List of governors of Pennsylvania

The governor of Pennsylvania is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as commander-in-chief of the state's national guard.

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

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. 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. The president was chosen annually by the council, though with no specific term dates.

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.

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+ Presidents of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania

!scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"|President

!scope="col"|Term in office

!scope="col"|Vice-president

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|1

|data-sort-value="Wharton, Thomas"|75px

|Thomas Wharton Jr.

| – May 23, 1778

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|2

|data-sort-value="Bryan, George"|75px

|George Bryan

|rowspan="3"||name=limits-1776

|

|- style="height:2em;"

|

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|4

|data-sort-value="Moore, William"|75px

|William Moore

|rowspan="3"|

| 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. 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. The 1874 constitution lengthened the term to four years, and prohibited governors from succeeding themselves. The current constitution of 1968 changed this to allow governors to serve two consecutive terms, with no lifetime limit.

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. Should both offices be vacant, the president pro tempore of the state senate becomes governor. 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.

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible sticky-header-multi" style="text-align:center;"

|+ Governors of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

!scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|

!scope="colgroup" colspan="3"|Governor

!scope="col"|Term in office

!scope="col"|Party

!scope="col"|Election

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"|Lt. Governor

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="3" scope="rowgroup"|1

|rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Mifflin, Thomas"|75px

|style="background:;"| 

|rowspan="3"|Thomas Mifflin – December 17, 1799

|None

|1790

|rowspan="30" colspan="2" style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Office did not exist

|- style="height:2em;"

|rowspan="4" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|Democratic- Republican

|1793

|- style="height:2em;"

|1796

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="3" scope="rowgroup"|2

|rowspan="3" data-sort-value="McKean, Thomas"|75px

|rowspan="3"|Thomas McKean

|rowspan="3"| – December 20, 1808

|rowspan="2"|Democratic- Republican

|1799

|- style="height:2em;"

|1802

|- style="height:2em;"

|rowspan="1" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="1"|Constitutionalist

|1805

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="3" scope="rowgroup"|3

|rowspan="3" data-sort-value="Snyder, Simon"|75px

|rowspan="4" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="3"|Simon Snyder

|rowspan="3"| – December 16, 1817

|rowspan="3"|Democratic- Republican

|1808

|- style="height:2em;"

|1811

|- style="height:2em;"

|1814

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|4

|data-sort-value="Findlay, William"|75px

|William Findlay

| – December 19, 1820

|Democratic- Republican

|1817

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|5

|data-sort-value="Hiester, Joseph"|75px

|rowspan="1" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|Joseph Hiester

| – December 16, 1823

|Federalist

|1820

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|6

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Shulze, John"|75px

|rowspan="1" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|John Andrew Shulze

|rowspan="2"| – December 15, 1829

|rowspan="1"|Democratic- Republican

|1823

|- style="height:2em;"

|rowspan="1" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="1"|Jacksonian

|1826

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|7

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Wolf, George"|75px

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|George Wolf

|rowspan="2"| – December 15, 1835

|rowspan="2"|Democratic

|1829

|- style="height:2em;"

|1832

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|8

|data-sort-value="Ritner, Joseph"|75px

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|Joseph Ritner

| – January 15, 1839

|Anti-Masonic

|1835

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|9

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Porter, David"|75px

|rowspan="4" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|David R. Porter

|rowspan="2"| – January 21, 1845

|rowspan="2"|Democratic

|1838

|- style="height:2em;"

|1841

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|10

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Shunk, Francis"|75px

|rowspan="2"|Francis R. Shunk

|rowspan="2"| – July 9, 1848

|rowspan="2"|Democratic

|1844

|- style="height:2em;"

|1847

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|11

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Johnston, William"|75px

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|William F. Johnston

|rowspan="2"| – January 20, 1852

|rowspan="2"|Whig

|style="background:#EEEEEE;"|

|- style="height:2em;"

|1848

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|12

|data-sort-value="Bigler, William"|75px

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|William Bigler

| – January 16, 1855

|Democratic

|1851

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|13

|data-sort-value="Pollock, James"|75px

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|James Pollock

| – January 19, 1858

|Whig

|1854

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|14

|data-sort-value="Packer, William"|75px

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|William F. Packer

| – January 15, 1861

|Democratic

|1857

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|15

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Curtin, Andrew"|75px

|rowspan="7" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|Andrew Gregg Curtin

|rowspan="2"| – January 15, 1867

|rowspan="2"|Republican

|1860

|- style="height:2em;"

|1863

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|16

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Geary, John"|75px

|rowspan="2"|John W. Geary

|rowspan="2"| – January 21, 1873

|rowspan="2"|Republican

|1866

|- style="height:2em;"

