List of governors of West Virginia

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The governor of West Virginia is the head of government of West Virginia[1] and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[2] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws,[1] and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the West Virginia Legislature,[3] to convene the legislature at any time,[4] and, except when prosecution has been carried out by the House of Delegates, to grant pardons and reprieves.[5]

Since West Virginia was admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, during the American Civil War, 37 men have served as governor.[6] Two, Arch A. Moore Jr. (West Virginia's 28th and 30th governor) and Cecil H. Underwood (West Virginia's 25th and 32nd governor), 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 Harrison Pierpont, the "Father of West Virginia,"[7] 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 Patrick Morrisey, who assumed office on January 13, 2025.

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.[8] 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 January, following an election.[8] The original constitution of 1863 only called for a two-year term.[9] Since 1968, a governor may be reelected any number of times, but not more than twice in a row.[10] Any partial term served counts toward the limit of two consecutive terms.[10]

The constitution makes no mention of a lieutenant governor; if the governorship becomes vacant, the senate president stands first in the line of succession. If more than one year remains in the governor's term at the time of vacancy, a new election is held for the balance of the term. If less than a year remains, the senate president acts as governor for the remainder of the term.[11] A bill passed in 2000 grants the senate president the honorary title of lieutenant governor,[12] 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.[12]

Qualifications

Anyone who seeks to be elected Governor of West Virginia must meet the following qualifications:[13]

  • 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

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Governors of the State of West Virginia
No. Governor Term in office Party Election
1 File:Arthur I. Boreman - Brady-Handy (cropped).jpg rowspan="5" style="background:Template:Party color;"|  Arthur I. Boreman
(1823–1896)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[14]
Template:Dts[15]

February 26, 1869
(resigned)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
RepublicanTemplate:Sfn 1863
1864
1866
2 File:Daniel D.T. Farnsworth.png Daniel D. T. Farnsworth
(1819–1892)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[16]
Template:Dts[17]

March 4, 1869
(successor took office)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
RepublicanTemplate:Sfn President of
the Senate
acting
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
3 File:William E. Stevenson, unknown date (cropped).jpg William E. Stevenson
(1820–1883)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[18]
Template:Dts[19]

March 4, 1871
(lost election)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
RepublicanTemplate:Sfn 1868
4 File:Governor J. J. Jacob.jpg style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color;"| John J. Jacob
(1829–1893)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[20]
Template:Dts[21]

March 4, 1877
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
DemocraticTemplate:Sfn 1870
style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color;"| People's
Independent
Template:Sfn
1872
5 File:Henry M. Mathews - Brady-Handy.jpg rowspan="5" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color;"| Henry M. Mathews
(1834–1884)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[22]
Template:DtsTemplate:Efn

March 4, 1881
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
DemocraticTemplate:Sfn 1876
6 File:Jacob Beeson Jackson.gif Jacob B. Jackson
(1829–1893)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[23]
Template:Dts[24]

March 4, 1885
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
DemocraticTemplate:Sfn 1880
7 File:GovernorWilson.gif Emanuel Willis Wilson
(1844–1905)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[25]
Template:Dts[26]

February 6, 1890
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
DemocraticTemplate:Sfn 1884
8 File:ABFleming.gif Aretas B. Fleming
(1839–1923)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[27]
Template:Dts[28]

March 4, 1893
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
DemocraticTemplate:Sfn 1888
9 File:GovernorMaccorkle.gif William A. MacCorkle
(1857–1930)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[29]
Template:Dts[30]

March 4, 1897
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
DemocraticTemplate:Sfn 1892
10 File:George W. Atkinson.gif rowspan="5" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color;"| George W. Atkinson
(1845–1925)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[31]
Template:Dts[32]

March 4, 1901
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RepublicanTemplate:Sfn 1896
11 File:Albert Blakeslee White wmm.jpg Albert B. White
(1856–1941)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[33]
Template:Dts[34]

March 4, 1905
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
RepublicanTemplate:Sfn 1900
12 File:William Dawson.gif William M. O. Dawson
(1853–1916)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[35]
Template:Dts[36]

March 4, 1909
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
RepublicanTemplate:Sfn 1904
13 File:GovernorGlasscock.gif William E. Glasscock
(1862–1925)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[37]
Template:Dts[38]

March 4, 1913
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
RepublicanTemplate:Sfn 1908
14 File:Henry Hatfield.jpg Henry D. Hatfield
(1875–1962)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[39]
Template:Dts[40]

March 4, 1917
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
RepublicanTemplate:Sfn 1912
15 File:John J. Cornwell.jpg style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color;"| John J. Cornwell
(1867–1953)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[41]
Template:Dts[42]

