Governor (United States) facts for kids
In the United States, a governor is the top leader of each of the fifty states and five territories. Think of them as the "boss" of the state government. They are in charge of making sure state laws are followed and that the state's government runs smoothly.
Governors have many important jobs. They represent the state, oversee its government, and can suggest or veto (reject) new laws. They can also grant pardons or reduce sentences for people who have broken state laws. Plus, they lead the state's military forces, like the National Guard, when it's not working with the federal government.
Most states have a lieutenant governor. This person steps in if the governor can't do their job anymore, for example, if they resign or are removed from office. Lieutenant governors also often lead the upper house of the state legislature.
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What Governors Do and Their Powers
Each U.S. state has its own constitution and government, with three main parts: the executive (the governor), the legislative (lawmakers), and the judicial (courts). States share power with the federal government, but they also have many powers of their own. These include managing business within the state, holding elections, and creating local governments.
The governor leads the executive part of the state government. They have a lot of control over the state's budget and can appoint many officials, including some judges. They also play a big role in creating laws. Governors can veto (reject) bills passed by the state legislature. In most states, they can even veto specific parts of spending bills, which is a power the U.S. President doesn't have! Sometimes, lawmakers can override a governor's veto with enough votes.
Governors in all states serve four-year terms, except in New Hampshire and Vermont, where they serve two-year terms. All governors are directly elected by the people.
A governor often gives an annual speech called the "State of the State address." This is where they talk about how the state is doing and what plans they have for the future. Governors also do many ceremonial things, like welcoming important visitors or attending state events. Many governors even have an official residence called a Governor's Mansion.
Experts look at two types of power for governors: "personal powers" and "institutional powers." Personal powers are about the governor themselves, like how popular they are. Institutional powers are the official powers given to the governor by law, such as strong control over the budget or the ability to veto laws.
How Governors Started
A long time ago, when North America was made up of colonies, governors were chosen in different ways. In colonies controlled by countries like Great Britain, France, or Spain, the king or queen picked the governor. In other colonies, people elected their own governors based on special rules.
When the American Revolutionary War began, many colonies removed their royal governors. The colonies then started choosing their own leaders.
Before states became official states, they were often called "territories." The governors of these territories were chosen by the U.S. President and approved by the Senate. But now, all governors of U.S. states and territories are elected by the people living there. The last appointed territorial governor left office in 1978.
Who Are the Governors?
Political Party
As of January 2024, most states have either a Republican or a Democratic governor. There are 27 states with Republican governors and 23 states with Democratic governors. Some territories have governors from other parties, like the New Progressive Party.
How Long They Serve
Most governors serve four-year terms. The only exceptions are Vermont and New Hampshire, where governors serve two-year terms.
The current longest-serving governor is Greg Abbott of Texas. He was re-elected for his third term in 2022. The longest-serving governor ever was Terry Branstad of Iowa, who served for 22 years!
Many states have term limits, which means a governor can only serve a certain number of terms.
Age
The oldest current governor is Kay Ivey of Alabama, born in 1944. The youngest current state governor is Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas, born in 1982.
The youngest person to ever be a governor was Stevens T. Mason of the Michigan Territory, who was elected in 1835 when he was just 24 years old.
Most states require a governor to be at least 30 years old. Some states have a lower age, like 18 or 21. Oklahoma is the only state that requires governors to be at least 31 years old.
Gender
As of January 2025, there are 12 female governors in the U.S. states. The first female governor was Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming, who took office in 1925. She was the widow of a former governor. The first woman elected governor who was not the wife or widow of a past governor was Ella T. Grasso of Connecticut, elected in 1974.
Arizona has had the most female governors, with a total of five. It was also the first state where one woman governor was followed by another woman governor.
LGBTQ Status
There are currently three governors who are openly part of the LGBTQ community: Jared Polis (Colorado), Tina Kotek (Oregon), and Maura Healey (Massachusetts).
