Commission
30694    Minutes, 1941-1944.

Investigations
30188    Special Investigations, 1893-1939.
30189    Kidder County vs. Northern Pacific Railroad Company Tax Case Records, 1898-1900.
30190    Court Documents, 1888-1949.

Legislature
30191    Outgoing Letters, 1895-1915.
30192    Record of Senate and House Bills Received by Governor’s Office, 1891-1929, 1955-1967.

Lieutenant Governor
31811    Ruth Meiers
31812    Lloyd Omdahl

Military
30193    Correspondence, 1889-1897.
30194    General and Special Orders, 1891-1895.

Public Service Inquiry Commission
30195    Records of Public Service Inquiry Commission, 1907.

State Agencies
30187    Minutes of State Agencies, 1933-1980.

Theodore Roosevelt Centennial Commission
30197    Records, 1957-1958.
31185    Scrapbook, 1958-1958.

SOURCE

Gray, David P. Guide to North Dakota State Archives, 1985.