List of governors of Virginia
The following is a list of the Governors of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The governor is the head of the executive branch of Virginia's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Virginia General Assembly, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment.[1]
The first constitution of 1776 created the office of governor, to be elected annually by the state legislature. The governor could serve up to three years at a time, and once out of office, could not serve again for four years.[2] The 1830 constitution changed the thrice renewable one-year term length to a non-renewable three-year term, and set the start date at the first day in January following an election.[3] This constitution also prevented governors from succeeding themselves, a prohibition that exists to the present day.[4] The 1851 constitution increased terms to four years[5] and made the office elected by the people, rather than the legislature.[6] The commencement of the governor's term was moved to the first day in February by the 1902 constitution,[7] and then to the Saturday after the second Wednesday in January by the 1971 and current constitution.[8]
If the office of governor is vacant due to disqualification, death, or resignation, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.[9] The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1851[10] Prior to then, a Council of State existed, which chose a president among its members who would be "Lieutenant-Governor", who would act as governor in a time of absence in the office.[2][11]
Officially there have been 72 governors of Virginia; the acting governors are not counted.
Colonial Governors
President of the Committee for Public Safety
- Parties
# | Picture | President | Took office | Left office | Party | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Edmund Pendleton | 16 August 1775 | 5 July 1776 | No party |
List of Governors
- Parties
Democratic Federalist Democratic-Republican Whig Republican Independent
# | Image | Governor | Took office | Left office | Party | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Patrick Henry | July 5, 1776 | June 1, 1779 | No party | First under 1776 constitution (limit of 3 one-year terms) | |
2 | ![]() |
Thomas Jefferson | June 1, 1779 | June 3, 1781 | No party | |
3 | ![]() |
William Fleming | June 3, 1781 | June 12, 1781 | No party | |
4 | ![]() |
Thomas Nelson, Jr. | June 12, 1781 | November 22, 1781 | No party | |
– | ![]() |
David Jameson | November 22, 1781 | December 1, 1781 | No party | Acting Governor (member of Council of State) |
5 | Benjamin Harrison V | December 1, 1781 | December 1, 1784 | No party | ||
6 | Patrick Henry | December 1, 1784 | December 1, 1786 | No party | Re-elected after 5-year hiatus (1 more than constitutional minimum) | |
7 | ![]() |
Edmund Randolph | December 1, 1786 | December 1, 1788 | No party | First under U.S. statehood |
8 | ![]() |
Beverley Randolph | December 1, 1788 | December 1, 1791 | No party | |
9 | ![]() |
Henry Lee III | December 1, 1791 | December 1, 1794 | Federalist | |
10 | ![]() |
Robert Brooke | December 1, 1794 | December 1, 1796 | Democratic-Republican | |
11 | ![]() |
James Wood | December 1, 1796 | December 1, 1799 | Federalist | |
– | ![]() |
Hardin Burnley | December 7, 1799 | December 11, 1799 | ||
– | ![]() |
John Pendleton, Jr. | December 11, 1799 | December 19, 1799 | ||
12 | ![]() |
James Monroe | December 19, 1799 | December 1, 1802 | Democratic-Republican | |
13 | ![]() |
John Page | December 1, 1802 | December 7, 1805 | Democratic-Republican | |
14 | ![]() |
William H. Cabell | December 7, 1805 | December 1, 1808 | Democratic-Republican | |
15 | ![]() |
John Tyler, Sr. | December 1, 1808 | January 15, 1811 | Democratic-Republican | |
— | ![]() |
George William Smith | January 15, 1811 | January 19, 1811 | Democratic-Republican | Acting Governor (member of Council of State) |
16 | ![]() |
James Monroe | January 19, 1811 | April 3, 1811 | Democratic-Republican | |
17 | ![]() |
George William Smith | April 3, 1811 | December 26, 1811 | Democratic-Republican | Acting Governor (member of Council of State) Later elected in his own right Died in office |
N/A | ![]() |
Peyton Randolph | December 27, 1811 | January 3, 1812 | Democratic-Republican | Acting Governor (member of Council of State) |
18 | ![]() |
James Barbour | January 3, 1812 | December 1, 1814 | Democratic-Republican | |
