The governor of Virginia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Virginia, as well as commander-in-chief of the state's national guard.VA Const. art V.

The first Constitution of 1776 created the office of governor, to be elected annually by the Virginia 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.1776 Const. 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.1830 Const. Art IV section 1. This constitution also prevented governors from succeeding themselves, a prohibition that exists to the present day.VA Const. Art V sec 1 The 1851 Constitution increased terms to four years1851 Const. art V section 1. and made the office elected by the people, rather than the legislature.1851 Const. Art V section 2. The commencement of the Governor's term was moved to the first day in February by the 1902 Constitution,1902 Const. Art V section 69. and then to the Saturday after the second Wednesday in January by the 1971 and current Constitution.VA Const. art V section 1.

If the governor dies, resigns or is removed from office (via impeachment conviction), the lieutenant governor of Virginia becomes governor.VA Const. Art V section 16. The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1851.1851 Const. art V section 8. Prior to that a Council of State existed; it chose from among its members a president who would be "lieutenant-governor" and would act as governor when there was a vacancy in that office.1830 Const. art IV section 5. The governor and the lieutenant governor are elected at the same time but not on the same ticket. Officially, there have been 75 governors of Virginia; the acting governors are not counted.

The current governor is Democrat Abigail Spanberger, who took office on January 17, 2026.

Governors

Virginia was one of the original Thirteen Colonies and was admitted as a state on June 25, 1788. Before it declared its independence, Virginia was a colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain. It seceded from the Union on April 17, 1861, and was admitted to the Confederate States of America on May 7, 1861.An Act to admit the Commonwealth of Virginia as a member of the Confederate States of America , accessed July 8, 2015 Following the end of the American Civil War, Virginia during Reconstruction constituted the First Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections. Virginia was readmitted to the Union on January 26, 1870.

The federal government recognized the Restored Government of Virginia, based in Wheeling, as the legitimate government in Virginia on June 25, 1861. It elected its own slate of governors, and after West Virginia was split from Virginia on June 20, 1863, the restored government relocated to Alexandria.

