The governor of Pennsylvania is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as commander-in-chief of the state's national guard.PA Constitution article IV, § 7

The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to approve or veto bills passed by the Pennsylvania General Assembly,PA Constitution article IV, § 15 as well as to convene the legislature.PA Constitution article IV, § 12 The governor may grant pardons except in cases of impeachment, but only when recommended by the Board of Pardons.PA Constitution article IV, § 9

There have been seven presidents and 48 governors of Pennsylvania, with two governors (Robert E. Pattison and Gifford Pinchot) serving non-consecutive terms, totaling 55 terms in both offices. The longest term was that of the first governor, Thomas Mifflin, who served three full terms as governor in addition to two years as President of the Continental Congress. The shortest term belonged to John C. Bell Jr., who served only 19 days as acting governor after his predecessor, Edward Martin, resigned.

The current governor is Josh Shapiro, who took office on January 17, 2023.

Governors

Pennsylvania was one of the original Thirteen Colonies and was admitted as a state on December 12, 1787. Before it declared its independence, Pennsylvania was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Presidents of the Supreme Executive Council The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 created the Supreme Executive Council as the state's executive branch, with a president as its head.1776 Constitution § 3 The president was chosen annually by the council, though with no specific term dates.1776 Constitution § 19

The constitution created the position of "vice-president", though no provision was made if the office of the president became vacant, which occurred four times later. Contemporary sources continue to label the chief executive in such times as the vice-president, without any notion of succeeding in the presidency. One acting president, George Bryan, was subsequently recognized later as a full-fledged governor, due to his acting as president for over six months.

+ Presidents of the Supreme Executive Council of PennsylvaniaPresidentTerm in officeVice-president1Thomas Wharton Jr.March 5, 1777–May 23, 17782George BryanMay 23, 1778–December 22, 1778acting aspresident3Joseph ReedDecember 22, 1778–November 15, 17814William MooreNovember 15, 1781–November 7, 17825John DickinsonNovember 7, 1782–October 18, 17856Benjamin FranklinOctober 18, 1785–November 5, 17887Thomas MifflinNovember 5, 1788–December 21, 1790

Governors of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

The 1790 constitution abolished the council and replaced the president with a governor,1790 Constitution article II, § 1 and established a three-year term for governor commencing on the third Tuesday of the December following the election, with governors not allowed to serve more than nine out of any twelve years.1790 Constitution article IV, § 3 The 1838 constitution moved the start of the term to the third Tuesday of the January following the election, and allowed governors to only serve six out of any nine years.1838 Constitution article II, § 3 The 1874 constitution lengthened the term to four years, and prohibited governors from succeeding themselves.1874 Constitution article IV, § 3 The current constitution of 1968 changed this to allow governors to serve two consecutive terms, with no lifetime limit.PA Constitution article IV, § 3

Under the 1968 constitution, Milton Shapp was the first governor to serve two terms, and Tom Corbett was the first incumbent governor to lose a reelection bid.

If the office of governor becomes vacant through death, resignation, or conviction on impeachment, the lieutenant governor becomes governor for the remainder of the term; if the office is only temporarily vacant due to disability of the governor, the lieutenant governor only acts out the duties of governor.PA Constitution article IV, § 13 Should both offices be vacant, the president pro tempore of the state senate becomes governor.PA Constitution article IV, § 14 The position of a lieutenant governor was created in the 1874 constitution; prior to then, the speaker of the senate would act as governor in cases of vacancy. Originally, the lieutenant governor could only act as governor; it was not until the 1968 constitution that the lieutenant governor could actually become the sitting governor in that fashion. The office of governor has been vacant for an extended period once before, a 17-day gap in 1848 between the resignation of the previous governor and the swearing in of his acting successor. Governors and lieutenant governors are elected on the same political party ticket.