19 | ![]() |
Wilson Cary Nicholas | December 1, 1814 | December 1, 1816 | Democratic-Republican | |
20 | ![]() |
James Patton Preston | December 1, 1816 | December 1, 1819 | Democratic-Republican | |
21 | ![]() |
Thomas Mann Randolph, Jr. | December 1, 1819 | December 1, 1822 | Democratic-Republican | |
22 | ![]() |
James Pleasants | December 1, 1822 | December 10, 1825 | Democratic-Republican | Resigned U.S. Senate to assume Governorship |
23 | ![]() |
John Tyler | December 10, 1825 | March 4, 1827 | Democratic-Republican | Resigned to enter U.S. Senate |
24 | ![]() |
William Branch Giles | March 4, 1827 | March 4, 1830 | Democratic | |
25 | ![]() |
John Floyd | March 4, 1830 | March 31, 1834 | Democratic | First under 1830 constitution (limit of 1 four-year term) |
26 | ![]() |
Littleton Waller Tazewell | March 31, 1834 | April 30, 1836 | Whig | |
— | ![]() |
Wyndham Robertson | April 30, 1836 | March 31, 1837 | Whig | Acting Governor (member of Council of State) |
27 | ![]() |
David Campbell | March 31, 1837 | March 31, 1840 | Democratic | |
28 | ![]() |
Thomas Walker Gilmer | March 31, 1840 | March 20, 1841 | Whig | |
— | ![]() |
John M. Patton | March 20, 1841 | March 31, 1841 | Whig | Acting Governor (member of Council of State) |
— | ![]() |
John Rutherfoord | March 31, 1841 | March 31, 1842 | Democratic | Acting Governor (member of Council of State) |
— | ![]() |
John Munford Gregory | March 31, 1842 | January 1, 1843 | Whig | Acting Governor (member of Council of State) |
29 | ![]() |
James McDowell | January 1, 1843 | January 1, 1846 | Democratic | |
30 | ![]() |
William Smith | January 1, 1846 | January 1, 1849 | Democratic | |
31 | ![]() |
John B. Floyd | January 1, 1849 | January 16, 1852 | Democratic | |
32 | ![]() |
Joseph Johnson | January 16, 1852 | January 1, 1856 | Democratic | First under 1851 constitution (limit of 1 four-year term) First popularly elected governor |
33 | ![]() |
Henry A. Wise | January 1, 1856 | January 1, 1860 | Democratic | |
34 | ![]() |
John Letcher | January 1, 1860 | January 1, 1864 | Democratic | (June 20, 1863 West Virginia was formed) |
35 | ![]() |
William Smith | January 1, 1864 | May 9, 1865 | Democratic | |
— | ![]() |
Francis Harrison Pierpont | May 9, 1865 | April 4, 1868 | Republican | Unelected military governor |
— | ![]() |
Henry H. Wells | April 4, 1868 | September 21, 1869 | Republican | Unelected military governor |
36 | ![]() |
Gilbert Carlton Walker | September 21, 1869 | January 1, 1874 | Democratic | Unelected Republican military governor Later elected as a Democrat |
37 | ![]() |
James L. Kemper | January 1, 1874 | January 1, 1878 | Democratic | |
38 | ![]() |
Frederick W. M. Holliday | January 1, 1878 | January 1, 1882 | Democratic | |
39 | ![]() |
William E. Cameron | January 1, 1882 | January 1, 1886 | Re-adjuster | |
40 | ![]() |
Fitzhugh Lee | January 1, 1886 | January 1, 1890 | Democratic | |
41 | ![]() |
Philip W. McKinney | January 1, 1890 | January 1, 1894 | Democratic | |
42 | ![]() |
Charles Triplett O'Ferrall | January 1, 1894 | January 1, 1898 | Democratic | Resigned U. S. House seat to assume Governorship |
43 | ![]() |
James Hoge Tyler | January 1, 1898 | January 1, 1902 | Democratic | |
44 | ![]() |
Andrew Jackson Montague | January 1, 1902 | February 1, 1906 | Democratic | |
45 | ![]() |
Claude A. Swanson | February 1, 1906 | February 10, 1910 | Democratic | |
46 | ![]() |
William Hodges Mann | February 10, 1910 | February 1, 1914 | Democratic | |
47 | ![]() |
Henry Carter Stuart | February 1, 1914 | February 1, 1918 | Democratic | |
48 | ![]() |
Westmoreland Davis | February 1, 1918 | February 1, 1922 | Democratic | |
49 | ![]() |
Elbert Lee Trinkle | February 1, 1922 | February 1, 1926 | Democratic | |
50 | ![]() |
Harry F. Byrd | February 1, 1926 | January 15, 1930 | Democratic | |
51 | ![]() |
John Garland Pollard | January 15, 1930 | January 17, 1934 | Democratic | |
52 | ![]() |
George C. Peery | January 17, 1934 | January 15, 1938 | Democratic | |
53 | ![]() |
James H. Price | January 15, 1938 | January 21, 1942 | Democratic | |
54 | ![]() |
Colgate Darden | January 21, 1942 | January 16, 1946 | Democratic | |
55 | ![]() |
William M. Tuck | January 16, 1946 | January 18, 1950 | Democratic | |
56 | ![]() |
John S. Battle | January 18, 1950 | January 20, 1954 | Democratic | |
57 | ![]() |
Thomas Bahnson Stanley | January 20, 1954 | January 11, 1958 | Democratic | |
