The governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

 for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell

Bob McDonnell

Robert Francis "Bob" McDonnell is an American politician who has been the 71st Governor of Virginia since January 2010. A former lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, McDonnell served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1993 to 2006 and served as Attorney General of Virginia from 2006...

, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia.
Candidates for governor must be United States citizens who have resided in Virginia for five years prior to the election in which they are running.