Race and Ethnicity
Most current state governors are non-Hispanic white. There are three minority governors: Wes Moore of Maryland, who is Black; Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, who is of Hispanic descent; and Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, who is a member of the Cherokee Nation.
In 1990, Douglas Wilder of Virginia became the first African-American governor of any state since the 1800s.
Birthplace
Governors do not have to be born in the state they lead, or even in the United States! Many current governors were born in a different state. One governor, Joe Lombardo of Nevada, was born outside the United States (in Japan). State constitutions have different rules about how long a governor must have lived in the state before being elected.
Physical Disability
Some governors have served while having a physical disability. For example, Bob C. Riley of Arkansas and David Paterson of New York were legally blind.
The current governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, uses a wheelchair after an accident in 1984. Former New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt also used a wheelchair and later became president.
Governor's Salary
The average salary for a state governor in 2009 was about $124,398. The highest salary currently accepted is by New York Governor Kathy Hochul at $225,000. The lowest salaries are around $70,000.
Some governors have chosen not to take their salary or have taken a very small amount, like $1.00 per year. For example, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger did not accept his salary. Other governors have taken a smaller salary reduction.
In many states, the governor is not the highest-paid state employee. Often, the head coach of a major state university's football or basketball team earns more!
When Governors Are Elected
All states, except Louisiana, hold their gubernatorial elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. This means the election can happen between November 2nd and November 8th.
- Two states (New Hampshire and Vermont) hold elections every even-numbered year.
- 34 states and 3 territories hold elections during a midterm election year (when there is no presidential election).
- 9 states and 2 territories hold elections during a presidential election year.
- 3 states (Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi) hold elections the year before a presidential election.
- 2 states (New Jersey and Virginia) hold elections the year after a presidential election.
Primary Elections
Most states have primary elections first. In a primary, people from the same political party vote to choose who will represent their party in the main election. The winners then run against candidates from other parties in the general election.
In a few states, like California, all candidates run against each other in one primary election. The top two candidates, no matter their party, then move on to the general election.
Term Limits
- Further information: Term limits in the United States#Gubernatorial term limits
In most states, governors can serve two four-year terms.
Governor and Lieutenant Governor
The relationship between a governor and a lieutenant governor can be very different depending on the state.
- Four states (Oregon, Wyoming, Maine, and New Hampshire) do not have a lieutenant governor. If the governor's office becomes empty, another state official takes over.
- Two states (Tennessee and West Virginia) have the State Senate choose the lieutenant governor. This means the governor and lieutenant governor might be from different political parties.
- Seventeen states have separate elections for governor and lieutenant governor. This can also lead to them being from different parties.
- Eight states have the governor and lieutenant governor run together on the same ticket in the general election, but they are chosen separately in the primary elections. So, they are from the same party, but the governor doesn't pick their running mate.
- Nineteen states have the governor and lieutenant governor run together on the same ticket, just like the President and Vice President of the United States. In these states, the person running for governor gets to choose their lieutenant governor candidate.
Rules to Become Governor
Each state's constitution has rules about who can be governor. While the rules vary, here are some common requirements:
- Minimum Age: Most states require a governor to be at least 30 years old, though some allow younger candidates (18 or 25).
- Residency: Candidates usually need to have lived in the state for a certain number of years before the election (e.g., 2, 5, or 7 years).
- U.S. Citizenship: Most states require the governor to be a U.S. citizen for a certain number of years.
- Registered Voter: Many states require the candidate to be a registered voter in the state.
- Other Jobs: Governors usually cannot hold other state or federal jobs while they are in office.
See also
In Spanish: Gobernador (Estados Unidos) para niños
- Flags and seals of U.S. state governors
- Governor and lieutenant governor (outside the U.S.)
- List of U.S. state governors born outside the United States
- Mexican state governors
- Premier (Australia) – a similar job in Australia
- Premier (Canada) – a similar job in Canada
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