Kay Ivey

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Kay Ivey

Kay Ellen Ivey (born October 15, 1944 in Camden, Wilcox County) is the Governor of Alabama, having been sworn in on April 10, 2017 to fill the unexpired term of Robert Bentley after he resigned from office and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges relating to campaign finance violations.

Ivey served as Alabama State Treasurer from 2003 to 2011. During that time she was criticized for allowing the investment fund backing the Alabama Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (PACT) program to lose 45% of its value during her tenure. Neverthess, she defeated Hank Erwin and Gene Ponder in the 2010 Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor, and edged incumbent and former Governor Jim Folsom Jr in the general election that November.

Ivey was inducted into the Alabama Academy of Honor in 2017.

On November 6, 2018, she was elected to a full term as governor, defeating Democrat Walt Maddox with 59.6% of the vote.

During the COVID pandemic Ivey has been criticized from all sides for being too slow or too fast to order or to lift public health mandates.

On April 8, 2022 Ivey signed two controversial bills which criminalized gender-affirming medical care for minors and from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity in K-5 classrooms. In a statement to reporters, Ivey stated that, "If the good Lord makes you a boy when you are born, you are a boy. If the good Lord makes you a girl when you’re born, you’re a girl. We need to spend our energy and focus helping these young people become healthy and productive people as adults as God would have them be."

During the 2022 Republican primary, Ivey faced six challengers. She echoed the political stances of former President Donald Trump, including unfounded speculation about the 2020 presidential election.

At the start of her second term, Ivey pledged that her focus would be on improving education in the state, beginning with the creation of an Alabama Commission on Teaching and Learning.

Preceded by:
Bob Riley
Alabama State Treasurer
January 20, 2003 – January 17, 2011
Succeeded by:
Young Boozer III
Preceded by:
Jim Folsom Jr
Lieutenant Governor of Alabama
January 17, 2011 – April 10, 2017
Succeeded by:
Will Ainsworth
Preceded by:
Robert Bentley
Governor of Alabama
April 10, 2017-
Succeeded by:
current

References