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Governor of West Virginia
Seal of the governor
Incumbent Jim Justice since January 16, 2017
Style	Governor (informal) The Honorable (formal)
Status	Head of state Head of government
Residence	West Virginia Governor's Mansion
Term length	Four years, renewable once consecutively
Inaugural holder	Arthur I. Boreman
Formation	June 20, 1863
Salary	$150,000 (2013)

The governor of West Virginia is the head of government of West Virginia and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the West Virginia Legislature, to convene the legislature at any time, and, except when prosecution has been carried out by the House of Delegates, to grant pardons and reprieves.

Since West Virginia was admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, during the American Civil War, 34 men have served as governor. Two, Arch A. Moore Jr. (West Virginia's 28th and 30th governors) and Cecil H. Underwood (West Virginia's 25th and 32nd governors), served two nonconsecutive terms in office. The longest-serving governor was Moore, who served for three terms over twelve years. The state's first governor after admission into the Union, Arthur I. Boreman, served the most consecutive terms, resigning a week before the end of his third term. Before the state's admission, Francis H. Pierpont, the, "Father of West Virginia," was elected governor during the Wheeling Convention of 1861. Daniel D.T. Farnsworth was senate president at the time; he filled the last seven days of Boreman's term and remains the shortest-serving governor. Underwood has the unusual distinction of being both the youngest person to be elected as governor (age 34 upon his first term in 1957) and the oldest to both be elected and serve (age 74 upon his second term in 1997; age 78 at the end of his second term in 2001).

The current governor is Republican Jim Justice, who assumed office on January 16, 2017. West Virginia's 36th governor, Justice was elected as a Democrat, but switched to the Republican Party on August 4 of that year.

To serve as governor, a person must be at least 30 years old, and must have been a citizen of West Virginia for at least five years at the time of inauguration. Under the current Constitution of West Virginia, ratified in 1872, the governor serves a four-year term commencing on the third Wednesday in January, following an election. The original constitution of 1863 only called for a two-year term. He may be reelected any number of times, but not more than twice in a row. Any partial term served counts toward the limit of two consecutive terms.

The constitution makes no mention of a lieutenant governor; if the governorship becomes vacant, the senate president acts as governor. If more than one year remains in the governor's term at the time of vacancy, a new election is held; otherwise, the senate president acts as governor for the remainder of the term. A bill passed in 2000 grants the senate president the honorary title of lieutenant governor, but this title is rarely used in practice and the terms of the senate president do not correspond with governorships. The same bill states that the line of succession after the senate president will be the speaker of the House of Delegates, followed by the state attorney general, the state auditor and former governors, in inverse order of term, that are in residence in the state at the time of the vacancy.

Qualifications

Anyone who seeks to be elected Governor of West Virginia must meet the following qualifications:

• Be a citizen of the United States
• Be a resident of West Virginia for at least five years preceding the election
• Be a duly qualified elector of West Virginia
• Be at least 30 years old

