The governor of Virginia is the state's head of government and commander-in-chief of the state's official national guard. The first Constitution of 1776 created the office of governor, to be elected annually by the Virginia 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. 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. This constitution also prevented governors from succeeding themselves, a prohibition that exists to the present day. The 1851 Constitution increased terms to four years and made the office elected by the people, rather than the legislature. The commencement of the Governor's term was moved to the first day in February by the 1902 Constitution, and then to the Saturday after the second Wednesday in January by the 1971 and current Constitution.
If the office of governor is vacant due to death, impeachment and disqualification, or resignation, the lieutenant governor of Virginia becomes governor. The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1851. Prior to that a Council of State existed; it chose from among its members a president who would be "lieutenant-governor" and would act as governor when there was a vacancy in that office. The governor and the lieutenant governor are elected at the same time but not on the same ticket. Officially, there have been 74 governors of Virginia; the acting governors are not counted.
Governors
Virginia was one of the original Thirteen Colonies and was admitted as a state on June 25, 1788. Before it declared its independence, Virginia was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain. It seceded from the Union on April 17, 1861, and was admitted to the Confederate States of America on May 7, 1861. Following the end of the American Civil War, Virginia during Reconstruction constituted the First Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections. Virginia was readmitted to the Union on January 26, 1870.
The federal government recognized the Restored Government of Virginia, based in Wheeling, as the legitimate government in Virginia on June 25, 1861. It elected its own slate of governors, and after West Virginia was split from Virginia on June 20, 1863, the restored government relocated to Alexandria.
| No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patrick Henry (1736–1799) | July 6, 1776 – June 1, 1779 (term-limited) | None | 1776 | Office did not exist | |||
| 1777 | ||||||||
| 1778 | ||||||||
| 2 | Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) | June 1, 1779 – June 4, 1781 (did not run) | None | 1779 | ||||
| 1780 | ||||||||
| 3 | William Fleming (1727–1795) | June 4, 1781 – June 12, 1781 (did not run) | None | Senior member of Governor's Council acting | ||||
| 4 | Thomas Nelson Jr. (1738–1789) | June 12, 1781 – November 22, 1781 (resigned) | None | June 1781 | ||||
| – | David Jameson (1723–1793) | November 22, 1781 – December 1, 1781 (did not run) | None | Senior member of Governor's Council acting | ||||
| 5 | Benjamin Harrison V (1726–1791) | December 1, 1781 – November 30, 1784 (term-limited) | None | Nov. 1781 | ||||
| 1782 | ||||||||
| 1783 | ||||||||
| 6 | Patrick Henry (1736–1799) | November 30, 1784 – November 30, 1786 (did not run) | None | 1784 | ||||
| 1785 | ||||||||
| 7 | Edmund Randolph (1753–1813) | November 30, 1786 – November 12, 1788 (resigned) | None | 1786 | ||||
| 1787 | ||||||||
| 8 | Beverley Randolph (1754–1797) | November 12, 1788 – December 1, 1791 (term-limited) | None | Senior member of Governor's Council acting | ||||
| 1788 | ||||||||
| 1789 | ||||||||
| 1790 | ||||||||
| 9 | Henry Lee III (1756–1818) | December 1, 1791 – December 1, 1794 (term-limited) | Federalist | 1791 | ||||
| 1792 | ||||||||
| 1793 | ||||||||
| 10 | Robert Brooke (d. 1800) | December 1, 1794 – November 30, 1796 (resigned) | Democratic- Republican | 1794 | ||||
| 1795 | ||||||||