|1869

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|17

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Hartranft, John"|75px

|rowspan="2"|John F. Hartranft

|rowspan="2"| – January 21, 1879

|rowspan="2"|Republican

|1872

|- style="height:2em;"

|1875

|rowspan="2" style="background: ;"| 

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|18

|data-sort-value="Hoyt, Henry"|75px

|Henry M. Hoyt

| – January 16, 1883

|Republican

|1878

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|19

|data-sort-value="Pattison, Robert"|75px

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|Robert E. Pattison

| – January 18, 1887

|Democratic

|1882

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|20

|data-sort-value="Beaver, James"|75px

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|James A. Beaver

| – January 20, 1891

|Republican

|1886

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|19

|data-sort-value="Pattison, Robert"|75px

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|Robert E. Pattison – January 15, 1895

|Democratic

|1890

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|21

|data-sort-value="Hastings, Daniel"|75px

|rowspan="10" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|Daniel H. Hastings

| – January 17, 1899

|Republican

|1894

|rowspan="10" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|22

|data-sort-value="Stone, William"|75px

|William A. Stone

| – January 20, 1903

|Republican

|1898

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|23

|data-sort-value="Pennybacker, Samuel"|75px

|Samuel W. Pennypacker

| – January 15, 1907

|Republican

|1902

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|24

|data-sort-value="Stuart, Edwin"|75px

|Edwin Sydney Stuart

| – January 17, 1911

|Republican

|1906

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|25

|data-sort-value="Tener, John"|75px

|John K. Tener

| – January 19, 1915

|Republican

|1910

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|26

|data-sort-value="Brumbaugh, Martin"|75px

|Martin Grove Brumbaugh

| – January 21, 1919

|Republican

|1914

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|27

|data-sort-value="Sproul, William"|75px

|William Cameron Sproul

| – January 16, 1923

|Republican

|1918

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|28

|data-sort-value="Pinchot, Gifford"|75px

|Gifford Pinchot

| – January 18, 1927

|Republican

|1922

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|29

|data-sort-value="Fisher, John"|75px

|John Stuchell Fisher

| – January 20, 1931

|Republican

|1926

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|28

|data-sort-value="Pinchot, Gifford"|75px

|Gifford Pinchot – January 15, 1935

|Republican

|1930

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|30

|data-sort-value="Earle, George"|75px

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|George Howard Earle III

| – January 17, 1939

|Democratic

|1934

|style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|31

|data-sort-value="James, Arthur"|75px

|rowspan="5" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|Arthur James

| – January 19, 1943

|Republican

|1938

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|32

|data-sort-value="Martin, Edward"|75px

|Edward Martin

| – January 2, 1947

|Republican

|1942

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|33

|data-sort-value="Bell, John"|75px

|John C. Bell Jr.

| – January 21, 1947

|Republican

|style="background:#EEEEEE;"|

|colspan="2" style="background:#EEEEEE;"|Vacant

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|34

|data-sort-value="Duff, James"|75px

|James H. Duff

| – January 16, 1951

|Republican

|1946

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|35

|data-sort-value="Fine, Jonh"|75px

|John S. Fine

| – January 18, 1955

|Republican

|1950

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|36

|data-sort-value="Leader, George"|75px

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|George M. Leader

| – January 20, 1959

|Democratic

|1954

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|37

|data-sort-value="Lawrence, David"|75px

|David L. Lawrence

| – January 15, 1963

|Democratic

|1958

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|38

|data-sort-value="Scranton, William"|75px

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|William Scranton

| – January 17, 1967

|Republican

|1962

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|- style="height:2em;"

!scope="row"|39

|data-sort-value="Shafer, Raymond"|75px

|Raymond P. Shafer

| – January 19, 1971

|Republican

|1966

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|40

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Shapp, Milton"|75px

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|Milton Shapp

|rowspan="2"| – January 16, 1979

|rowspan="2"|Democratic

|1970

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|

|- style="height:2em;"

|1974

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|41

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Thornburgh, Dick"|75px

|rowspan="2" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|Dick Thornburgh

|rowspan="2"| – January 20, 1987

|rowspan="2"|Republican

|rowspan="2"| – January 17, 1995

|rowspan="2"|Democratic

|- style="height:2em;"

|1990

|- style="height:2em;"

!rowspan="2" scope="rowgroup"|43

|rowspan="2" data-sort-value="Ridge, Tom"|75px

|rowspan="3" style="color:inherit;background: ;"|

|rowspan="2"|Tom Ridge

|rowspan="2"| – October 5, 2001