List of governors of Pennsylvania explained

Post:	Governor
Body:	the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Insignia:	Seal of the Governor of Pennsylvania.svg
Insigniasize:	110px
Insigniacaption:	Seal of the governor
Flag:	Flag of the Governor of Pennsylvania.svg
Flagborder:	yes
Flagcaption:	Flag of the governor
Department:	Government of Pennsylvania
Incumbent:	Josh Shapiro
Incumbentsince:	January 17, 2023
Residence:	Governor's Residence
Termlength:	Four years, renewable once consecutively
Inaugural:	Thomas Mifflin
Formation:	December 21, 1790
Deputy:	Lieutenant Governor
Salary:	$201,729 (2020)^[1]

The governor of Pennsylvania is the head of government of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, as well as commander-in-chief of the state's national guard.^[2]

The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to approve or veto bills passed by the Pennsylvania General Assembly,^[3] as well as to convene the legislature.^[4] The governor may grant pardons except in cases of impeachment, but only when recommended by the Board of Pardons.^[5]

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.^[6] 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.^[7] The president was chosen annually by the council, though with no specific term dates.^[8]

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.

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"

President	Term in office	Vice-President
1	data-sort-value="Wharton, Thomas"		Thomas Wharton Jr. ^[9]	^[10] – May 23, 1778
2	data-sort-value="Bryan, George"		George Bryan ^[11]	– December 22, 1778	acting as president
3		Joseph Reed ^[12]	– November 15, 1781
4	data-sort-value="Moore, William"		William Moore ^[13]	– November 7, 1782
5		John Dickinson ^[14]	– October 18, 1785
6		Benjamin Franklin ^[15]	– November 5, 1788
7	data-sort-value="Mifflin, Thomas"		Thomas Mifflin ^[16]	– December 21, 1790

Governors of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

The 1790 constitution abolished the council and replaced the president with a governor,^[17] 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.^[18] 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.^[19] The 1874 constitution lengthened the term to four years, and prohibited governors from succeeding themselves.^[20] The current constitution of 1968 changed this to allow governors to serve two consecutive terms, with no lifetime limit.^[21]

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 re-election 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.^[22] Should both offices be vacant, the president pro tempore of the state senate becomes governor.^[23] 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.^[24]

!scope="colgroup" colspan="3"

