List of governors of West Virginia

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Governor of West Virginia
Seal of the Governor
Incumbent
Jim Justice

since January 16, 2017
Style
Status
ResidenceWest Virginia Governor's Mansion
Term lengthFour years, renewable once consecutively
Inaugural holderArthur I. Boreman
FormationJune 20, 1863
Salary$150,000 (2013)[1]
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

The Governor of West Virginia is the head of the executive branch of West Virginia's state government[2] and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[3]

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.[4]

List of Governors[change | change source]

Parties

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

# Governor Term start Term end Party Terms
[note 1]
1   Arthur I. Boreman June 20, 1863 February 26, 1869 Republican 2 12
[note 2]
2 Daniel D. T. Farnsworth February 26, 1869 March 4, 1869 Republican 12
[note 3]
3 William E. Stevenson March 4, 1869 March 4, 1871 Republican 2
4 John J. Jacob March 4, 1871 March 4, 1877 Democratic 2
[note 4]
[note 5]
Independent
5 Henry M. Mathews March 4, 1877 March 4, 1881 Democratic 1
6 Jacob B. Jackson March 4, 1881 March 4, 1885 Democratic 1
7 Emanuel Willis Wilson March 4, 1885 February 6, 1890 Democratic 1
[note 6]
8 Aretas B. Fleming[10] February 6, 1890 March 4, 1893 Democratic 1
9 William A. MacCorkle March 4, 1893 March 4, 1897 Democratic 1
10 George W. Atkinson March 4, 1897 March 4, 1901 Republican 1
11 Albert B. White March 4, 1901 March 4, 1905 Republican 1
12 William M. O. Dawson March 4, 1905 March 4, 1909 Republican 1
13 William E. Glasscock March 4, 1909 March 14, 1913 Republican 1
14 Henry D. Hatfield March 14, 1913 March 5, 1917 Republican 1
15 John J. Cornwell March 5, 1917 March 4, 1921 Democratic 1
16 Ephraim F. Morgan March 4, 1921 March 4, 1925 Republican 1
17 Howard M. Gore March 4, 1925 March 4, 1929 Republican 1
18 William G. Conley March 4, 1929 March 4, 1933 Republican 1
19 H. Guy Kump March 4, 1933 January 18, 1937 Democratic 1
20 Homer A. Holt January 18, 1937 January 13, 1941 Democratic 1
21 Matthew M. Neely January 13, 1941 January 15, 1945 Democratic 1
22 Clarence W. Meadows January 15, 1945 January 17, 1949 Democratic 1
23 Okey L. Patteson January 17, 1949 January 19, 1953 Democratic 1
24 William C. Marland January 19, 1953 January 14, 1957 Democratic 1
25 Cecil H. Underwood January 14, 1957 January 16, 1961 Republican 1
26 William Wallace Barron January 16, 1961 January 18, 1965 Democratic 1
27 Hulett C. Smith January 18, 1965 January 13, 1969 Democratic 1
28 Arch A. Moore Jr. January 13, 1969 January 17, 1977 Republican 2
29 Jay Rockefeller January 17, 1977 January 14, 1985 Democratic 2
30 Arch A. Moore Jr. January 14, 1985 January 16, 1989 Republican 1
31 Gaston Caperton January 16, 1989 January 13, 1997 Democratic 2
32   Cecil H. Underwood January 13, 1997 January 15, 2001 Republican 1
33 Bob Wise January 15, 2001 January 17, 2005 Democratic 1
34 Joe Manchin January 17, 2005 November 15, 2010 Democratic 1 12
[note 7]
35 Earl Ray Tomblin November 15, 2010 November 13, 2011[11] Democratic 1 12
[note 8]
November 13, 2011 January 16, 2017
36 Jim Justice January 16, 2017 Incumbent Democratic 1
[note 9]
Republican[note 10]

Notes[change | change source]

  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.[5][6]
  3. As president of the state senate, filled unexpired term.[7]
  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.[8][9]
  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.[12][13] Tomblin was term limited.
  9. Justice's first term expires on January 18, 2021.
  10. Justice was elected as a member of the West Virginia Democratic Party in the West Virginia gubernatorial election, 2016. He switched to the Republican Party six months into his term, on August 4, 2017.[4]

References[change | change source]

  1. "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  2. WV Constitution article VII, § 5.
  3. WV Constitution article VII, § 12.
  4. 4.0 4.1 "West Virginia Governor to Switch from Democrat to Republican". New York Times. August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  5. "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.
  6. "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.
  7. "West Virginia Governor Daniel Duane Tompkins Farnsworth". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on 2011-01-09. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
  8. "West Virginia Governor Emanuel Willis Wilson". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on 2009-10-20. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
  9. "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.
  10. "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.
  11. Acting from November 15, 2010 to November 13, 2011
  12. WV Constitution article VII, § 16.
  13. "Tomblin succeeds Manchin as West Virginia governor". Washington Post. November 15, 2010. Retrieved November 17, 2010.[permanent dead link]