List of Governors of Virginia
Encyclopedia
The following is a list of the Governors of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The governor
is the head of the executive branch of Virginia
's government and the commander-in-chief
of the state's
military forces
. The governor has the duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto
bill
passed by the Virginia General Assembly
, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardon
s, except in cases of impeachment
.
The first constitution of 1776 created the office of governor, to be elected annually by the state legislature. The governor could serve up to three years at a time, and once out of office, could not serve again for four years. The 1830 constitution changed the thrice renewable one-year term length to a non-renewable three year term, and set the start date at the first day in January following an election. This constitution also prevented governors from succeeding themselves, a prohibition that exists to the present day. The 1851 constitution increased terms to four years and made the office elected by the people, rather than the legislature. The commencement of the governor's term was moved to the first day in February by the 1902 constitution, and then to the Saturday after the second Wednesday in January by the 1971 and current constitution.
If the office of governor is vacant due to disqualification, death, or resignation, the lieutenant governor becomes governor. The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1851 Prior to then, a Council of State existed, which chose a president among its members who would be "Lieutenant-Governor", who would act as governor in a time of absence in the office.
There have officially been 71 governors of Virginia; the acting governors are not counted.
It is an interesting note that in every Virginia gubernatorial election since 1977, the political party
of the President
at the time has lost the election, even when the state of Virginia had strongly voted for the President in question. During the most recent Virginia gubernatorial election
, the President was a Democrat
(Barack Obama
), who won Virginia
in the 2008 election
by 6 percentage points. Republican
Bob McDonnell
won the governor's race by 17 percentage points.
(1978–1982), on July 30, 1986.
Governor of Virginia
The governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
is the head of the executive branch 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...
's government and the commander-in-chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of the state's
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
military forces
Virginia National Guard
The Virginia National Guard consists of the Virginia Army National Guard and the Virginia Air National Guard. It is part of the Government of Virginia though the National Guard across the United States is mostly funded by federal monies. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges...
. The governor has the duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto
Veto
A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...
bill
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
passed by the Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
s, except in cases of impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
.
The first constitution of 1776 created the office of governor, to be elected annually by the state legislature. The governor could serve up to three years at a time, and once out of office, could not serve again for four years. The 1830 constitution changed the thrice renewable one-year term length to a non-renewable three year term, and set the start date at the first day in January following an election. This constitution also prevented governors from succeeding themselves, a prohibition that exists to the present day. The 1851 constitution increased terms to four years and made the office elected by the people, rather than the legislature. The commencement of the governor's term was moved to the first day in February by the 1902 constitution, and then to the Saturday after the second Wednesday in January by the 1971 and current constitution.
If the office of governor is vacant due to disqualification, death, or resignation, the lieutenant governor becomes governor. The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1851 Prior to then, a Council of State existed, which chose a president among its members who would be "Lieutenant-Governor", who would act as governor in a time of absence in the office.
There have officially been 71 governors of Virginia; the acting governors are not counted.
It is an interesting note that in every Virginia gubernatorial election since 1977, the political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
of the President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
at the time has lost the election, even when the state of Virginia had strongly voted for the President in question. During the most recent Virginia gubernatorial election
Virginia gubernatorial election, 2009
The Virginia gubernatorial election of 2009 took place on November 3, 2009. The election chose Bob McDonnell as the next Governor, Bill Bolling re-elected as Lieutenant Governor, and Ken Cuccinelli as the next Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The winners were inaugurated on January...
, the President was a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
(Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
), who won Virginia
United States presidential election in Virginia, 2008
The 2008 United States presidential election in Virginia took place on November 4, 2008 throughout all 50 states and D.C., which was part of the 2008 United States presidential election. Voters chose 13 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice...
in the 2008 election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
by 6 percentage points. Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
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...
won the governor's race by 17 percentage points.
President of the Committee for Public Safety
- Edmund PendletonEdmund PendletonEdmund Pendleton was a Virginia politician, lawyer and judge, active in the American Revolutionary War. -Early years:...