Governor	Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			Thomas Mifflin	^[25] – December 17, 1799	None	1790	Office did not exist
					Democratic- Republican	1793
						1796
2			Thomas McKean ^[26]	^[27] – December 20, 1808	Democratic- Republican	1799
						1802
						1805
3			Simon Snyder ^[28]	^[29] – December 16, 1817	Democratic- Republican	1808
						1811
						1814
4	data-sort-value="Findlay, William"			William Findlay ^[30]	^[31] – December 19, 1820	Democratic- Republican			1817
5	data-sort-value="Hiester, Joseph"			Joseph Hiester ^[32]	^[33] – December 16, 1823	Democratic- Republican			1820
6			John Andrew Shulze ^[34]	^[35] – December 15, 1829	Democratic- Republican	1823
						1826
7			George Wolf ^[36]	^[37] – December 15, 1835	Democratic- Republican	1829
						1832
8	data-sort-value="Ritner, Joseph"			Joseph Ritner ^[38]	^[39] – January 15, 1839	Anti-Masonic			1835
9			David R. Porter ^[40]	^[41] – January 21, 1845	Democratic	1838
						1841
10			Francis R. Shunk ^[42]	^[43] – July 9, 1848	Democratic	1844
						1847
11			William F. Johnston ^[44]	– January 20, 1852	Whig
						1848
12	data-sort-value="Bigler, William"			William Bigler ^[45]	^[46] – January 16, 1855	Democratic			1851
13	data-sort-value="Pollock, James"			James Pollock ^[47]	^[48] – January 19, 1858	Whig			1854
14	data-sort-value="Packer, William"			William F. Packer ^[49]	^[50] – January 15, 1861	Democratic			1857
15			Andrew Gregg Curtin ^[51]	^[52] – January 15, 1867	Republican	1860
						1863
16			John W. Geary ^[53]	^[54] – January 21, 1873	Republican	1866
						1869
17			John F. Hartranft ^[55]	^[56] – January 21, 1879	Republican	1872
						1875
18	data-sort-value="Hoyt, Henry"			Henry M. Hoyt ^[57]	^[58] – January 16, 1883	Republican		1878
19	data-sort-value="Pattison, Robert"			Robert E. Pattison ^[59]	^[60] – January 18, 1887	Democratic	1882
20	data-sort-value="Beaver, James"			James A. Beaver ^[61]	^[62] – January 20, 1891	Republican	1886
19	data-sort-value="Pattison, Robert"			Robert E. Pattison	^[63] – January 15, 1895	Democratic	1890
21	data-sort-value="Hastings, Daniel"			Daniel H. Hastings ^[64]	^[65] – January 17, 1899	Republican	1894
22	data-sort-value="Stone, William"			William A. Stone ^[66]	^[67] – January 20, 1903	Republican	1898
23	data-sort-value="Pennybacker, Samuel"			Samuel W. Pennypacker ^[68]	^[69] – January 15, 1907	Republican	1902
24	data-sort-value="Stuart, Edwin"			Edwin Sydney Stuart ^[70]	^[71] – January 17, 1911	Republican	1906
25	data-sort-value="Tener, John"			John K. Tener ^[72]	^[73] – January 19, 1915	Republican	1910
26	data-sort-value="Brumbaugh, Martin"			Martin Grove Brumbaugh ^[74]	^[75] – January 21, 1919	Republican	1914
27	data-sort-value="Sproul, William"			William Cameron Sproul ^[76]	^[77] – January 16, 1923	Republican	1918
28	data-sort-value="Pinchot, Gifford"			Gifford Pinchot ^[78]	^[79] – January 18, 1927	Republican	1922
29	data-sort-value="Fisher, John"			John Stuchell Fisher ^[80]	^[81] – January 20, 1931	Republican	1926
28	data-sort-value="Pinchot, Gifford"			Gifford Pinchot	^[82] – January 15, 1935	Republican	1930
30	data-sort-value="Earle, George"			George Howard Earle III ^[83]	^[84] – January 17, 1939	Democratic	1934
31	data-sort-value="James, Arthur"			Arthur James ^[85]	^[86] – January 19, 1943	Republican	1938
32	data-sort-value="Martin, Edward"			Edward Martin ^[87]	^[88] – January 2, 1947	Republican	1942
33	data-sort-value="Bell, John"			John C. Bell Jr. ^[89]	^[90] – January 21, 1947	Republican		Vacant
34	data-sort-value="Duff, James"			James H. Duff ^[91]	^[92] – January 16, 1951	Republican	1946
35	data-sort-value="Fine, Jonh"			John S. Fine ^[93]	^[94] – January 18, 1955	Republican	1950
36	data-sort-value="Leader, George"			George M. Leader ^[95]	^[96] – January 20, 1959	Democratic	1954
37	data-sort-value="Lawrence, David"			David L. Lawrence ^[97]	^[98] – January 15, 1963	Democratic	1958
38	data-sort-value="Scranton, William"			William Scranton ^[99]	^[100] – January 17, 1967	Republican	1962
39	data-sort-value="Shafer, Raymond"			Raymond P. Shafer ^[101]	^[102] – January 19, 1971	Republican	1966
40			Milton Shapp ^[103]	^[104] – January 16, 1979	Democratic	1970
						1974
41			Dick Thornburgh ^[105]	^[106] – January 20, 1987	Republican	1978
						1982
42			Bob Casey Sr. ^[107]	^[108] – January 17, 1995	Democratic	1986
						1990
43			Tom Ridge ^[109]	^[110] – October 5, 2001	Republican	1994
						1998
44	data-sort-value="Schweiker, Mark"			Mark Schweiker ^[111]	^[112] – January 21, 2003	Republican
45			Ed Rendell ^[113]	^[114] – January 18, 2011	Democratic	2002
						2006
46	data-sort-value="Corbett, Tom"			Tom Corbett ^[115]	^[116] – January 20, 2015	Republican		2010
47			Tom Wolf ^[117]	^[118] – January 17, 2023	Democratic	2014
						2018
48	data-sort-value="Shapiro, Josh"			Josh Shapiro ^[119]	^[120] – Incumbent	Democratic	2022

