LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The candidate who wins the Michigan gubernatorial election on Tuesday will be the 49th or 50th governor of Michigan, depending on if Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wins reelection to a second term or if GOP challenger Tudor Dixon earns the top spot. The first governor of the state of Michigan was Stevens T. Mason, a Democrat, who served from 1835 to 1840.

After having been appointed to be acting territorial governor in 1834, he was then elected to be the first governor in 1835 at the age of 24 and he still has the honor of being the youngest state governor in American history. Before being governor, he had been appointed to be acting territorial secretary of Michigan by Andrew Jackson.

While Mason was acting territorial governor, he was instrumental in helping Michigan gain her statehood in 1837.

Our 44th governor, Republican William Milliken, our longest serving Michigan governor, said about Mason, “We owe much of our democratic heritage to Stevens T. Mason.”

Milliken served more than three full four-year terms from 1969 to 1983. Milliken was born in Traverse City, where his father was mayor and he also served as a Michigan State Senator. His mother, Hildegarde, was on the Traverse City School Board as the first woman elected to public office in the city. Before becoming governor, Milliken enlisted in the Army Reserve Corps and volunteered for the Army Air Corps and flew 50 combat missions. As a result of his service, he received seven military honors including the Purple Heart and Air Medal.

Over the years, there have been 19 Democratic governors and 28 Republican ones – and two Whigs. Only one Michigan governor has died in office – he was Republican Frank D. Fitzgerald, our 36th governor, who only served in 1939, having died of a heart attack after being sick with the flu.

Two governors resigned to become senators in the 1840’s – our second governor William Woodbridge and our fifth governor Alpheus Felch.

Michigan has had two female governors, the first one being Jennifer Granholm who took office in January of 2003 and served two terms. Governor Gretchen Whitmer was elected to be the second female governor and took office in January of 2019.

Depending on what happens during the election on Tuesday, either Whitmer will continue to be the second female governor of Michigan or Tudor Dixon will take the spot as Michigan’s third female governor and Michigan’s first Republican female governor.