+ Governors of the Commonwealth of VirginiaGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor1 Patrick HenryJuly 6, 1776–June 1, 1779No parties1776Office did not exist177717782Thomas JeffersonJune 1, 1779–June 4, 1781177917803William FlemingJune 4, 1781–June 12, 17814Thomas Nelson Jr.June 12, 1781–November 22, 1781June 1781–David JamesonNovember 22, 1781–December 1, 17815Benjamin Harrison VDecember 1, 1781–November 30, 1784Nov. 1781178217836Patrick HenryNovember 30, 1784–November 30, 1786178417857Edmund RandolphNovember 30, 1786–November 12, 1788178617878Beverley RandolphNovember 12, 1788–December 1, 1791 1788178917909Henry Lee IIIDecember 1, 1791–December 1, 1794Federalist17911792179310Robert BrookeDecember 1, 1794–November 30, 1796Democratic-Republican1794179511James WoodNovember 30, 1796–December 19, 1799Democratic-Republican 17961797179812James MonroeDecember 19, 1799–December 29, 1802Democratic-Republican17991800180113John PageDecember 29, 1802–December 11, 1805Democratic-Republican18021803180414William H. CabellDecember 11, 1805–December 12, 1808Democratic-Republican18051806180715John Tyler Sr.December 12, 1808–January 15, 1811Democratic-Republican180818091810—George William SmithJanuary 15, 1811–January 19, 1811Democratic-Republican16James MonroeJanuary 19, 1811–April 3, 1811Democratic-Republican181117George William SmithApril 3, 1811–December 26, 1811Democratic-Republican1811—Peyton RandolphDecember 26, 1811–January 4, 1812Democratic-Republican18James BarbourJanuary 4, 1812–December 11, 1814Democratic-Republican18121812181319Wilson Cary NicholasDecember 11, 1814–December 11, 1816Democratic-Republican1814181520James Patton PrestonDecember 11, 1816–December 11, 1819Democratic-Republican18161817181821Thomas Mann Randolph Jr.December 11, 1819–December 11, 1822Democratic-Republican18191820182122James PleasantsDecember 11, 1822–December 11, 1825Democratic-Republican18221823182423John TylerDecember 11, 1825–March 4, 1827Democratic-Republican1825182624William Branch GilesMarch 4, 1827–March 4, 1830Democratic-Republican18271827182825John FloydMarch 4, 1830–March 31, 1834Democratic1830183126Littleton Waller TazewellMarch 31, 1834–March 30, 1836Democratic1834—Wyndham RobertsonMarch 30, 1836–March 31, 1837Whig27David CampbellMarch 31, 1837–March 31, 1840Democratic183728Thomas Walker GilmerMarch 31, 1840–March 20, 1841Whig1840—John M. PattonMarch 20, 1841–March 31, 1841Whig—John RutherfoordMarch 31, 1841–March 31, 1842Democratic—John Munford GregoryMarch 31, 1842–January 5, 1843Whig29James McDowellJanuary 5, 1843–January 1, 1846Democratic184230William SmithJanuary 1, 1846–January 1, 1849Democratic184531John B. FloydJanuary 1, 1849–January 1, 1852Democratic184832Joseph JohnsonJanuary 1, 1852–January 1, 1856Democratic1851 33Henry A. WiseJanuary 1, 1856–January 1, 1860Democratic185534John LetcherJanuary 1, 1860–January 1, 1864Democratic1859—William SmithJanuary 1, 1864–May 9, 1865Democratic1863(Confederate)35Francis Harrison PierpontJune 20, 1861–April 4, 1868Union1861(Union)Vacant1863(Union)—Henry H. WellsApril 4, 1868–September 21, 1869Vacant36Gilbert Carlton WalkerSeptember 21, 1869–January 1, 1874Republican186937James L. KemperJanuary 1, 1874–January 1, 1878Democratic187338Frederick W. M. HollidayJanuary 1, 1878–January 1, 1882Democratic187739William E. CameronJanuary 1, 1882–January 1, 1886Readjuster188140Fitzhugh LeeJanuary 1, 1886–January 1, 1890Democratic188541Philip W. McKinneyJanuary 1, 1890–January 1, 1894Democratic188942Charles Triplett O'FerrallJanuary 1, 1894–January 1, 1898Democratic189343James Hoge TylerJanuary 1, 1898–January 1, 1902Democratic189744Andrew Jackson MontagueJanuary 1, 1902–February 1, 1906Democratic190145Claude A. SwansonFebruary 1, 1906–February 1, 1910Democratic190546William Hodges MannFebruary 1, 1910–February 1, 1914Democratic190947Henry Carter StuartFebruary 1, 1914–February 1, 1918Democratic191348Westmoreland DavisFebruary 1, 1918–February 1, 1922Democratic191749Elbert Lee TrinkleFebruary 1, 1922–February 1, 1926Democratic192150Harry F. ByrdFebruary 1, 1926–January 15, 1930Democratic192551John Garland PollardJanuary 15, 1930–January 16, 1934Democratic192952George C. PeeryJanuary 17, 1934–January 18, 1938Democratic193353James Hubert PriceJanuary 19, 1938–January 20, 1942Democratic1937Vacant54Colgate DardenJanuary 21, 1942–January 15, 1946Democratic194155William M. TuckJanuary 16, 1946–January 17, 1950Democratic194556John S. BattleJanuary 18, 1950–January 19, 1954Democratic1949Vacant57Thomas B. StanleyJanuary 20, 1954–January 11, 1958Democratic195358J. Lindsay AlmondJanuary 11, 1958–January 13, 1962Democratic195759Albertis HarrisonJanuary 13, 1962–January 15, 1966Democratic196160Mills GodwinJanuary 15, 1966–January 17, 1970Democratic196561Linwood HoltonJanuary 17, 1970–January 12, 1974Republican1969Vacant62Mills GodwinJanuary 12, 1974–January 14, 1978Republican197363John N. DaltonJanuary 14, 1978–January 16, 1982Republican197764Chuck RobbJanuary 16, 1982–January 11, 1986Democratic198165Gerald BalilesJanuary 11, 1986–January 13, 1990Democratic198566Douglas WilderJanuary 13, 1990–January 15, 1994Democratic198967George AllenJanuary 15, 1994–January 17, 1998Republican199368Jim GilmoreJanuary 17, 1998–January 12, 2002Republican199769Mark WarnerJanuary 12, 2002–January 14, 2006Democratic200170Tim KaineJanuary 14, 2006–January 16, 2010Democratic200571Bob McDonnellJanuary 16, 2010–January 11, 2014Republican200972Terry McAuliffeJanuary 11, 2014–January 13, 2018Democratic201373Ralph NorthamJanuary 13, 2018–January 15, 2022Democratic201774Glenn YoungkinJanuary 15, 2022–January 17, 2026Republican202175 Abigail SpanbergerJanuary 17, 2026–IncumbentDemocratic2025

See also Gubernatorial lines of succession in Virginia List of Virginia state legislatures First ladies and first gentlemen of Virginia

Notes

References General

Specific

External links Office of the Governor of Virginia