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

References

General

• Web site: Former Pennsylvania Governors . June 11, 2023 . National Governors Association.
• Book: Sobel, Robert . Biographical directory of the governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. III . Meckler Books . 1978 . 9780930466008 . March 25, 2023.
• Book: Dubin, Michael J. . United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776-1860: The Official Results by State and County . 2003 . McFarland . 978-0-7864-1439-0.
• Book: Dubin, Michael J. . United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1861-1911: The Official Results by State and County . 2014 . McFarland . 978-0-7864-5646-8 . en.
• Book: Kallenbach, Joseph Ernest . American State Governors, 1776-1976 . 1977 . Oceana Publications . 978-0-379-00665-0 . September 23, 2023.
• Book: Glashan, Roy R. . American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978 . 1979 . Meckler Books . 978-0-930466-17-6.
• Web site: Our Campaigns - Governor of Pennsylvania - History . 2023-07-25 . www.ourcampaigns.com.

Specific

External links

• Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania Politicals

Notes and References

1. Web site: June 25, 2013 . CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries . November 23, 2014 . The Council of State Governments.
2. PA Constitution article IV, § 7
3. PA Constitution article IV, § 15
4. PA Constitution article IV, § 12
5. PA Constitution article IV, § 9
6. Web site: Ratification of the Constitution by the State of Pennsylvania; December 12, 1787 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20151105061228/http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/ratpa.asp . November 5, 2015 . October 31, 2015 . The Avalon Project at Yale Law School.
7. 1776 Constitution § 3
8. 1776 Constitution § 19
9. Web site: Thomas Wharton . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
10. Book: Smull, William P. . Smull's Legislative Hand Book and Manual of the State of Pennsylvania . 1885 . 360 . en.
11. Web site: George Bryan . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
12. Web site: Joseph Reed . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
13. Web site: William Moore . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
14. Web site: John Dickinson . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
15. Web site: Benjamin Franklin . June 8, 2023 . National Governors Association.
16. Web site: Thomas Mifflin . June 11, 2023 . National Governors Association.
17. 1790 Constitution article II, § 1
18. 1790 Constitution article IV, § 3
19. 1838 Constitution article II, § 3
20. 1874 Constitution article IV, § 3
21. PA Constitution article IV, § 3
22. PA Constitution article IV, § 13
23. PA Constitution article IV, § 14
24. Web site: Executive Branch of the Several States . April 30, 2008 . The Green Papers.
25. News: 1790-12-24 . A Proclamation . 3 . Dunlap and Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser . 2023-06-12.
26. Web site: Thomas McKean . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
27. News: 1799-12-31 . A Proclamation . 1 . The Gleaner . 2023-06-13.
28. Web site: Simon Snyder . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
29. News: 1808-12-27 . A Proclamation . 3 . Lancaster Intelligencer . 2023-06-13.
30. Web site: William Findlay . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
31. News: 1817-12-20 . A Proclamation . 3 . Lancaster Intelligencer . 2023-06-13.
32. Web site: Joseph Hiester . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
33. News: 1820-12-21 . Inauguration of the Governor . 2 . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 2023-06-13.
34. Web site: John Andrew Shulze . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
35. News: 1823-12-23 . Pennsylvania Legislature . 2 . York Gazette . 2023-06-13.
36. Web site: George Wolf . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
37. News: 1829-12-22 . Proceedings of the Pennsylvania Legislature . 2 . Pennsylvania Republican . 2023-06-13.
38. Web site: Joseph Ritner . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
39. News: 1835-12-17 . none . Mr. Ritner, being then proclaimed by the Speaker to be the Governor of the Commonwealth... . 3 . The Lancaster Examiner . 2023-06-13.
40. Web site: David Rittenhouse Porter . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