March 4, 1921
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
DemocraticTemplate:Sfn 1916
16 File:Ephraim F. Morgan.jpg rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color;"| Ephraim F. Morgan
(1869–1950)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[43]
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March 4, 1925
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RepublicanTemplate:Sfn 1920
17 File:Howard Mason Gore.jpg Howard Mason Gore
(1877–1947)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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March 4, 1929
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RepublicanTemplate:Sfn 1924
18 File:WilliamGConley (cropped).jpg William G. Conley
(1866–1940)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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March 4, 1933
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
RepublicanTemplate:Sfn 1928
19 File:H. Guy Kump (West Virginia Governor).jpg rowspan="6" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color;"| Herman G. Kump
(1877–1962)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[49]
Template:Dts[50]

January 18, 1937
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DemocraticTemplate:Sfn 1932
20 File:Homer A. Holt.jpg Homer A. Holt
(1898–1975)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Template:Dts[52]

January 13, 1941
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DemocraticTemplate:Sfn 1936
21 File:Matthewneely.jpg Matthew M. Neely
(1874–1958)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Template:Dts[54]

January 15, 1945
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DemocraticTemplate:Sfn 1940
22 File:Clarence W. Meadows.jpg Clarence W. Meadows
(1904–1961)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[55]
Template:Dts[56]

January 17, 1949
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DemocraticTemplate:Sfn 1944
23 File:Okey Patteson.jpg Okey Patteson
(1898–1989)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[57]
Template:Dts[58]

January 19, 1953
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
DemocraticTemplate:Sfn 1948
24 File:William C. Marland.jpg William C. Marland
(1918–1965)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[59]
Template:Dts[60]

January 14, 1957
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
DemocraticTemplate:Sfn 1952
25 File:Cecil Underwood.jpg style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color;"| Cecil H. Underwood
(1922–2008)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[61]
Template:Dts[62]

January 16, 1961
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
RepublicanTemplate:Sfn 1956
26 File:William Wallace Barron.jpg rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color;"| Wally Barron
(1911–2002)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[63]
Template:Dts[64]

January 18, 1965
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
DemocraticTemplate:Sfn 1960
27 File:Hulett C. Smith.jpg Hulett C. Smith
(1918–2012)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[65]
Template:Dts[66]

January 13, 1969
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
DemocraticTemplate:Sfn 1964
28 File:Arch Moore 1976.jpg rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color;"| Arch A. Moore Jr.
(1923–2015)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[67]
Template:Dts[68]

January 17, 1977
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
RepublicanTemplate:Sfn 1968
1972
29 File:Jay Rockefeller 1977 crop.png rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color;"| Jay Rockefeller
(b. 1937)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[69]
Template:Dts[70]

January 14, 1985
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
Democratic[69] 1976
1980
30 File:Arch Moore.jpg style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color;"| Arch A. Moore Jr.
(1923–2015)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[67]
Template:Dts[71]

January 16, 1989
(lost election)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Republican[67] 1984
31 File:Gaston Caperton crop.jpg rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color;"| Gaston Caperton
(b. 1940)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
[72]
Template:Dts[73]

January 13, 1997
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
Democratic[72] 1988
1992
32 File:Cecil Underwood 1998 (cropped).jpg style="background:Template:Party color;"|  Cecil H. Underwood
(1922–2008)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Template:Sfn[61]
Template:Dts[74]

January 15, 2001
(lost election)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Republican[61] 1996
33 File:Bob Wise.jpg rowspan="7" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color;"| Bob Wise
(b. 1948)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
[75]
Template:Dts[76]

January 17, 2005
(did not run)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Democratic[75] 2000
34 File:Joe Manchin, Official Senate Portrait.jpg Joe Manchin
(b. 1947)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
[77]
Template:Dts[78]

November 15, 2010
(resigned)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
Democratic[77] 2004
2008
35 File:Earl Ray Tomblin 2 (cropped).jpg Earl Ray Tomblin
(b. 1952)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
[79]
Template:Dts[80]

January 16, 2017
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
Democratic[79] President of
the Senate
acting
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
2011
(special)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
2012
36 File:Jim Justice West Virginia Chamber Business Summit 2024.jpg Jim Justice
(b. 1951)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
[81]
Template:Dts[82]

Template:Dts
(term-limited)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Efn
DemocraticTemplate:Efn 2016
rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background:Template:Party color;"| Republican[81] 2020
37 File:Patrick Morrisey by Gage Skidmore.jpg Patrick Morrisey
(b. 1967)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
[83]
Template:Dts[84]

IncumbentTemplate:Efn
Republican[83] 2024

Timeline

See also

Notes

Template:Notelist

References

General

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  • Morgan, John G. West Virginia Governors 1863-1980 (2nd ed. 1980)
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  1. a b WV Constitution article VII, § 5.
  2. WV Constitution article VII, § 12.
  3. WV Constitution article VII, § 14.
  4. WV Constitution article VI, § 18–19.
  5. WV Constitution article VII, § 11.
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  8. a b WV Constitution article VII, § 1.
  9. WV 1863 Constitution article V, § 1.
  10. a b WV Constitution, Article VII, section 4.
  11. WV Constitution article VII, § 16.
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External links

Template:Sister project

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