THE GOVERNOR.

William Preston Lane, Jr., Governor, 1951
Louis J. O'Donnell, Assistant to the Governor
Chester F. Tucker, Executive Secretary.

State House, Annapolis Telephone: Annapolis 2666
1003 Davison Building, Baltimore 1 Telephone: Plaza 4300.

The Governor is the Chief Executive officer of the State and the
Commander-in-Chief of its military forces. He is elected by popular
vote for a term of four years, his term of office beginning on the
Second Wednesday of January following his election. To be eligible
for the office of Governor, a person must be at least thirty years of
age, and must have been for ten years a citizen of the State, and for
five years preceding the date of his election a resident of the State.
At the time of his election, he must also be a qualified voter of the
State (Const. 1867, Art. II, secs. 1, 2, 5)..

It is the duty of the Governor to submit to each biennial session of
the General Assembly, a budget for each of the .next two ensuing fiscal
years. He shall also make recommendations for the raising of the
principal and interest of the State's indebtedness. The Governor may
also inform the General Assembly at any time of the condition of
the State (II, 19; III, 52b)..

The Governor must sign. all bills or concurrent resolutions, before
they become law. However any bill which he vetoes may be passed
without his signature by three-fifths of the total number of members
of each house of the General Assembly, or should the Governor,
while the Legislature is in session fail to return any bill with his
objections within six days, then the Act becomes law automatically;
except, when the adjournment of the General Assembly prevents the
return of the bill; then the bill fails. The Governor has the power
to veto any part of an appropriation bill, m the same manner as other
bills, without vetoing all (II, 17)..

The Governor is Commander-in-Chief of the Military forces of the
State except when such forces shall be called into the National service.
He has the power to establish a State Guard when the National Guard
has been called into federal service..

The Governor has power to appoint all military and civil officers of
the State subject to the advice and consent of the Senate except when
the election or appointment of such officer is otherwise provided for.
In addition to appointing the heads of major departments, boards and
commissions of the State Government, the Governor appoints certain
boards and commissions in each county and the City of Baltimore as is
provided by law. The Governor also commissions Trial Magistrates,
Justices of the Peace, and Notaries Public. The Governor has the
power to appoint persons to unexpired terms of the offices of Attorney
General, Comptroller, Treasurer, and members of the General As-
sembly. Any officer appointed by the Governor, excepting members of
the General Assembly, shall be removable by him for cause..

The Governor must sign all death warrants for persons condemned
to be hanged before such executions may take place. He shall have the
power to grant executive clemency, reprieves or pardons to any per-
son who is a prisoner of the State, and shall have the power to remit
any fine or portion thereof to any person who has paid the fine. He
may extradite prisoners or persons wanted by other States upon the
presentation of a writ of extradition and may issue a warrant for the.