| 11 | James Wood (1741–1813) | November 30, 1796 – December 19, 1799 (term-limited) | Democratic- Republican | Senior member of Governor's Council acting | ||||
| 1796 | ||||||||
| 1797 | ||||||||
| 1798 | ||||||||
| 12 | James Monroe (1758–1831) | December 19, 1799 – December 29, 1802 (term-limited) | Democratic- Republican | 1799 | ||||
| 1800 | ||||||||
| 1801 | ||||||||
| 13 | John Page (1743–1808) | December 29, 1802 – December 11, 1805 (term-limited) | Democratic- Republican | 1802 | ||||
| 1803 | ||||||||
| 1804 | ||||||||
| 14 | William H. Cabell (1772–1853) | December 11, 1805 – December 12, 1808 (term-limited) | Democratic- Republican | 1805 | ||||
| 1806 | ||||||||
| 1807 | ||||||||
| 15 | John Tyler Sr. (1747–1813) | December 12, 1808 – January 15, 1811 (resigned) | Democratic- Republican | 1808 | ||||
| 1809 | ||||||||
| 1810 | ||||||||
| — | George William Smith (1762–1811) | January 15, 1811 – January 19, 1811 (lost election) | Democratic- Republican | Senior member of Governor's Council acting | ||||
| 16 | James Monroe (1758–1831) | January 19, 1811 – April 3, 1811 (resigned) | Democratic- Republican | 1811 (special) | ||||
| 17 | George William Smith (1762–1811) | April 3, 1811 – December 26, 1811 (died in office) | Democratic- Republican | Senior member of Governor's Council acting | ||||
| 1811 | ||||||||
| — | Peyton Randolph (1779–1828) | December 26, 1811 – January 4, 1812 (successor took office) | Democratic- Republican | Senior member of Governor's Council acting | ||||
| 18 | James Barbour (1775–1842) | January 4, 1812 – December 11, 1814 (did not run) | Democratic- Republican | 1812 (special) | ||||
| 1812 | ||||||||
| 1813 | ||||||||
| 19 | Wilson Cary Nicholas (1761–1820) | December 11, 1814 – December 11, 1816 (did not run) | Democratic- Republican | 1814 | ||||
| 1815 | ||||||||
| 20 | James Patton Preston (1774–1843) | December 11, 1816 – December 11, 1819 (term-limited) | Democratic- Republican | 1816 | ||||
| 1817 | ||||||||
| 1818 | ||||||||
| 21 | Thomas Mann Randolph Jr. (1768–1828) | December 11, 1819 – December 11, 1822 (term-limited) | Democratic- Republican | 1819 | ||||
| 1820 | ||||||||
| 1821 | ||||||||
| 22 | James Pleasants (1769–1836) | December 11, 1822 – December 11, 1825 (term-limited) | Democratic- Republican | 1822 | ||||
| 1823 | ||||||||
| 1824 | ||||||||
| 23 | John Tyler (1790–1862) | December 11, 1825 – March 4, 1827 (resigned) | Democratic- Republican | 1825 | ||||
| 1826 | ||||||||
| 24 | William Branch Giles (1762–1830) | March 4, 1827 – March 4, 1830 (term-limited) | Democratic- Republican | 1827 | ||||
| 1828 | ||||||||
| 1829 | ||||||||
| 25 | John Floyd (1783–1837) | March 4, 1830 – March 31, 1834 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1830 | ||||
| 1831 | ||||||||
| 26 | Littleton Waller Tazewell (1774–1860) | March 31, 1834 – March 30, 1836 (resigned) | Democratic | 1834 | ||||
| — | Wyndham Robertson (1803–1888) | March 30, 1836 – March 31, 1837 (successor took office) | Whig | Senior member of Governor's Council acting | ||||
| 27 | David Campbell (1779–1859) | March 31, 1837 – March 31, 1840 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1837 | ||||
| 28 | Thomas Walker Gilmer (1802–1844) | March 31, 1840 – March 20, 1841 (resigned) | Whig | 1840 | ||||
| — | John M. Patton (1797–1858) | March 20, 1841 – March 31, 1841 (successor took office) | Whig | Senior member of Governor's Council acting | ||||
| — | John Rutherfoord (1792–1866) | March 31, 1841 – March 31, 1842 (successor took office) | Democratic | Senior member of Governor's Council acting | ||||
| — | John Munford Gregory (1804–1884) | March 31, 1842 – January 5, 1843 (successor took office) | Whig | Senior member of Governor's Council acting | ||||
| 29 | James McDowell (1775–1851) | January 5, 1843 – January 1, 1846 (term-limited) | Whig | 1842 | ||||