58 | ![]() |
James Lindsay Almond, Jr. | January 11, 1958 | January 13, 1962 | Democratic | |
59 | ![]() |
Albertis S. Harrison, Jr. | January 13, 1962 | January 15, 1966 | Democratic | |
60 | File:Mills Godwin.jpg | Mills E. Godwin, Jr. | January 15, 1966 | January 17, 1970 | Democratic | |
61 | ![]() |
A. Linwood Holton, Jr. | January 17, 1970 | January 12, 1974 | Republican | |
62 | File:Mills Godwin.jpg | Mills E. Godwin, Jr. | January 12, 1974 | January 14, 1978 | Republican | |
63 | John N. Dalton | January 14, 1978 | January 16, 1982 | Republican | ||
64 | ![]() |
Chuck Robb | January 16, 1982 | January 18, 1986 | Democratic | |
65 | ![]() |
Gerald L. Baliles | January 18, 1986 | January 13, 1990 | Democratic | |
66 | ![]() |
Douglas Wilder | January 13, 1990 | January 15, 1994 | Democratic | First African American governor |
67 | ![]() |
George Allen | January 15, 1994 | January 17, 1998 | Republican | |
68 | ![]() |
Jim Gilmore | January 17, 1998 | January 12, 2002 | Republican | |
69 | ![]() |
Mark Warner | January 12, 2002 | January 14, 2006 | Democratic | |
70 | ![]() |
Tim Kaine | January 14, 2006 | January 16, 2010 | Democratic | First Catholic governor |
71 | ![]() |
Bob McDonnell | January 16, 2010 | January 11, 2014 | Republican | |
72 | ![]() |
Terry McAuliffe | January 11, 2014 | Incumbent | Democratic |
Living former U.S. governors of Virginia
As of May 2015[update], there are nine former U.S. governors of Virginia who are currently living at this time, the oldest U.S. governor of Virginia being A. Linwood Holton, Jr. (served 1970–1974, born 1923). The most recent U.S. governor of Virginia to die was Mills E. Godwin, Jr. (served 1966–1970 and 1974–1978, born 1914), on January 30, 1999. The most recently serving U.S. governor of Virginia to die was John N. Dalton (served 1978–1982, born 1931), on July 30, 1986.
Governor | Gubernatorial term | Date of birth (and age) |
---|---|---|
A. Linwood Holton, Jr. | 1970–1974 | September 21, 1923 |
Chuck Robb | 1982–1986 | June 26, 1939 |
Gerald L. Baliles | 1986–1990 | July 8, 1940 |
Douglas Wilder | 1990–1994 | January 17, 1931 |
George Allen | 1994–1998 | March 8, 1952 |
Jim Gilmore | 1998–2002 | October 6, 1949 |
Mark Warner | 2002–2006 | December 15, 1954 |
Tim Kaine | 2006–2010 | February 26, 1958 |
Bob McDonnell | 2010–2014 | June 15, 1954 |
Other high offices held
- * Denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.
This is a table of congressional, confederate and other federal offices held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Virginia except where noted.
Birth places
Part of Virginia | # of Governors Elected |
---|---|
Central Virginia | 16 |
Not from Virginia | 12 |
Peninsula | 10 |
Southwest Virginia | 8 |
South Central Virginia | 7 |
Northern Neck of Virginia | 5 |
Northwest Virginia | 4 |
West Central Virginia | 4 |
Northern Central Virginia (NOVA) | 2 |
Southeast | 2 |
Eastern Shore of Virginia | 1 |
Not from Virginia or United States | 1 |
Total | 72 |
References
- General
- Virginia State Government Website
- Congressional Quarterly
- Virginia governors. (2000). In Congressional Quarterly (Ed.), American political leaders 1789–2000. Washington: CQ Press. Retrieved January 10, 2006, from CQ Electronic Library, CQ Voting and Elections Collection, . Document ID: amldrs-147-7136-390228. (Requires Subscription)
- Thorpe, F.N. (1909). The Federal and State Constitutions: Virginia-Wyoming. Scholarly Press. p. 3852. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
- National Governors Association's list of Virginia Governors
- Constitutions
- "Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia". Virginia General Assembly. 1971. Archived from the original on May 30, 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Scholarly Press. 1902. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Scholarly Press. 1870. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Scholarly Press. 1864. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Scholarly Press. 1851. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- "Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia". West Virginia Division of Culture and History. 1830. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- "Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia". Avalon Project. 1776. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- Specific