Governors

Governors of the State of West Virginia

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election
1			Arthur I. Boreman (1823–1896)	June 20, 1863 – February 26, 1869 (resigned)	Republican	1863
						1864
						1866
2			Daniel D. T. Farnsworth (1819–1892)	February 26, 1869 – March 4, 1869 ()	Republican	President of the Senate acting as Governor
3			William E. Stevenson (1820–1883)	March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1871 ()	Republican	1868
4			John J. Jacob (1829–1893)	March 4, 1871 – March 4, 1877 ()	Democratic	1870
					Independent	1872
5			Henry M. Mathews (1834–1884)	March 4, 1877 – March 4, 1881 ()	Democratic	1876
6			Jacob B. Jackson (1829–1893)	March 4, 1881 – March 4, 1885 ()	Democratic	1880
7			Emanuel Willis Wilson (1844–1905)	March 4, 1885 – February 6, 1890 ()	Democratic	1884
8			Aretas B. Fleming (1839–1923)	February 6, 1890 – March 4, 1893 ()	Democratic	1888
9			William A. MacCorkle (1857–1930)	March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897 ()	Democratic	1892
10			George W. Atkinson (1845–1925)	March 4, 1897 – March 4, 1901 ()	Republican	1896
11			Albert B. White (1856–1941)	March 4, 1901 – March 4, 1905 ()	Republican	1900
12			William M. O. Dawson (1853–1916)	March 4, 1905 – March 4, 1909 ()	Republican	1904
13			William E. Glasscock (1862–1925)	March 4, 1909 – March 14, 1913 ()	Republican	1908
14			Henry D. Hatfield (1875–1962)	March 14, 1913 – March 5, 1917 ()	Republican	1912
15			John J. Cornwell (1867–1953)	March 5, 1917 – March 4, 1921 ()	Democratic	1916
16			Ephraim F. Morgan (1869–1950)	March 4, 1921 – March 4, 1925 ()	Republican	1920
17			Howard Mason Gore (1877–1947)	March 4, 1925 – March 4, 1929 ()	Republican	1924
18			William G. Conley (1866–1940)	March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933 ()	Republican	1928
19			Herman G. Kump (1877–1962)	March 4, 1933 – January 18, 1937 ()	Democratic	1932
20			Homer A. Holt (1898–1975)	January 18, 1937 – January 13, 1941 ()	Democratic	1936
21			Matthew M. Neely (1874–1958)	January 13, 1941 – January 15, 1945 ()	Democratic	1940
22			Clarence W. Meadows (1904–1961)	January 15, 1945 – January 17, 1949 ()	Democratic	1944
23			Okey Patteson (1898–1989)	January 17, 1949 – January 19, 1953 ()	Democratic	1948
24			William C. Marland (1918–1965)	January 19, 1953 – January 14, 1957 ()	Democratic	1952
25			Cecil H. Underwood (1922–2008)	January 14, 1957 – January 16, 1961 ()	Republican	1956
26			Wally Barron (1911–2002)	January 16, 1961 – January 18, 1965 ()	Democratic	1960
27			Hulett C. Smith (1918–2012)	January 18, 1965 – January 13, 1969 ()	Democratic	1964
28			Arch A. Moore Jr. (1923–2015)	January 13, 1969 – January 17, 1977 ()	Republican	1968
						1972
29			Jay Rockefeller (b. 1937)	January 17, 1977 – January 14, 1985 ()	Democratic	1976
						1980
30			Arch A. Moore Jr. (1923–2015)	January 14, 1985 – January 16, 1989 ()	Republican	1984
31			Gaston Caperton (b. 1940)	January 16, 1989 – January 13, 1997 ()	Democratic	1988
						1992
32			Cecil H. Underwood (1922–2008)	January 13, 1997 – January 15, 2001 ()	Republican	1996
33			Bob Wise (b. 1948)	January 15, 2001 – January 17, 2005 ()	Democratic	2000
34			Joe Manchin (b. 1947)	January 17, 2005 – November 15, 2010 (resigned)	Democratic	2004
						2008
35			Earl Ray Tomblin (b. 1952)	November 15, 2010 – November 13, 2011	Democratic	President of the Senate acting as Governor
				November 13, 2011 – January 16, 2017 ()		2011§
						2012
36			Jim Justice (b. 1951)	January 16, 2017 – Incumbent	Democratic	2016
					Republican
						2020

See also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#West Virginia

Notes

1. As president of the state senate, filled unexpired term.
2. Did not run for re-election in 1888, but due to the election being disputed, remained in office until the investigation was completed.
3. Acting from November 15, 2010 to November 13, 2011.
4. As president of the state senate, acted as governor from November 15, 2010 until November 13, 2011 when he was inaugurated as governor after the special election held on October 4, 2011. Tomblin was term limited.
5. Justice's second term will expire on January 13, 2025; he will be term-limited.
6. Justice was elected as a member of the West Virginia Democratic Party in the 2016 West Virginia gubernatorial election.
7. Justice switched to the Republican Party six months into his term, on August 4, 2017. He was later re-elected as a member of the West Virginia Republican Party in the 2020 West Virginia gubernatorial election.

References

General

• "Former West Virginia Governors". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
• Sobel, Robert (1978). Biographical directory of the governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. IV. Meckler Books. ISBN 9780930466008. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
• Kallenbach, Joseph Ernest (1977). American State Governors, 1776-1976. Oceana Publications. ISBN 978-0-379-00665-0. Retrieved June 15, 2023.

