List of governors of West Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of West Virginia
Seal of the governor
Incumbent Patrick Morrisey since January 13, 2025
Style	Governor (informal) The Honorable (formal)
Status	Head of state Head of government
Residence	West Virginia Governor's Mansion
Term length	Four years, renewable once consecutively
Inaugural holder	Arthur I. Boreman
Formation	June 20, 1863
Succession	Line of succession
Salary	$150,000 (2022)

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The governor of West Virginia is the main leader of the state's government. They are also the commander-in-chief of West Virginia's military forces, like the West Virginia National Guard. The governor's job is to make sure state laws are followed. They can approve or reject new laws passed by the West Virginia Legislature. The governor can also call the legislature together at any time. They have the power to grant pardons (forgive someone for a crime) or reprieves (delay a punishment).

West Virginia became a state on June 20, 1863, during the American Civil War. Since then, 37 people have served as governor. Two governors, Arch A. Moore Jr. and Cecil H. Underwood, served two terms that were not back-to-back. The governor who served the longest was Arch A. Moore Jr., for a total of twelve years over three terms.

The first governor of West Virginia was Arthur I. Boreman. He served the most terms in a row, but he resigned a week before his third term ended. Before West Virginia became a state, Francis Harrison Pierpont was chosen as governor in 1861. He is known as the "Father of West Virginia."

Daniel D. T. Farnsworth was the shortest-serving governor. He was the senate president and filled the last seven days of Governor Boreman's term. Cecil H. Underwood holds a special record. He was the youngest person elected governor at age 34 in 1957. He was also the oldest person elected and serving as governor at age 74 in 1997. The current governor is Republican Patrick Morrisey, who started his term on January 13, 2025.

To become governor, a person must be at least 30 years old. They must also have lived in West Virginia for at least five years before becoming governor. The state's current constitution, which was approved in 1872, says the governor serves for four years. Their term starts on the Monday after the second Wednesday in January, right after an election. The first constitution in 1863 only allowed for a two-year term. Since 1968, a governor can be reelected many times, but not more than twice in a row. If someone serves part of a term, it counts towards this two-term limit.

West Virginia's constitution does not mention a lieutenant governor. If the governor's position becomes empty, the senate president is next in line to take over. If there is more than one year left in the governor's term, a new election is held to choose a governor for the rest of the term. If there is less than a year left, the senate president acts as governor for the remaining time. A law passed in 2000 gives the senate president the honorary title of lieutenant governor. However, this title is not often used. After the senate president, the next in line are the speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates, then the state attorney general, the state auditor, and then former governors who live in the state.

Who Can Be Governor?

To be elected Governor of West Virginia, a person must meet these requirements:

• Be a citizen of the United States.
• Have lived in West Virginia for at least five years before the election.
• Be a qualified voter in West Virginia.
• Be at least 30 years old.