(16 August 1775 - 5 July 1776) http://www.worldstatesmen.org/US_states_V-W.html
List of Governors
| # | Image | Name | Took office | Left office | Party | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Patrick Henry Patrick Henry Patrick Henry was an orator and politician who led the movement for independence in Virginia in the 1770s. A Founding Father, he served as the first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia from 1776 to 1779 and subsequently, from 1784 to 1786... |
July 5, 1776 | June 1, 1779 | No party | |
| 2 |  |
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia... |
June 1, 1779 | June 3, 1781 | No party | |
| 3 | William Fleming William Fleming (governor) Colonel William Fleming was a physician, soldier, statesman, and planter who briefly acted as the Governor of Virginia during the American Revolutionary War... |
June 3, 1781 | June 12, 1781 | No party | ||
| 4 | .jpg) |
Thomas Nelson, Jr. Thomas Nelson, Jr. Thomas Nelson, Jr. was an American planter, soldier, and statesman from Yorktown, Virginia. He represented Virginia in the Continental Congress and was its Governor in 1781. He is regarded as one of the U.S. Founding Fathers since he signed the Declaration of Independence as a member of the... |
June 12, 1781 | November 22, 1781 | No party | |
| — | David Jameson David Jameson (governor) David Jameson was the acting Governor of Virginia for a short period of time in 1781. A native of Essex County, he served as lieutenant governor under Thomas Nelson, Jr.; in 1783 he entered the Virginia State Senate. He was acting governor briefly before the ascension of Benjamin Harrison V to... |
November 22, 1781 | December 1, 1781 | No party | ||
| 5 |  |
Benjamin Harrison V Benjamin Harrison V Benjamin Harrison V was an American planter and revolutionary leader from Charles City County, Virginia. He earned his higher education at the College of William and Mary, and he was perhaps the first figure in the Harrison family to gain national attention... |
December 1, 1781 | December 1, 1784 | No party | |
| 6 | |
Patrick Henry Patrick Henry Patrick Henry was an orator and politician who led the movement for independence in Virginia in the 1770s. A Founding Father, he served as the first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia from 1776 to 1779 and subsequently, from 1784 to 1786... |
December 1, 1784 | December 1, 1786 | No party | |
| 7 |  |
Edmund Randolph Edmund Randolph Edmund Jennings Randolph was an American attorney, the seventh Governor of Virginia, the second Secretary of State, and the first United States Attorney General.-Biography:... |
December 1, 1786 | December 1, 1788 | No party | |
| 8 | Beverley Randolph Beverley Randolph Beverley Randolph was an American politician from Virginia. He served as the eighth Governor of Virginia from 1788 to 1791.... |
December 1, 1788 | December 1, 1791 | No party | ||
| 9 |  |
Henry Lee III | December 1, 1791 | December 1, 1794 | Federalist Federalist Party (United States) The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801... |
|
| 10 | Robert Brooke Robert Brooke (Virginia) Robert Brooke was the son of Richard Brooke, and grandson of Robert Brooke, a skilled surveyor, who had been one of Lt. Governor Alexander Spotswood's "Knights of the Golden Horseshoe Expedition"... |
December 1, 1794 | December 1, 1796 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 11 | James Wood | December 1, 1796 | December 1, 1799 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| — | Hardin Burnley Hardin Burnley Hardin Burnley was the acting Governor of Virginia for a short period of time in 1799.-References:... |
December 7, 1799 | December 11, 1799 | |||
| — | John Pendleton, Jr. John Pendleton, Jr. John Pendleton, Jr. was the acting Governor of Virginia for a short period of time in 1799.-References:... |
December 11, 1799 | December 19, 1799 | |||
| 12 |  |
James Monroe James Monroe James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation... |
December 19, 1799 | December 1, 1802 | Democratic-Republican | |
| 13 | John Page | December 1, 1802 | December 7, 1805 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 14 |  |
William H. Cabell William H. Cabell William H. Cabell was a Virginia politician and Democratic-Republican. He served as Member of the Assembly, as Governor of Virginia, and as judge... |
