The Montana Governor is the chief executive officer of the State of Montana. During the territorial period, 1864-1889, the Governor was appointed by the President of the United States. Since statehood the Governor has been elected in statewide election.
The duties of the office were established in the 1889 Constitution. These duties included overall administration of state government; serving on various boards, including the Board of Prison Commissioners, the Board of Examiners, and others; convening special sessions as needed; signing or vetoing legislation passed by the Legislative Assembly; receiving regular reports from departments of the executive branch; appointing non-elective officials of state government and appointing replacements when elected officials die in office; granting pardons and commutations of sentence; and being the official representative of the state in its relations with the United States and other state governments.
From the guide to the Montana Governor's Office Executive Orders, 1971-1992, (Montana Historical Society Research Center)