41. News: 1839-01-17 . Correspondence of the National Gazette . 2 . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 2023-06-13.
42. Web site: Francis Rawn Shunk . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
43. News: 1845-01-27 . The Inauguration of Gov. Shunk . 2 . The Chambersburg Times . 2023-06-13.
44. Web site: William Freame Johnston . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
45. Web site: William Bigler . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
46. News: 1852-01-24 . Inauguration of Gov. Bigler . 2 . Sunbury American . 2023-06-13.
47. Web site: James Pollock . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
48. News: 1855-01-17 . The Inauguration of Hon. James Pollock . 1 . Carlisle Weekly Herald . 2023-06-13.
49. Web site: William Fisher Packer . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
50. News: 1858-01-22 . Packer inaugurated January 19 . 2 . Pittsburgh Daily Post . 2023-06-13.
51. Web site: Andrew Gregg Curtin . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
52. News: 1861-01-16 . Inauguration of Gov. Curtin . 2 . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 2023-06-13.
53. Web site: John White Geary . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
54. News: 1867-01-16 . The Inauguration of General Geary as Governor . 1 . Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette . 2023-06-13.
55. Web site: John Frederick Hartranft . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
56. News: 1873-01-22 . Inauguration of Gen. Hartranft . 1 . Reading Times . 2023-06-13.
57. Web site: Henry Martyn Hoyt . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
58. News: 1879-01-22 . Governor Hoyt . 1 . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 2023-06-13.
59. Web site: Robert Emory Pattison . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
60. News: 1883-01-17 . The Inauguration . 2 . Intelligencer Journal . 2023-06-13.
61. Web site: James Addams Beaver . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
62. News: 1887-01-18 . Inauguration Day . 1 . Lancaster New Era . 2023-06-13.
63. News: 1891-01-20 . Governor Pattison . 1 . The York Dispatch . 2023-06-13.
64. Web site: Daniel Hartman Hastings . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
65. News: 1895-01-15 . Is Now Governor Hastings . 1 . Lebanon Daily News . 2023-06-13.
66. Web site: William Alexis Stone . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
67. News: 1899-01-17 . Inauguration of Governor Stone . 1 . Wilkes-Barre Times Leader . 2023-06-13.
68. Web site: Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
69. News: 1903-01-20 . Pennypacker Takes Oath As Governor . 1 . Wilkes-Barre Times Leader . 2023-06-13.
70. Web site: Edwin Sydney Stuart . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
71. News: 1907-01-15 . Edwin S. Stuart Inaugurated Governor To-Day at Harrisburg . 1 . Wilkes-Barre Times . 2023-06-13.
72. Web site: John Kinley Tener . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
73. News: 1911-01-17 . John K. Tener Now Governor . 1 . Warren Times Mirror . 2023-06-13.
74. Web site: Martin Grove Brumbaugh . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
75. News: 1915-01-19 . Governor Brumbaugh Takes Oath Amid Great Throngs . 1 . Harrisburg Telegraph . 2023-06-13.
76. Web site: William Cameron Sproul . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
77. News: 1919-01-21 . William C. Sproul Took Oath as Governor of State at Noon Today . 1 . Republican and Herald . United Press . 2023-06-13.
78. Web site: Gifford Pinchot . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
79. News: 1923-01-16 . Pinchot Is Sworn In As Governor of Pennsylvania; Will Do His Utmost to Enforce Prohibition in State . 1 . Wilkes-Barre Times Leader . 2023-06-13.
80. Web site: John Stuchell Fisher . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
81. News: Williams . Thomas E. . 1927-01-18 . Fisher Assumes Office As Governor of State; Urges Separate Bureau for Anthracite Mines . 1 . Wilkes-Barre Times Leader . 2023-06-13.
82. News: 1931-01-20 . Pinchot Hits Utilities . 1 . Harrisburg Telegraph . 2023-06-13.
83. Web site: George Howard Earle . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
84. News: 1935-01-16 . Earle, Taking Oath As Governor, Flays Lobbyists and Wall Street . 1 . The Times Leader . Associated Press . 2023-06-13.