December 7, 1805 | December 1, 1808 | Democratic-Republican | |
| 15 | John Tyler, Sr. John Tyler, Sr. John Tyler Sr. was a Virginia planter, judge, 15th Governor of Virginia and the father of the 10th President of the United States, John Tyler.... |
December 1, 1808 | January 15, 1811 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| — |  |
George William Smith George William Smith (politician) George William Smith was Acting Governor of Virginia, briefly between the terms of John Tyler, Sr. and James Monroe in January 1811 and the 17th Governor of Virginia from April to December of the same year when Monroe resigned to become United States Secretary of State... |
January 15, 1811 | January 19, 1811 | Democratic-Republican | |
| 16 | |
James Monroe James Monroe James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation... |
January 19, 1811 | April 3, 1811 | Democratic-Republican | |
| 17 | |
George William Smith George William Smith (politician) George William Smith was Acting Governor of Virginia, briefly between the terms of John Tyler, Sr. and James Monroe in January 1811 and the 17th Governor of Virginia from April to December of the same year when Monroe resigned to become United States Secretary of State... |
April 3, 1811 | December 26, 1811 | Democratic-Republican | |
| N/A | Peyton Randolph Peyton Randolph (governor) Peyton Randolph was a Democrat-Republican politician from Virginia. Following the death of Governor George William Smith, and 68 others, in the burning of the Richmond Theater on December 26, 1811, Randolph served as the Acting Governor of Virginia, from December 26, 1811 until January 3,... |
December 27, 1811 | January 3, 1812 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 18 |  |
James Barbour James Barbour James Barbour was an American lawyer, amember and speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, the 18th Governor of Virginia, the first Governor to reside in the current Virginia Governor's Mansion, a U.S. Senator from 1814–1825, and the United States Secretary of War from 1825-1828.Barbour was a... |
January 3, 1812 | December 1, 1814 | Democratic-Republican | |
| 19 | Wilson Cary Nicholas Wilson Cary Nicholas Wilson Cary Nicholas was an American politician who served in the U.S. Senate from 1799 to 1804 and was the 19th Governor of Virginia from 1814 to 1816.... |
December 1, 1814 | December 1, 1816 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 20 | James Patton Preston James Patton Preston James Patton Preston was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 20th Governor of Virginia between 1816 and 1819. He was the brother-in-law of John Floyd and uncle of James McDowell and John Buchanan Floyd.... |
December 1, 1816 | December 1, 1819 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 21 | Thomas Mann Randolph, Jr. | December 1, 1819 | December 1, 1822 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 22 |  |
James Pleasants James Pleasants James Pleasants, Jr. was an American politician who served in the U.S. Senate from 1819 to 1822 and was the 22nd Governor of Virginia from 1822 to 1825. Pleasants was born at “Cold Comfort,” in Powhatan County, Virginia, October 24, 1769. He pursued classical studies and graduated from the College... |
December 1, 1822 | December 10, 1825 | Democratic-Republican | |
| 23 | John Tyler John Tyler John Tyler was the tenth President of the United States . A native of Virginia, Tyler served as a state legislator, governor, U.S. representative, and U.S. senator before being elected Vice President . He was the first to succeed to the office of President following the death of a predecessor... |
December 10, 1825 | March 4, 1827 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 24 | William Branch Giles William Branch Giles William Branch Giles ; the name is pronounced jyles) was an American statesman, long-term Senator from Virginia, and the 24th Governor of Virginia... |
March 4, 1827 | March 4, 1830 | Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
||
| 25 |  |
John Floyd John Floyd (Virginia politician) John Floyd was a Virginia politician and soldier. He represented Virginia in the United States House of Representatives and later served as the 25th Governor of Virginia.... |
March 4, 1830 | March 31, 1834 | Democratic | |
| 26 |  |
