FYI, here is what's come in to the Blog that relates to this office/rank.
   For recent questions sent in, check out Robert Hickey's Blog.
   For specific offices/ranks, check out Robert Hickey's On-Line Guide.

How Do I Address an Acting Governor?
     When a Governor is out of the state, a Lieutenant Governor is the acting governor.
     How do you introduce an Acting Governor? How about a former Acting Governor?
    Is an Acting Governor only the Acting Governor when the elected Governor is out of state? Or is he or she introduced as an Acting Governor all the time?
      -- FG
 
Hi FG:
    When formally introducing an acting governor say: May I present the Honorable (full name), Acting Governor of (Name of State).
    An acting governor is not formally addressed as Governor (name) or as Acting Governor (name). The rule is "address by rank, identify by office" -- so orally address an acting governor in the way appropriate for the office he or she actually holds.
    While he or she is not directly addressed in conversation as Acting Governor (name) one might refer to him or her as that in the third person, such as: ...the Acting Governor (name) will be arriving in 20 minutes.
    A former acting governor has no formal form of address either:  But you could note that the individual served as the acting governor at some point. It is my pleasure to introduce The Honorable (full name). (Honorific + last name) who served as Acting Governor of (Name of State) on numerous occasions during the (name of the elected Governor) administration.
                        -- Robert Hickey

How to Address a Governor-elect?
     How do I address a letter salutation to a Governor-elect?
       -- Gayle P.

Dear Gayle,
    I have that form of address on page 190 of my book. A governor-elect is immediately
             The Honorable (Full Name)
             ... since he or she has been elected in a general election.
    And in the salutation use the honorific  ...
             Dear Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (Surname):
             ... whatever he or she would be entitled to -- prior to the election.
    Use of Governor as an honorific is reserved for the current ... singular ... official.
    One might identify him or her as The Governor-elect ... but it's not actually a title or office or position.
        -- Robert Hickey
 

How to Address a Former Governor?
       How would I address a former governor of Tennessee?
              -- Sharon in Hillsboro

       I found a video online or Tina Fey making a joke comparing Fox News' reference to Palin as "Governor" to Fey being called "Dairy Queen" (" I was once...")
       The video asserted Governor was Palin's correct title. I later came across another source that said that because Palin wasn't correct to call her "Governor" in any situation.
      Which of these sources is correct?
              -- D. Reames

Dear Sharon and D. Reames,
       Former governors continue to be The Honorable (Full Name).
       Once an honorable, always an honorable, more or less.
       But in spite of what you hear in the media, only a current governor is formally addressed in conversation or in a salutation as Governor (Name). In a salutation, former governors go back to whatever form of address they used they were before they were the governor.
       So Sarah Palin is not correctly directly addressed or referred to as Governor Palin. She of course is correctly identified in the third person as former Governor Palin, but that's not a form of address.
       Here's the rule: Offices of which many people hold the same office at a time ... senators, judges, Navy captains ... continue to be addressed using the honorific used while they were in office.  But offices which are held by a single person at a time ... the president, the governor, the mayor ... (any office you can put a "the" in front of) most formally go back to whatever they were before.
      I cover this in my book, of course, but here's a link to number of posts on former governors.
      -- Robert Hickey

Not Finding Your Question Answered?
Below are other topics covered in my blog and at right is a list of officials, Between the two I probably have what you are looking for.
     After hunting around a bit, if you don't see your question answered send me an e-mail. I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day (unless I am traveling.)
      If I think your question is of interest to others, I will post the question & answer – with your name and any personal specifics changed.
      -- Robert Hickey

USE OF NAMES & HONORIFICS   
Mr., Miss, Jr., III, & Names        
Married Women       
Deceased Persons         
People with Two Titles
Post-Nominal Abbreviations and Initials           
Couples: Joint Forms of Address    (How to address a couple?)   

USE OF SPECIFIC OFFICIAL TITLES        
Former Officials            
Professionals and Academics        

United States Federal Officials, Currently In Office             
United States State Officials, Currently In Office              
United States Municipal Officials, Currently In Office             
       All About The Honorable with U.S. Officials         
       Former United States Officials of all types             
United States Armed Services, Active Duty             
       Addressing Retired Personnel      
       Use of Rank by Retired Personnel      
       Use of Rank by Veterans      

Tribal Officials             
Clergy and Religious Officials           
Canadian Officials         
Australian Officials          
British Officials, Royalty, and Nobility        
Diplomats and International Representatives            
Foreign National Officials and Nobility        

SPECIFIC SITUATIONS
Business Cards       
Couples        
Etiquette             
Flags and Anthem Protocol             
Introductions            
Invitations: Writing & Addressing         
Invitations: Just Armed Service Personnel        
Name Tags            
Names on Programs, Signs, & Lists            
Naming a Building or Road            
Place Cards            
Plaques, Awards, Diplomas, Certificates    
Precedence: Ordering Officials           
Thank You Notes             

Back to directory of titles  /  See who is using Honor & Respect

For forms of address for invitations, place cards, name badges, introductions, conversation, and all other formal uses, see Honor & Respect: the Official Guide to Names, Titles, and Forms of Address.

Copyright © 2013 Robert Hickey.     All Rights Reserved.
Photo: Marc Goodman.