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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 Monday after the second Wednesday in the 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.

List of governors

Parties

  Democratic (19)   People's Independent (1)   Republican (16)

#	Governor			Term in office	Party	Terms
1			Arthur I. Boreman     July 24, 1823 – April 19, 1896    (aged 72)	June 20, 1863 – February 26, 1869	Republican	2+1⁄2
2			Daniel D. T. Farnsworth     December 23, 1819 – December 5, 1892    (aged 72)	February 26, 1869 – March 4, 1869	Republican	1⁄2
3			William E. Stevenson     March 18, 1820 – November 29, 1883    (aged 63)	March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1871	Republican	2
4			John J. Jacob     December 9, 1829 – November 24, 1893    (aged 63)	March 4, 1871 – March 4, 1877	Democratic	2
					Independent
5			Henry M. Mathews     March 29, 1834 – April 28, 1884    (aged 50)	March 4, 1877 – March 4, 1881	Democratic	1
6			Jacob B. Jackson     April 6, 1829 – December 11, 1893    (aged 64)	March 4, 1881 – March 4, 1885	Democratic	1
7			Emanuel Willis Wilson     August 11, 1844 – May 28, 1905    (aged 60)	March 4, 1885 – February 6, 1890	Democratic	1
8			Aretas B. Fleming     October 15, 1839 – October 13, 1923    (aged 83)	February 6, 1890 – March 4, 1893	Democratic	1
9			William A. MacCorkle     May 7, 1857 – September 24, 1930    (aged 73)	March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897	Democratic	1
10			George W. Atkinson     June 29, 1845 – April 4, 1925    (aged 79)	March 4, 1897 – March 4, 1901	Republican	1
11			Albert B. White     September 22, 1856 – July 3, 1941    (aged 85)	March 4, 1901 – March 4, 1905	Republican	1
12			William M. O. Dawson     May 21, 1853 – March 12, 1916    (aged 62)	March 4, 1905 – March 4, 1909	Republican	1
13			William E. Glasscock     December 13, 1862 – April 12, 1925    (aged 62)	March 4, 1909 – March 14, 1913	Republican	1
14			Henry D. Hatfield     September 15, 1875 – October 23, 1962    (aged 87)	March 14, 1913 – March 5, 1917	Republican	1
15			John J. Cornwell     July 11, 1867 – September 8, 1953    (aged 86)	March 5, 1917 – March 4, 1921	Democratic	1
16			Ephraim F. Morgan     January 16, 1869 – January 15, 1950    (aged 80)	March 4, 1921 – March 4, 1925	Republican	1
17			Howard Mason Gore     October 12, 1877 – June 20, 1947    (aged 69)	March 4, 1925 – March 4, 1929	Republican	1
18			William G. Conley     January 8, 1866 – October 21, 1940    (aged 74)	March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933	Republican	1
19			Herman G. Kump     October 31, 1877 – February 14, 1962    (aged 84)	March 4, 1933 – January 18, 1937	Democratic	1
20			Homer A. Holt     March 1, 1898 – January 16, 1975    (aged 76)	January 18, 1937 – January 13, 1941	Democratic	1
21			Matthew M. Neely     November 9, 1874 – January 18, 1958    (aged 83)	January 13, 1941 – January 15, 1945	Democratic	1
22			Clarence W. Meadows     February 11, 1904 – September 12, 1961    (aged 57)	January 15, 1945 – January 17, 1949	Democratic	1
23			Okey Patteson     September 14, 1898 – July 3, 1989    (aged 90)	January 17, 1949 – January 19, 1953	Democratic	1
24			William C. Marland     March 26, 1918 – November 26, 1965    (aged 47)	January 19, 1953 – January 14, 1957	Democratic	1
25			Cecil H. Underwood     November 5, 1922 – November 24, 2008    (aged 86)	January 14, 1957 – January 16, 1961	Republican	1
26			William Wallace Barron     December 8, 1911 – November 12, 2002    (aged 90)	January 16, 1961 – January 18, 1965	Democratic	1
27			Hulett C. Smith     October 21, 1918 – January 15, 2012    (aged 93)	January 18, 1965 – January 13, 1969	Democratic	1
28			Arch A. Moore Jr.     April 16, 1923 – January 7, 2015    (aged 91)	January 13, 1969 – January 17, 1977	Republican	2
29			Jay Rockefeller (1937-06-18) June 18, 1937 (age 87)	January 17, 1977 – January 14, 1985	Democratic	2
30			Arch A. Moore Jr.     April 16, 1923 – January 7, 2015    (aged 91)	January 14, 1985 – January 16, 1989	Republican	1
31			Gaston Caperton (1940-02-21) February 21, 1940 (age 84)	January 16, 1989 – January 13, 1997	Democratic	2
32			Cecil H. Underwood     November 5, 1922 – November 24, 2008    (aged 86)	January 13, 1997 – January 15, 2001	Republican	1
33			Bob Wise (1948-01-06) January 6, 1948 (age 76)	January 15, 2001 – January 17, 2005	Democratic	1
34			Joe Manchin (1947-08-24) August 24, 1947 (age 77)	January 17, 2005 – November 15, 2010	Democratic	1+1⁄2
35			Earl Ray Tomblin (1952-03-15) March 15, 1952 (age 72)	November 15, 2010 – November 13, 2011	Democratic	1+1⁄2
				November 13, 2011 – January 16, 2017
36			Jim Justice (1951-04-27) April 27, 1951 (age 73)	January 16, 2017 – August 4, 2017	Democratic	2
				August 4 – Incumbent	Republican

