Democratizing Gubernatorial Selection

Abstract

At the time of American Independence in 1776, most state constitutions created governors in a form unrecognizable to us today. In virtually every state, governors were indirectly elected in some form. Over the nineteenth century, as American political institutions underwent significant democratic reforms, most of these methods of indirect election were eliminated outright. But some still exist today—either because the original methods were kept intact or because new methods were adopted during the Jim Crow era in the pursuit of black suppression. In recent years, states (and cities) around the country have started experimenting with different, sometimes radically democratic, methods of conducting elections. These efforts suggest that gubernatorial elections could be significantly reformed and made more democratically legitimate. This Article chronicles the untold history of gubernatorial elections—their initial character and their modification over time—and surveys how reform efforts currently underway could reshape their character today.

Keywords: state constitutional law, election law