85. Web site: Arthur Horace James . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
86. News: 1939-01-17 . James Sworn In As Governor . 1 . Shamokin News-Dispatch . United Press . 2023-06-13.
87. Web site: Edward Martin . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
88. News: 1943-01-19 . Indoor Ceremonial Marks Inaugural of Martin as Governor . 1 . Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, the Evening News . Associated Press . 2023-06-13.
89. Web site: John Cromwell Bell . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
90. News: Matthews . Frank M. . 1947-01-03 . Bell Sworn, Martin Goes to Capital . 1 . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . 2023-06-13.
91. Web site: James Henderson Duff . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
92. News: 1947-01-21 . Duff Pledges Full Support for Industrial Peace Plan . 1 . Centre Daily Times . Associated Press . 2023-06-13.
93. Web site: John Sydney Fine . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
94. News: Miller . Joseph H. . 1951-01-17 . Fine Takes Oath; Pledges Policy of Pay-As-You-Go . 1 . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 2023-06-13.
95. Web site: George Michael Leader . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
96. News: 1955-01-19 . 30,000 watch new governor assume office . 1 . The Times Leader . Associated Press . 2023-06-13.
97. Web site: David Leo Lawrence . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
98. News: Holton . Bob . 1959-01-21 . Governor Asks Unity on Taxes . 1 . The Tribune . Associated Press . 2023-06-13.
99. Web site: William W. Scranton . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
100. News: Miller . Joseph H. . 1963-01-16 . Scranton Takes Oath with Unity Plea; 250,000 Roar Tribute to Governor . 1 . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 2023-06-13.
101. Web site: Raymond Philip Shafer . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
102. News: Miller . Joseph H. . 1967-01-18 . Shafer Pledges 'Regime of Vision;' Noise and Color Mark Inauguration . 1 . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 2023-06-13.
103. Web site: Milton Jerrold Shapp . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
104. News: Harris . Gene . 1971-01-20 . Shapp Takes Oath As Governor, Vows End to State Crisis . 1 . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 2023-06-13.
105. Web site: Dick Thornburgh . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
106. News: Dvorchak . Bob . 1979-01-17 . Thornburgh Pledges to Fulfill 'The Spirit of Pennsylvania' . 1A . The Times Leader . Associated Press . 2023-06-13.
107. Web site: Robert P. Casey . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
108. News: Stoffer . Harry . 1987-01-21 . Casey Pleads for Unity . 1 . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . 2023-06-13.
109. Web site: Tom Ridge . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
110. News: Eshleman Jr. . Russell E. . Moran . Robert . 1995-01-18 . Ridge Sworn In As 43d Governor . A1 . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 2023-06-13.
111. Web site: Mark Schweiker . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
112. News: Fitzgerald . Thomas . Worden . Amy . 2001-10-06 . Schweiker Sworn In As Pa. Governor . A1 . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 2023-06-13.
113. Web site: Edward G. Rendell . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
114. News: Worden . Amy . 2003-01-22 . New Governor Asks Pa. To Face 'Short-Term Pain' . A1 . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 2023-06-13.
115. Web site: Tom Corbett . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
116. News: Jackson . Peter . 2011-01-19 . Corbett Takes Oath As New Pa. Governor . A1 . Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era . Associated Press . 2023-06-13.
117. Web site: Tom Wolf . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
118. News: Esack . Steve . Opilo . Emily . 2015-01-21 . All Together: Wolf Takes Oath As Governor with Calls for Unity . A1 . The Morning Call . 2023-06-13.
119. Web site: Josh Shapiro . June 12, 2023 . National Governors Association.
120. News: Levy . Marc . Schultz . Brooke . Scolforo . Mark . 2023-01-18 . Shapiro Takes Oath of Office to Become Governor . A1 . Citizens' Voice . Associated Press . 2023-06-13.