Governors

Joint Resolution 94 of 1864 declared “all official correspondence of the Governor of the State shall be deposited with the Secretary of State upon the governor’s retirement from office." Act 10 of 1937, An Act to Provide for the Preservation of the Official Correspondence of the Governor, also affirmed official correspondence of the Governor as "property of the state," which remains in law today and is codified as 3 V.S.A. § 4.

Governor records in the State Archives can be found using the Online Guide (paper and other analog formats) and VT Re•tain (digital formats). Digital records not available through VT Re•tain due to format or other public access limitations may be requested through VSARA's Reference Room. See our Archives Request Form for how to make a request.

Until 1977, gubernatorial appointments, executive orders, pardons, and proclamations were recorded and bound into volumes of Executive Records and may be the only existent records in the state archives for a governor.

Notes:

[1] Died in office August 13, 1991. Succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Howard Dean.

[2] Resigned January 16, 1950 to accept appointment as a U.S. District Judge. Succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Harold Arthur.

[3] Died in office, February 7, 1870. Succeeded by Lieutenant Governor George Hendee.

[4] Lieutenant governor, acting governor because no governor was elected.

[5] Died August 25, 1797. Succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Paul Brigham.