Specific

1. "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
2. ^ WV Constitution article VII, § 5.
3. WV Constitution article VII, § 12.
4. WV Constitution article VII, § 14.
5. WV Constitution article VI, § 18–19.
6. WV Constitution article VII, § 11.
7. "Francis Harrison Pierpont: 'Father of West Virginia' - News, Sports, Jobs - the Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register". Archived from the original on August 17, 2013. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
8. ^ "West Virginia Governor to Switch from Democrat to Republican". New York Times. August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
9. ^ WV Constitution article VII, § 1.
10. WV 1863 Constitution article V, § 1.
11. ^ WV Constitution, Article VII, section 4.
12. ^ WV Constitution article VII, § 16.
13. ^ "H.B. 4781 (Enrolled March 11, 2009)". West Virginia Legislature, 2000 Sessions. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
14. Virginia "Governor of West Virginia". {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
15. Sobel pp. 1691–1692
16. "Arthur Ingraham Boreman". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
17. Sobel p. 1692
18. "Daniel Duane Tompkins Farnsworth". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
19. "West Virginia Governor Daniel Duane Tompkins Farnsworth". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on January 9, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
20. Sobel pp. 1692–1693
21. "William Erskine Stevenson". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
22. Sobel pp. 1693–1694
23. "John Jeremiah Jacob". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
24. Sobel p. 1694
25. "Henry Mason Mathews". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
26. Sobel p. 1695
27. "Jacob Beeson Jackson". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
28. Sobel pp. 1695–1696
29. "Emanuel Willis Wilson". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
30. "West Virginia Governor Emanuel Willis Wilson". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on October 20, 2009. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
31. "Emanuel Willis Wilson". Charleston, West Virginia: West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
32. Sobel pp. 1696–1697
33. "Aretas Brooks Fleming". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
34. Sobel p. 1697
35. "William Alexander MacCorkle". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
36. Sobel pp. 1697–1698
37. "George Wesley Atkinson". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
38. Sobel pp. 1698–1699
39. "Albert Blakeslee White". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
40. Sobel pp. 1699–1700
41. "William M.O. Dawson". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
42. Sobel p. 1700
43. "William E. Glasscock". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
44. Sobel pp. 1701–1702
45. "Henry Drury Hatfield". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
46. Sobel pp. 1702–1703
47. "John Jacob Cornwell". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
48. Sobel p. 1703
49. "Ephraim Franklin Morgan". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
50. Sobel p. 1704
51. "Howard M. Gore". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
52. Sobel p. 1705
53. "William Gustavus Conley". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
54. Sobel p. 1706
55. "Herman Guy Kump". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
56. Sobel pp. 1706–1707
57. "Homer Adams Holt". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
58. Sobel pp. 1707–1708
59. "Matthew Mansfield Neely". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
60. Sobel pp. 1708–1709
61. "Clarence W. Meadows". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
62. Sobel p. 1709
63. "Okey Leonidas Patteson". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
64. Sobel p. 1710
65. "William Casey Marland". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
66. ^ Sobel pp. 1710–1711
67. ^ "Cecil H. Underwood". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
68. Sobel pp. 1711–1712
69. "William W. Barron". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
70. Sobel pp. 1712–1713
71. "Hulett Carlson Smith". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
72. ^ Sobel p. 1713
73. ^ "Arch A. Moore". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
74. Sobel p. 1714
75. "John Davison Rockefeller". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
76. "Gaston Caperton". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
77. "Bob Wise". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
78. "Joe Manchin III". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
79. "Earl Ray Tomblin". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
80. "Tomblin succeeds Manchin as West Virginia governor". Washington Post. November 15, 2010. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
81. "Jim Justice". National Governors Association. Retrieved July 20, 2023.

External links

• Appearances on C-SPAN

• Office of the Governor of West Virginia

v t e Governors of West Virginia
Boreman Farnsworth Stevenson Jacob Mathews Jackson Wilson Fleming MacCorkle Atkinson White Dawson Glasscock Hatfield Cornwell Morgan Gore Conley Kump Holt Neely Meadows Patteson Marland Underwood Barron Smith Moore Rockefeller Moore Caperton Underwood Wise Manchin Tomblin Justice Morrisey

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