Littleton Waller Tazewell Littleton Waller Tazewell Littleton Waller Tazewell was a U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator from and the 26th Governor of Virginia.Tazewell, son of Henry Tazewell, was born in Williamsburg, Virginia, where his grandfather Benjamin Waller was a lawyer who taught him Latin... |
March 31, 1834 | April 30, 1836 | Whig Whig Party (United States) The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic... |
|
| — |  |
Wyndham Robertson Wyndham Robertson Wyndham Robertson was the Acting Governor of the U.S. state of Virginia from 1836 to 1837. He also served twice in the Virginia House of Delegates, the second time during the American Civil War.... |
April 30, 1836 | March 31, 1837 | Whig | |
| 27 | David Campbell David Campbell (Virginia) David Campbell was the 27th Governor of Virginia from 1837 to 1840.Campbell was born in a part of Washington County, Virginia, that later became Smyth County. He was a successful merchant in Abingdon, Virginia, and served in the U.S... |
March 31, 1837 | March 31, 1840 | Democratic | ||
| 28 |  |
Thomas Walker Gilmer Thomas Walker Gilmer Thomas Walker Gilmer was an American statesman.-Personal life:Gilmer was born to George and Eliza Gilmer at their farm, "Gilmerton", in Albemarle County, Virginia. He was taught by private tutors in Charlottesville and Staunton, and studied law in Liberty , Virginia.Gilmer practiced law in... |
March 31, 1840 | March 20, 1841 | Whig | |
| — | John M. Patton John M. Patton John Mercer Patton was a nineteenth century politician and lawyer from Virginia.Born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, Patton attended Princeton University and graduated from the medical department at the University of Pennsylvania in 1818. He studied law and was admitted to the bar, commencing... |
March 20, 1841 | March 31, 1841 | Whig | ||
| — | John Rutherford | March 31, 1841 | March 31, 1842 | Whig | ||
| — | John Munford Gregory John Munford Gregory John Munford Gregory was a U.S. political figure and Acting Governor of Virginia from 1842 to 1843.Gregory was born in Virginia on July 8, 1804 and was a member of the Virginia state House of Delegates from 1831 to 1840. He served as acting Governor of Virginia from 1842 to 1843 and then as a... |
March 31, 1842 | January 1, 1843 | Whig | ||
| 29 | James McDowell James McDowell James McDowell was a U.S. Congressman and the 29th Governor of Virginia from 1843 to 1846.McDowell was born at "Cherry Grove," near Rockbridge County, Virginia, on October 13, 1795... |
January 1, 1843 | January 1, 1846 | Democratic | ||
| 30 |  |
William Smith | January 1, 1846 | January 1, 1849 | Democratic | |
| 31 |  |
John B. Floyd John B. Floyd John Buchanan Floyd was the 31st Governor of Virginia, U.S. Secretary of War, and the Confederate general in the American Civil War who lost the crucial Battle of Fort Donelson.-Early life:... |
January 1, 1849 | January 16, 1852 | Democratic | |
| 32 | Joseph Johnson Joseph Johnson (Virginia politician) Joseph Johnson was a United States Representative and was the 32nd Governor of Virginia from 1852 to 1856. Born in Orange County, New York, he moved with his mother to Belvidere, New Jersey in 1791 and thence to Bridgeport, Virginia in 1801... |
January 16, 1852 | January 1, 1856 | Democratic | ||
| 33 |  |
Henry A. Wise Henry A. Wise Henry Alexander Wise was an American politician and governor of Virginia, as well as a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life:... |
January 1, 1856 | January 1, 1860 | Democratic | |
| 34 |  |
John Letcher John Letcher John Letcher was an American lawyer, journalist, and politician. He served as a Representative in the United States Congress, was the 34th Governor of Virginia during the American Civil War, and later served in the Virginia General Assembly... |
January 1, 1860 | January 1, 1864 | Democratic | (June 20, 1863 West Virginia was formed) |
| 35 | |
William Smith | January 1, 1864 | May 9, 1865 | Democratic | |
| — |  |
Francis Harrison Pierpont | May 9, 1865 | April 4, 1868 | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
|
| — |  |
Henry H. Wells Henry H. Wells Henry Horatio Wells , was a Union Army general in the American Civil War and a carpetbagger who served as the appointed provisional Governor of Virginia from 1868 to 1869 during Reconstruction. He was defeated for election in 1869.-Early life:Henry Wells was born in Rochester, New York and grew up... |