| 30 | William Smith (1797–1887) | January 1, 1846 – January 1, 1849 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1845 | ||||
| 31 | John B. Floyd (1806–1863) | January 1, 1849 – January 1, 1852 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1848 | ||||
| 32 | Joseph Johnson (1785–1877) | January 1, 1852 – January 1, 1856 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1851 | Shelton Leake | |||
| 33 | Henry A. Wise (1806–1876) | January 1, 1856 – January 1, 1860 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1855 | Elisha W. McComas (resigned December 7, 1857) | |||
| William Lowther Jackson | ||||||||
| 34 | John Letcher (1813–1884) | January 1, 1860 – January 1, 1864 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1859 | Robert Latane Montague | |||
| — | William Smith (1797–1887) | January 1, 1864 – May 9, 1865 (government disestablished) | Democratic | 1863 (Confederate) | Samuel Price | |||
| 35 | Francis Harrison Pierpont (1814–1889) | June 20, 1861 – April 4, 1868 (removed) | Union | 1861 (Union) | Daniel Polsley | |||
| Vacant | ||||||||
| 1863 (Union) | Leopold Copeland Parker Cowper | |||||||
| — | Henry H. Wells (1823–1900) | April 4, 1868 – September 21, 1869 (resigned) | Military occupation | Vacant | ||||
| 36 | Gilbert Carlton Walker (1833–1885) | September 21, 1869 – January 1, 1874 (term-limited) | Installed by military occupation | John F. Lewis | ||||
| Republican | 1869 | John Lawrence Marye Jr. | ||||||
| 37 | James L. Kemper (1823–1895) | January 1, 1874 – January 1, 1878 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1873 | Robert E. Withers (resigned March 1, 1875) | |||
| Henry Wirtz Thomas | ||||||||
| 38 | Frederick W. M. Holliday (1828–1899) | January 1, 1878 – January 1, 1882 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1877 | James A. Walker | |||
| 39 | William E. Cameron (1842–1927) | January 1, 1882 – January 1, 1886 (term-limited) | Readjuster | 1881 | John F. Lewis | |||
| 40 | Fitzhugh Lee (1835–1905) | January 1, 1886 – January 1, 1890 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1885 | John E. Massey | |||
| 41 | Philip W. McKinney (1832–1899) | January 1, 1890 – January 1, 1894 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1889 | James H. Tyler | |||
| 42 | Charles Triplett O'Ferrall (1840–1905) | January 1, 1894 – January 1, 1898 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1893 | Robert C. Kent | |||
| 43 | James Hoge Tyler (1846–1925) | January 1, 1898 – January 1, 1902 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1897 | Edward Echols | |||
| 44 | Andrew Jackson Montague (1862–1937) | January 1, 1902 – February 1, 1906 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1901 | Joseph Edward Willard | |||
| 45 | Claude A. Swanson (1862–1939) | February 1, 1906 – February 1, 1910 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1905 | James Taylor Ellyson | |||
| 46 | William Hodges Mann (1843–1927) | February 1, 1910 – February 1, 1914 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1909 | ||||
| 47 | Henry Carter Stuart (1855–1933) | February 1, 1914 – February 1, 1918 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1913 | ||||
| 48 | Westmoreland Davis (1859–1942) | February 1, 1918 – February 1, 1922 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1917 | Benjamin Franklin Buchanan | |||
| 49 | Elbert Lee Trinkle (1876–1939) | February 1, 1922 – February 1, 1926 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1921 | Junius Edgar West | |||
| 50 | Harry F. Byrd (1887–1966) | February 1, 1926 – January 15, 1930 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1925 | ||||
| 51 | John Garland Pollard (1871–1937) | January 15, 1930 – January 16, 1934 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1929 | James Hubert Price | |||