Succession

Other high offices held

This is a table of congressional offices held by governors. All representatives and senators listed represented West Virginia. No governor of West Virginia has held any other federal office.

* Denotes those offices that the governor resigned to take.

† Denotes those offices that the governor resigned to be governor.

Living former governors of West Virginia

As of January 2017, there are five former governors of West Virginia who are currently living at this time, the oldest of whom is Jay Rockefeller (served 1977–1985, born 1937). The most recent governor to die was Arch A. Moore Jr. (served 1969–1977 and 1985–1989, born 1923), who died on January 7, 2015. The most recently serving governor to die was Cecil H. Underwood (served 1957–1961 and 1997–2001, born 1922), who died on November 24, 2008.

Notes

1. The fractional terms of some governors are not to be understood literally; rather, they are meant to show single terms during which multiple governors served, due to resignations, deaths and the like.
2. Resigned to run for the United States Senate, winning election.
3. As president of the state senate, filled unexpired term.
4. Jacob's second term was under the 1872 constitution, which increased term lengths from two to four years.
5. Jacob was elected as a Democrat for his first term, and as an independent for his second.
6. Did not run for re-election in 1888, but due to the election being disputed, remained in office until the investigation was completed.
7. Resigned to take an elected seat in the U.S. Senate.
8. 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.
9. Justice's second term will expire on January 13, 2025; He will be term limited.
10. Justice was elected as a member of the West Virginia Democratic Party in the 2016 West Virginia gubernatorial election. He switched to the Republican Party six months into his term, on August 4, 2017.

References

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. ^ "Boreman, Arthur Ingram". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
15. "Arthur Ingram Boreman". Charleston, West Virginia: West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
16. "West Virginia Governor Daniel Duane Tompkins Farnsworth". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on January 9, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
17. "West Virginia Governor Emanuel Willis Wilson". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on October 20, 2009. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
18. "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.
19. "Aretas Brooks Fleming". Charleston, West Virginia: West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
20. Acting from November 15, 2010 to November 13, 2011
21. "Tomblin succeeds Manchin as West Virginia governor". Washington Post. November 15, 2010. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
22. "Atkinson, George Wesley". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
23. "Hatfield, Henry Drury – Biographical Directory of the United States Congress". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
24. "Neely, Matthew Mansfield". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
25. "Moore, Arch Alfred, Jr". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
26. "Rockefeller, John Davison IV (Jay)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
27. "Wise, Robert Ellsworth, Jr". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
28. "Dems keep key Senate seat with Manchin win in WV". Houston Chronicle. November 2, 2010. Archived from the original on November 7, 2010. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
29. "Former Gov. Cecil Underwood has died at 86". Charleston Daily Mail. November 24, 2008. Archived from the original on April 7, 2010. Retrieved August 12, 2009.

General

• "Governors of West Virginia". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on August 14, 2009. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
• Richard E. Fast. The history and government of West Virginia (1901) to 1900 online edition

Constitutions

• "Constitution of West Virginia (1872)". West Virginia Legislature. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
• West Virginia (1863). Constitution of West Virginia (1863). Wheeling. Retrieved August 19, 2009.

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 (elect)

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