April 4, 1868 | September 21, 1869 | Republican | |
| 36 | Gilbert Carlton Walker Gilbert Carlton Walker Gilbert Carlton Walker was a United States political figure. He served as the 36th Governor of Virginia, first as a Republican provisional governor between 1869 and 1870, and again as a Democratic elected governor from 1870 to 1874.Walker was born in South Gibson, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania.... |
September 21, 1869 | January 1, 1874 | Democratic | ||
| 37 |  |
James L. Kemper James L. Kemper James Lawson Kemper was a lawyer, a Confederate general in the American Civil War, and the 37th Governor of Virginia... |
January 1, 1874 | January 1, 1878 | Democratic | |
| 38 | Frederick W. M. Holliday Frederick W. M. Holliday Frederick William Mackey Holliday was a member of the Confederate Congress during the American Civil War and the 38th Governor of Virginia from 1878 to 1882.... |
January 1, 1878 | January 1, 1882 | Democratic | ||
| 39 |  |
William E. Cameron | January 1, 1882 | January 1, 1886 | Re-adjuster Readjuster Party The Readjuster Party was a political coalition formed in Virginia in the late 1870s during the turbulent period following the American Civil War. Readjusters aspired "to break the power of wealth and established privilege" and to promote public education, a program which attracted biracial support.... |
|
| 40 |  |
Fitzhugh Lee Fitzhugh Lee Fitzhugh Lee , nephew of Robert E. Lee, was a Confederate cavalry general in the American Civil War, the 40th Governor of Virginia, diplomat, and United States Army general in the Spanish-American War.-Early life:... |
January 1, 1886 | January 1, 1890 | Democratic | |
| 41 |  |
Philip W. McKinney Philip W. McKinney Philip Watkins McKinney was an American politician who served as the 41st Governor of Virginia from 1890 to 1894. Born in New Store, in Buckingham County, he attended Hampden-Sydney College, graduating in the class of 1851. McKinney served as a Confederate officer in the American Civil War in... |
January 1, 1890 | January 1, 1894 | Democratic | |
| 42 |  |
Charles Triplett O'Ferrall | January 1, 1894 | January 1, 1898 | Democratic | |
| 43 |  |
James Hoge Tyler James Hoge Tyler James Hogue Tyler was a United States political figure. He was Lieutenant Governor of Virginia from 1890 to 1894, and the 43rd Governor of Virginia from 1898 to 1902. He compiled The Family of Hoge, published in 1927... |
January 1, 1898 | January 1, 1902 | Democratic | |
| 44 |  |
Andrew Jackson Montague Andrew Jackson Montague Andrew Jackson Montague was a U.S. politician from Virginia. He served as the 44th Governor of Virginia, from 1902 to 1906, and a Congressman from 1912 until his death in 1937... |
January 1, 1902 | February 1, 1906 | Democratic | |
| 45 |  |
Claude A. Swanson Claude A. Swanson Claude Augustus Swanson was an American lawyer and Democratic Party politician from Virginia.He served seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, from 1893 until 1906, was the 45th Governor of Virginia from 1906 until 1910, and represented Virginia as a United States Senator from 1910 until... |
February 1, 1906 | February 10, 1910 | Democratic | |
| 46 | William Hodges Mann William Hodges Mann William Hodges Mann was an American Democratic politician. Mann was the 46th Governor of Virginia from 1910 to 1914. He attended Brownsburg Academy.-Political career:Brown became Deputy Clerk of Nottoway County, Virginia... |
February 10, 1910 | February 1, 1914 | Democratic | ||
| 47 |  |
Henry Carter Stuart | February 1, 1914 | February 1, 1918 | Democratic | |
| 48 | Westmoreland Davis Westmoreland Davis Westmoreland "Morley" Davis a lawyer, farmer, and the 48th Governor of Virginia from February 1, 1918 to February 1, 1922.... |
February 1, 1918 | February 1, 1922 | Democratic | ||
| 49 | Elbert Lee Trinkle Elbert Lee Trinkle Elbert Lee Trinkle or E. Lee Trinkle an American politician who served as the 49th Governor of Virginia from 1922 to 1926.... |
February 1, 1922 | February 1, 1926 | Democratic | ||
| 50 |  |
Harry F. Byrd Harry F. Byrd Harry Flood Byrd, Sr. of Berryville in Clarke County, Virginia, was an American newspaper publisher, farmer and politician. He was a descendant of one of the First Families of Virginia... |
