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 state 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 bills passed by the Virginia General Assembly, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, excluding in cases of impeachment.
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. 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, instead of the much less democratic method via the legislature.
This list covers Governors during and after the Virginian secession from the Union into the Confederacy. The state’s unionist abandonment was overseen by John Letcher, who later represented the state in the Confederate senate.
| Name | Term | Party |
|---|---|---|
John Letcher (1813-1884) |
January 1, 1860
- January 1, 1864 |
Independent |
Robert Tyler (1816-1877) |
January 1, 1864
- January 1, 1868 |
Dixiecrat |
James M. Mason (1798-1880) |
January 1, 1868
- January 1, 1872 | |
George Patton I (1833-1909) |
January 1, 1872
- January 1, 1876 | |
John W. Jefferson (1835-1892) |
January 1, 1876
- January 1, 1880 | |
William E. Cameron (1842-1927) |
January 1, 1880
- January 1, 1884 |
Readjuster |
Fitzhugh Lee (1835-1906) |
January 1, 1884
- January 1, 1888 |
Dixiecrat |
Lyon G. Tyler (1853-1935) |
January 1, 1888
- January 1, 1892 |
Readjuster |
|
Fitzhugh Lee (1835-1906) |
January 1, 1892
- January 1, 1896 |
Dixiecrat |
John W. Jefferson II (1855-1937) |
January 1, 1896
- January 1, 1900 | |
George Patton II (1856-1927) |
January 1, 1900
- January 1, 1904 | |
Guy D. Goff (1866-1933) |
January 1, 1904
- January 1, 1908 |
Readjuster |
Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924) |
January 1, 1908
- January 1, 1912 |
Dixiecrat |
Jeffrey Woodworth (1870-1932) |
January 1, 1912
- January 1, 1916 |
Readjuster |
Henry Jefferson (1876-1970) |
January 1, 1916
- January 1, 1920 |
Dixiecrat |
Harry Byrd (1887-1966) |
January 1, 1920
- January 1, 1924 | |
|
Henry Jefferson (1876-1970) |
January 1, 1924
- January 1, 1928 | |
John R. McMuller (1870-1942) |
January 1, 1928
- January 1, 1932 |
Readjuster |
George Jackson (1869-1950) |
January 1, 1932
- January 1, 1936 |
Dixiecrat |
John Jefferson (1880-1972) |
January 1, 1936
- January 1, 1940 |
Governors of the United Syndicates of Virginia[]
Under the Communist government of the Confederates the Virginian Communist and Socialist business owners banded together to feed the war effort, an official syndicate was founded with the permission of the Rebel Government and its purpose was to choose the leader to act as governor. The role of leader wasn't very powerful as local unions oversaw distribution of goods and services, thus the title fell unto a popular person or a member of the many powerful confederate families. The Syndicate would meet at least every 5 years to discuss renewing the mandate of the Governor.
| Name | Term | Mandate |
|---|---|---|
Bill Blizzard (1892-1938) |
March 5, 1936
- June 16, 1938 |
1936 |
Howard Carwille (1911-1964) |
June 16, 1938
- March 12, 1943 |
1938 |
Woody Guthrie (1912-1967) |
March 12, 1943
-
|
1943 |
Virginia Hill (1916-1966) |
March 5, 1953
-
|
1953 |
Military Governor of Virginia[]
Following American forces taking of the CASS Capital of Richmond on May 25, 1961. Many Virginians began to switch their support from the Confederation to the United States backed Confederacy. A military government was established by the United States, and Confederate Marine Corp LT. General Chesty Puller was appointed as acting Governor. Harry F. Byrd Jr. was appointed as Lt. Governor, who handled many of the government's affairs as Puller focus was on the commanding the Confederate Marines.
| Governor | Took office | Left office | Party | Previous office | Lt. Governor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Chesty Puller
(1898-1971) |
June 1, 1961 | January 15, 1966 | Military | Lieutenant General in the Confederate Marine Corp. | Harry F. Byrd Jr.
(Dixiecrat) |
Governors of Reestablished Virginia[]
| Governor | Took office | Left office | Party | Previous office | Lt. Governor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Miles Godwin
(1914-1999) |
January 15, 1966 | January 17, 1970 | Dixiecrat | Harry F. Byrd Jr's Chief of Staff | Linwood Holton
(Readjuster) |
|
William C. Battle
(1920-2008) |
January 17, 1970 | January 12, 1974 | Dixiecrat | Confederate Ambassador to Mystras Australis (1962-1964) | George M. Cochran |
|
|
Miles Godwin
(1914-1999) |
January 12, 1974 | January 14, 1978 | Dixiecrat | Governor of Virginia
(1966-1970) |
Henry Howell
(Readjuster) |
|
Henry Howell
(1920-1997) |
January 14, 1978 | January 16, 1982 | Readjuster | Lt. Governor of Virginia
(1974-1978) |
A. Joe Canada Jr. |
|
Marshall Coleman
(1942) |
January 16, 1982 | January 11, 1986 | Readjuster | Attorney General of Virginia
(1978-1982) |
Nathan H. Miller |
|
Gerald Baliles
(1940-2019) |
January 11, 1986 | January 13, 1990 | Dixiecrat | Attorney General of Virginia
(1982-1986) |
Douglas Wilder |
|
Douglas Wilder
(1931) |
January 13, 1990 | January 15, 1994 | Dixiecrat | Lt. Governor of Virginia
(1986-1990) |
Arlo Guthrie
(Independent) |
|
George Allan
(1952) |
January 15, 1994 | January 17, 1998 | Readjuster | Member of the C.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 7th district
(1991-1993) |
Michael Farris |
|
Jim Gilmore
(1949) |
January 17, 1998 | January 12, 2002 | Readjuster | Attorney General of Virginia
(1994-1997) |
John H. Hager |
|
John H. Hager
(1936-2020) |
January 12, 2002 | January 14, 2006 | Readjuster | Lt. Governor of Virginia
(1998-2002) |
Anne Holton |
|
Joe Manchin
(1947) |
January 14, 2006 | January 16, 2010 | Dixiecrat | Member of the Virginia State Senate
(1986-2005) |
Bill Bolling
(Readjuster) |
|
Creigh Deeds
(1958) |
January 16, 2010 | January 11, 2014 | Dixiecrat | Member of the Virginia State Senate
(2001-2010) |
Bill Bolling
(Readjuster) |
|
Bill Bolling
(1957) |
January 11, 2014 | January 13, 2018 | Readjuster | Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
(2006-2014) |
Steve Martin |
|
Mark Herring
(1961) |
January 13, 2018 | January 15, 2022 | Dixiecrat | Attorney General of Virginia
(2014-2018) |
Sarah Lee Guthrie
(Communist) |
|
Jennifer Carroll Foy
(1981) |
January 15, 2022 | Present | Dixiecrat | Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
(2018-2020) |
Tim Hugo
(Readjuster) |