State Treasurer of Mississippi is a post created in 1817 when the state was admitted to the Union. Before the state was formed by splitting the Alabama Territory from the Mississippi Territory, an equivalent post was the Territorial Treasurer General, established in 1802.
History The position of state treasurer was enumerated as part of the executive branch in Mississippi's first constitution in 1817. The office was filled by the choice of the Mississippi Legislature. The first treasurer, Samuel Brooks, was elected on December 19, 1817. The 1832 constitution stipulated that the treasurer was to be popularly elected to serve a two-year term. The 1869 constitution expanded the officer's term to four years.
Powers, responsibilities, and structure Under Article 5, Section 134, of the Mississippi Constitution, the state treasurer is elected every four years. Candidates for the office must meet the same constitutional qualifications as candidates for the position of secretary of state; they must be at least 25 years old and have lived in the state for at least five years. The office holder is not subject to term limits. Most of the treasurer's duties are determined by state statute.
The treasurer is responsible for keeping certain financial records for the state, including receipts, deposits, and disbursement of money from the state treasury. The constitution requires the treasurer to review and approve all contracts for the provision of "stationery, printing, paper, and fuel" for state agencies and the legislature. They also oversee public bond issues. The treasurer is ex officio the treasurer of the Mississippi Employment Security Commission and chair of the College Savings Plan of Mississippi Board. They are also ex officio a member of several other state boards, including the State Bond Commission, Public Employees Retirement Board, Mississippi Business Finance Corporation, Mississippi Development Bank, License Tag Commission, Tort Claims Board, Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association Board, Mississippi Guaranty Pool Board, Economic Development Strategic Planning Task Force, State Prison Emergency and management board, and the Historic Properties Trust Fund Advisory Committee.
The treasurer's salary is $90,000 per year, but is set to increase to $120,000 annually in 2024.
List of treasurers
Territorial Treasurers General + Territorial Treasurers GeneralTerm in officePartySource1Abner Green1802 – 18072Samuel Brooks1807 – 1817
State Treasurers + State TreasurerTerm in officePartySource1Samuel Brooks1817 – 18182Peter Schuyler1818 – 18213Samuel C. Wooldridge1821 – 18284James Phillips Jr.1828 – 18365Charles C. Mayson1836 – 18386James Phillips Jr.18387J. A. Vanhoesen1838 – 18398Silas Bowen18399S. Craig183910James G. Williams1839 – 184011Joshua S. Curtis1840 – 184112Richard S. Graves1841 – 184313William Clark1843 – 184714Richard Griffith1847 – 185115William Clark1851 – 185416Shields L. Hussey1854 – 186017Malcolm Decater Haynes1860 – 186518W. B. Weaver186519John H. Echols1865 – 186920William H. Vassar1869 – 187421G. H. Holland1874 – 1875 Republican22M. L. Holland187523William L. Hemingway1875 – 189024J. J. Evans1890 – 189625A. Q. May1896 – 190026J. R. Stowers1900 – 1901 Democratic 27George W. Carlisle1901 – 190228Thad B. Lampton1902 – 190429William Jones Miller1904 – January 20, 1908 Democratic 30George Robert EdwardsJanuary 20, 1908 – January 15, 1912 Democratic 31Peter Simpson StovallJanuary 15, 1912 – January 17, 1916 Democratic 32John Peroutt TaylorJanuary 17, 1916 – January 19, 1920 Democratic 33Larkin Seymour RogersJanuary 20, 1920 – October 18, 1920 Democratic 34William Moseley MurryOctober 18, 1920 – January 19, 1924 Democratic35Ben Shem LowryJanuary 21, 1924 – January 16, 1928 Democratic 36Webb WalleyJanuary 16, 1928 – 1932 Democratic 37Lewis S. May1932 – 193638Newton James1936 – 194039Lewis S. May1940 – 194440Newton James1944 – 194841R. W. May1948 – 195242Newton James1952 – 195643Robert D. Morrow Sr.1956 – 196044Evelyn Gandy1960 – 1964 Democratic 45William Winter1964 – 1968 Democratic 46Evelyn Gandy1968 – 1972 Democratic 47Brad Dye1972 – 1976 Democratic 48Ed Pittman1976 – 1980 Democratic 49John L. Dale1980 – 1980 Democratic 50Bill Cole1980 – 1988 Democratic 51Marshall Bennett1988 – 2003 Democratic 52Peyton Prospere2003 – 2004 Democratic53Tate Reeves2004 – 2012 Republican54Lynn FitchJanuary 5, 2012 – January 14, 2020 Republican55David McRaeJanuary 14, 2020 – present Republican
References
Works cited
History, Mississippi Dept of Archives and (1924). The Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi. Department of Archives and History.