February 1, 1926 | January 15, 1930 | Democratic | |
| 51 | John Garland Pollard John Garland Pollard John Garland Pollard was an American politician who served as the 51st Governor of Virginia from 1930 to 1934.-Early life:... |
January 15, 1930 | January 17, 1934 | Democratic | ||
| 52 | George C. Peery George C. Peery George Campbell Peery was an American Democratic politician, and was the 52nd Governor of Virginia from 1934-1938.... |
January 17, 1934 | January 15, 1938 | Democratic | ||
| 53 | James H. Price James H. Price James Hubert Price was an American politician. Price was a Richmond, Virginia attorney and businessman. In the 1937 general election, he defeated Republican candidate John Powell Royall, a former State Senator... |
January 15, 1938 | January 21, 1942 | Democratic | ||
| 54 |  |
Colgate Darden Colgate Darden Colgate Whitehead Darden, Jr. was a Democratic Congressman from Virginia , the 54th Governor of Virginia , Chancellor of the College of William and Mary and the third President of the University of Virginia... |
January 21, 1942 | January 16, 1946 | Democratic | |
| 55 | William M. Tuck William M. Tuck William Munford Tuck served as the 55th Governor of Virginia from 1946 to 1950 as a Democrat.He was the youngest son of Halifax County, Virginia tobacco warehouseman Robert James Tuck and Virginia Susan Fritts. Tuck graduated from the College of William and Mary, earning a teacher's certificate.... |
January 16, 1946 | January 18, 1950 | Democratic | ||
| 56 | John S. Battle John S. Battle John Stewart Battle was an American politician and the 56th Governor of Virginia from 1950 to 1954.Battle was born in 1890 in New Bern, Craven County, North Carolina. He earned an associate's degree from Mars Hill College , in North Carolina... |
January 18, 1950 | January 20, 1954 | Democratic | ||
| 57 |  |
Thomas Bahnson Stanley Thomas Bahnson Stanley Thomas Bahnson Stanley was an American politician, manufacturer and Holstein cattle breeder.-Early life:... |
January 20, 1954 | January 11, 1958 | Democratic | |
| 58 | James Lindsay Almond, Jr. James Lindsay Almond, Jr. James Lindsay Almond, Jr. was a United States federal judge and politician. He served as the 58th Governor of Virginia from 1958 until 1962.-Early life:... |
January 11, 1958 | January 13, 1962 | Democratic | ||
| 59 | Albertis S. Harrison, Jr. | January 13, 1962 | January 15, 1966 | Democratic | ||
| 60 | Mills E. Godwin, Jr. | January 15, 1966 | January 17, 1970 | Democratic | ||
| 61 | A. Linwood Holton, Jr. | January 17, 1970 | January 12, 1974 | Republican | ||
| 62 | Mills E. Godwin, Jr. | January 12, 1974 | January 14, 1978 | Republican | ||
| 63 |  |
John N. Dalton John N. Dalton John Nichols Dalton was the 63rd Governor of the U.S. state of Virginia from 1978 to 1982. Born in Emporia, Virginia, Dalton also served in both houses of the General Assembly and as Lieutenant Governor. He graduated from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and the... |
January 14, 1978 | January 16, 1982 | Republican | |
| 64 |  |
Chuck Robb Chuck Robb Charles Spittal "Chuck" Robb is an American politician. He served as the 64th Governor of Virginia from 1982 to 1986, and as a United States senator from 1989 until 2001. In 2004, he chaired the Iraq Intelligence Commission.-Early life:... |
January 16, 1982 | January 18, 1986 | Democratic | |
| 65 |  |
Gerald L. Baliles Gerald L. Baliles Gerald L. Baliles was the 65th Governor of Virginia and is the director of the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia... |
January 18, 1986 | January 14, 1990 | Democratic | |
| 66 |  |
Douglas Wilder Douglas Wilder Lawrence Douglas "Doug" Wilder is an American politician, the first African American to be elected as governor of Virginia, and the second to serve as governor of a U.S. state. Wilder served as the 66th Governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1994. When earlier elected as Lieutenant Governor, he was... |
January 14, 1990 | January 15, 1994 | Democratic | |
| 67 | George Allen George Allen (U.S. politician) George Felix Allen is a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the son of former NFL head coach George Allen. Allen served Virginia in the state legislature, as the 67th Governor, and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress, winning election to the Senate in 2000... |