+ Governors of the Commonwealth of PennsylvaniaGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor1 Thomas MifflinDecember 21, 1790–December 17, 1799None1790Office did not existDemocratic-Republican179317962Thomas McKeanDecember 17, 1799–December 20, 1808Democratic-Republican17991802Constitutionalist18053Simon SnyderDecember 20, 1808–December 16, 1817Democratic-Republican1808181118144William FindlayDecember 16, 1817–December 19, 1820Democratic-Republican18175Joseph HiesterDecember 19, 1820–December 16, 1823Federalist18206John Andrew ShulzeDecember 16, 1823–December 15, 1829Democratic-Republican1823Jacksonian18267George WolfDecember 15, 1829–December 15, 1835Democratic182918328Joseph RitnerDecember 15, 1835–January 15, 1839Anti-Masonic18359David R. PorterJanuary 15, 1839–January 21, 1845Democratic1838184110Francis R. ShunkJanuary 21, 1845–July 9, 1848Democratic1844184711William F. JohnstonJuly 9, 1848–January 20, 1852Whig184812William BiglerJanuary 20, 1852–January 16, 1855Democratic185113James PollockJanuary 16, 1855–January 19, 1858Whig185414William F. PackerJanuary 19, 1858–January 15, 1861Democratic185715Andrew Gregg CurtinJanuary 15, 1861–January 15, 1867Republican1860186316John W. GearyJanuary 15, 1867–January 21, 1873Republican1866186917John F. HartranftJanuary 21, 1873–January 21, 1879Republican18721875 18Henry M. HoytJanuary 21, 1879–January 16, 1883Republican187819Robert E. PattisonJanuary 16, 1883–January 18, 1887Democratic188220James A. BeaverJanuary 18, 1887–January 20, 1891Republican188619Robert E. PattisonJanuary 20, 1891–January 15, 1895Democratic189021Daniel H. HastingsJanuary 15, 1895–January 17, 1899Republican189422William A. StoneJanuary 17, 1899–January 20, 1903Republican189823Samuel W. PennypackerJanuary 20, 1903–January 15, 1907Republican190224Edwin Sydney StuartJanuary 15, 1907–January 17, 1911Republican190625John K. TenerJanuary 17, 1911–January 19, 1915Republican191026Martin Grove BrumbaughJanuary 19, 1915–January 21, 1919Republican191427William Cameron SproulJanuary 21, 1919–January 16, 1923Republican191828Gifford PinchotJanuary 16, 1923–January 18, 1927Republican192229John Stuchell FisherJanuary 18, 1927–January 20, 1931Republican192628Gifford PinchotJanuary 20, 1931–January 15, 1935Republican193030George Howard Earle IIIJanuary 15, 1935–January 17, 1939Democratic193431Arthur JamesJanuary 17, 1939–January 19, 1943Republican193832Edward MartinJanuary 19, 1943–January 2, 1947Republican194233John C. Bell Jr.January 2, 1947–January 21, 1947RepublicanVacant34James H. DuffJanuary 21, 1947–January 16, 1951Republican194635John S. FineJanuary 16, 1951–January 18, 1955Republican195036George M. LeaderJanuary 18, 1955–January 20, 1959Democratic195437David L. LawrenceJanuary 20, 1959–January 15, 1963Democratic195838William ScrantonJanuary 15, 1963–January 17, 1967Republican196239Raymond P. ShaferJanuary 17, 1967–January 19, 1971Republican196640Milton ShappJanuary 19, 1971–January 16, 1979Democratic1970197441Dick ThornburghJanuary 16, 1979–January 20, 1987Republican1978198242 Bob Casey Sr.January 20, 1987–January 17, 1995Democratic1986199043Tom RidgeJanuary 17, 1995–October 5, 2001Republican1994199844Mark SchweikerOctober 5, 2001–January 21, 2003Republican45Ed RendellJanuary 21, 2003–January 18, 2011Democratic2002200646Tom CorbettJanuary 18, 2011–January 20, 2015Republican201047Tom WolfJanuary 20, 2015–January 17, 2023Democratic2014201848Josh ShapiroJanuary 17, 2023–IncumbentDemocratic2022

Timeline Timeline of Pennsylvania governors

See also Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Pennsylvania List of Pennsylvania gubernatorial elections List of Pennsylvania state legislatures List of colonial governors of Pennsylvania

Notes

References General

Specific

External links

Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Politicals