West Virginia Governors List

Governors of the State of West Virginia

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election
1			Arthur I. Boreman (1823–1896)	June 20, 1863 – February 26, 1869 (resigned)	Republican	1863
						1864
						1866
2			Daniel D. T. Farnsworth (1819–1892)	February 26, 1869 – March 4, 1869 (successor took office)	Republican	President of the Senate acting
3			William E. Stevenson (1820–1883)	March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1871 (lost election)	Republican	1868
4			John J. Jacob (1829–1893)	March 4, 1871 – March 4, 1877 (term-limited)	Democratic	1870
					People's Independent	1872
5			Henry M. Mathews (1834–1884)	March 4, 1877 – March 4, 1881 (term-limited)	Democratic	1876
6			Jacob B. Jackson (1829–1893)	March 4, 1881 – March 4, 1885 (term-limited)	Democratic	1880
7			Emanuel Willis Wilson (1844–1905)	March 4, 1885 – February 6, 1890 (term-limited)	Democratic	1884
8			Aretas B. Fleming (1839–1923)	February 6, 1890 – March 4, 1893 (term-limited)	Democratic	1888
9			William A. MacCorkle (1857–1930)	March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897 (term-limited)	Democratic	1892
10			George W. Atkinson (1845–1925)	March 4, 1897 – March 4, 1901 (term-limited)	Republican	1896
11			Albert B. White (1856–1941)	March 4, 1901 – March 4, 1905 (term-limited)	Republican	1900
12			William M. O. Dawson (1853–1916)	March 4, 1905 – March 4, 1909 (term-limited)	Republican	1904
13			William E. Glasscock (1862–1925)	March 4, 1909 – March 4, 1913 (term-limited)	Republican	1908
14			Henry D. Hatfield (1875–1962)	March 4, 1913 – March 4, 1917 (term-limited)	Republican	1912
15			John J. Cornwell (1867–1953)	March 4, 1917 – March 4, 1921 (term-limited)	Democratic	1916
16			Ephraim F. Morgan (1869–1950)	March 4, 1921 – March 4, 1925 (term-limited)	Republican	1920
17			Howard Mason Gore (1877–1947)	March 4, 1925 – March 4, 1929 (term-limited)	Republican	1924
18			William G. Conley (1866–1940)	March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933 (term-limited)	Republican	1928
19			Herman G. Kump (1877–1962)	March 4, 1933 – January 18, 1937 (term-limited)	Democratic	1932
20			Homer A. Holt (1898–1975)	January 18, 1937 – January 13, 1941 (term-limited)	Democratic	1936
21			Matthew M. Neely (1874–1958)	January 13, 1941 – January 15, 1945 (term-limited)	Democratic	1940
22			Clarence W. Meadows (1904–1961)	January 15, 1945 – January 17, 1949 (term-limited)	Democratic	1944
23			Okey Patteson (1898–1989)	January 17, 1949 – January 19, 1953 (term-limited)	Democratic	1948
24			William C. Marland (1918–1965)	January 19, 1953 – January 14, 1957 (term-limited)	Democratic	1952
25			Cecil H. Underwood (1922–2008)	January 14, 1957 – January 16, 1961 (term-limited)	Republican	1956
26			Wally Barron (1911–2002)	January 16, 1961 – January 18, 1965 (term-limited)	Democratic	1960
27			Hulett C. Smith (1918–2012)	January 18, 1965 – January 13, 1969 (term-limited)	Democratic	1964
28			Arch A. Moore Jr. (1923–2015)	January 13, 1969 – January 17, 1977 (term-limited)	Republican	1968
						1972
29			Jay Rockefeller (b. 1937)	January 17, 1977 – January 14, 1985 (term-limited)	Democratic	1976
						1980
30			Arch A. Moore Jr. (1923–2015)	January 14, 1985 – January 16, 1989 (lost election)	Republican	1984
31			Gaston Caperton (b. 1940)	January 16, 1989 – January 13, 1997 (term-limited)	Democratic	1988
						1992
32			Cecil H. Underwood (1922–2008)	January 13, 1997 – January 15, 2001 (lost election)	Republican	1996
33			Bob Wise (b. 1948)	January 15, 2001 – January 17, 2005 (did not run)	Democratic	2000
34			Joe Manchin (b. 1947)	January 17, 2005 – November 15, 2010 (resigned)	Democratic	2004
						2008
35			Earl Ray Tomblin (b. 1952)	November 15, 2010 – January 16, 2017 (term-limited)	Democratic	President of the Senate acting
						2011 (special)
						2012
36			Jim Justice (b. 1951)	January 16, 2017 – January 13, 2025 (term-limited)	Democratic	2016
					Republican	2020
37			Patrick Morrisey (b. 1967)	January 13, 2025 – Incumbent	Republican	2024

Timeline of Governors

Timeline of West Virginia governors

See Also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States § West Virginia
• List of West Virginia state legislatures