January 15, 1994 | January 17, 1998 | Republican | ||
| 68 | Jim Gilmore Jim Gilmore James Stuart "Jim" Gilmore III is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Virginia, former 68th Governor of Virginia, and a member of the Republican Party. A native Virginian, Gilmore studied at the University of Virginia, and then served in the U.S. Army as a counterintelligence agent... |
January 17, 1998 | January 12, 2002 | Republican | ||
| 69 |  |
Mark Warner Mark Warner Mark Robert Warner is an American politician and businessman, currently serving in the United States Senate as the junior senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Warner was the 69th governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and is the honorary chairman of... |
January 12, 2002 | January 14, 2006 | Democratic | |
| 70 |  |
Tim Kaine Tim Kaine Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine is a Virginia politician. Kaine served as the 70th Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, and was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011... |
January 14, 2006 | January 16, 2010 | Democratic | |
| 71 | 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... |
January 16, 2010 | present | Republican |
Living former governors
As of December 2009, eight former governors were alive, the oldest being A. Linwood Holton, Jr. (1970–1974, born 1923). The most recent governor to die was Mills E. Godwin, Jr. (1966–1970, 1974–1978, born 1914), on January 30, 1999. The most recently serving governor to die was John N. DaltonJohn N. Dalton
John Nichols Dalton was the 63rd Governor of the U.S. state of Virginia from 1978 to 1982. Born in Emporia, Virginia, Dalton also served in both houses of the General Assembly and as Lieutenant Governor. He graduated from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and the...
(1978–1982), on July 30, 1986.
| Name | Gubernatorial term | Date of birth |
|---|---|---|
| A. Linwood Holton, Jr. | 1970–1974 | September 21, 1923 (age 88) |
| Chuck Robb Chuck Robb Charles Spittal "Chuck" Robb is an American politician. He served as the 64th Governor of Virginia from 1982 to 1986, and as a United States senator from 1989 until 2001. In 2004, he chaired the Iraq Intelligence Commission.-Early life:... |
1982–1986 | June 26, 1939 (age 72) |
| Gerald L. Baliles Gerald L. Baliles Gerald L. Baliles was the 65th Governor of Virginia and is the director of the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia... |
1986–1990 | July 08, 1940 (age 71) |
| Douglas Wilder Douglas Wilder Lawrence Douglas "Doug" Wilder is an American politician, the first African American to be elected as governor of Virginia, and the second to serve as governor of a U.S. state. Wilder served as the 66th Governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1994. When earlier elected as Lieutenant Governor, he was... |
1990–1994 | January 17, 1931 (age 81) |
| George Allen George Allen (U.S. politician) George Felix Allen is a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the son of former NFL head coach George Allen. Allen served Virginia in the state legislature, as the 67th Governor, and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress, winning election to the Senate in 2000... |
1994–1998 | March 08, 1952 (age 59) |
| Jim Gilmore Jim Gilmore James Stuart "Jim" Gilmore III is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Virginia, former 68th Governor of Virginia, and a member of the Republican Party. A native Virginian, Gilmore studied at the University of Virginia, and then served in the U.S. Army as a counterintelligence agent... |
1998–2002 | October 06, 1949 (age 62) |
| Mark Warner Mark Warner Mark Robert Warner is an American politician and businessman, currently serving in the United States Senate as the junior senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Warner was the 69th governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and is the honorary chairman of... |
2002–2006 | December 15, 1954 (age 57) |
| Tim Kaine Tim Kaine Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine is a Virginia politician. Kaine served as the 70th Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, and was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011... |
2006–2010 | February 26, 1958 (age 53) |