Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands

Commissioner of State Lands
Seal of the Commissioner of State Lands
Incumbent
John Thurston
Style The Honorable
Term length Four years
Two terms[Note 1]
Constituting instrument Arkansas Constitution
Precursor Commissioner of Immigration and State Lands (1868-1874)
Formation 1868
First holder J. M. Lewis
Succession Appointment (1868-1874)
Election (1874-Present)
Website www.cosl.org

Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands is an executive position and constitutional officer within the Arkansas government which has been an elective post since 1874. Land Commissioners are elected to four year terms. The current state Land Commissioner is Republican John Thurston.[2][3]

History

The position was created by the Arkansas General Assembly as the Commissioner of Immigration and State Lands in 1868.[4] had control over public works in the state, which eventually included road improvements. Under the Arkansas Constitution of 1874,[Note 2] the position became an elected office.[4] The highway duties were so important to the position it was referred to as the Highway Commissioner everywhere except official state documents.[6]

In 1929, the General Assembly passed a measure to abolish the position of Highway Commissioner as an elected office in response to corruption in the highway system. However, the measure did not have authority to abolish a constitutional office. The General Assembly instead assigned the highway-related duties to the Arkansas State Highway Commission, which became an appointed office.[6] Dwight Blackwood, the incumbent office holder, transitioned to the State Highway Commission, and his sister, Belva Martin was appointed to the State Land Commissioner position. She won election in her own right in 1930, but did not seek reelection in 1932.[7] Martin was the first woman to seek the Democratic nomination for a statewide office in Arkansas,[6] and as of February 2018, she remains the only female to hold the office.

List of Arkansas Commissioners of State Lands

TermNameParty
1957–1981Sam JonesDemocratic
1981–1985Bill McCuenDemocratic
1985–2003Charlie DanielsDemocratic
2003–2011Mark WilcoxDemocratic
2011–currentJohn Thurston Republican

See also

  • Arkansas portal
  • Politics portal

Notes

  1. ↑ Amendment 73 of the Arkansas Constitution imposed term limits on constitutional officers, including State Land Commissioner. It was passed in 1992, and took effect in 1998.[1]
  2. ↑ The Constitution of 1874 is the current constitution.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Pruden III, William H. (December 29, 2017). "Term Limits". Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  2. ↑ A Brief History. Office of the Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands
  3. ↑ John Thurston, Commissioner of State Lands. Office of the Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands
  4. 1 2 Staff of the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture (March 22, 2017). "Office of Commissioner of State Lands". Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  5. ↑ Goss, Kay C. (December 8, 2017). "Arkansas Constitutions". Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 Staff of the Harrison Daily Times (February 21, 1930). "Man and Woman in State Race". Harrison Daily Times. 11 (131). Harrison: The Times Publishing Company. p. 3. OCLC 18545584 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.
  7. ↑ Staff of the Associated Press (April 11, 1932). "State Political Notes". Hope Star. 88 (171). Hope: Star Publishing Company. p. 1. OCLC 23187909 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.
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