| 52 | George C. Peery (1873–1952) | January 17, 1934 – January 18, 1938 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1933 | ||||
| 53 | James Hubert Price (1878–1943) | January 19, 1938 – January 20, 1942 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1937 | Saxon W. Holt (died March 31, 1940) | |||
| Vacant | ||||||||
| 54 | Colgate Darden (1897–1981) | January 21, 1942 – January 15, 1946 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1941 | William M. Tuck | |||
| 55 | William M. Tuck (1896–1983) | January 16, 1946 – January 17, 1950 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1945 | Lewis Preston Collins II (died September 20, 1952) | |||
| 56 | John S. Battle (1890–1972) | January 18, 1950 – January 19, 1954 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1949 | ||||
| Vacant | ||||||||
| Allie Edward Stakes Stephens (elected December 2, 1952) | ||||||||
| 57 | Thomas B. Stanley (1890–1970) | January 20, 1954 – January 11, 1958 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1953 | ||||
| 58 | J. Lindsay Almond (1898–1986) | January 11, 1958 – January 13, 1962 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1957 | ||||
| 59 | Albertis Harrison (1907–1995) | January 13, 1962 – January 15, 1966 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1961 | Mills Godwin | |||
| 60 | Mills Godwin (1914–1999) | January 15, 1966 – January 17, 1970 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1965 | Fred G. Pollard | |||
| 61 | Linwood Holton (1923–2021) | January 17, 1970 – January 12, 1974 (term-limited) | Republican | 1969 | J. Sargeant Reynolds (died June 13, 1971) | |||
| Vacant | ||||||||
| Henry Howell (elected December 4, 1971) | ||||||||
| 62 | Mills Godwin (1914–1999) | January 12, 1974 – January 14, 1978 (term-limited) | Republican | 1973 | John N. Dalton | |||
| 63 | John N. Dalton (1931–1986) | January 14, 1978 – January 16, 1982 (term-limited) | Republican | 1977 | Chuck Robb | |||
| 64 | Chuck Robb (b. 1939) | January 16, 1982 – January 11, 1986 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1981 | Dick Davis | |||
| 65 | Gerald Baliles (1940–2019) | January 11, 1986 – January 13, 1990 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1985 | Douglas Wilder | |||
| 66 | Douglas Wilder (b. 1931) | January 13, 1990 – January 15, 1994 (term-limited) | Democratic | 1989 | Don Beyer | |||
| 67 | George Allen (b. 1952) | January 15, 1994 – January 17, 1998 (term-limited) | Republican | 1993 | ||||
| 68 | Jim Gilmore (b. 1949) | January 17, 1998 – January 12, 2002 (term-limited) | Republican | 1997 | John H. Hager | |||
| 69 | Mark Warner (b. 1954) | January 12, 2002 – January 14, 2006 (term-limited) | Democratic | 2001 | Tim Kaine | |||
| 70 | Tim Kaine (b. 1958) | January 14, 2006 – January 16, 2010 (term-limited) | Democratic | 2005 | Bill Bolling | |||
| 71 | Bob McDonnell (b. 1954) | January 16, 2010 – January 11, 2014 (term-limited) | Republican | 2009 | ||||
| 72 | Terry McAuliffe (b. 1957) | January 11, 2014 – January 13, 2018 (term-limited) | Democratic | 2013 | Ralph Northam | |||
| 73 | Ralph Northam (b. 1959) | January 13, 2018 – January 15, 2022 (term-limited) | Democratic | 2017 | Justin Fairfax | |||
| 74 | Glenn Youngkin (b. 1966) | January 15, 2022 – January 17, 2026 (term-limited) | Republican | 2021 | Winsome Earle-Sears | |||
Governor-elect
| No. | Governor-elect | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor-elect | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75 | Abigail Spanberger (b. 1979) | Taking office January 17, 2026 | Democratic | 2025 | Ghazala Hashmi | |||
See also
- Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Virginia
- List of Virginia state legislatures
- First ladies of Virginia
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