Governor of Virginia

Governor of the
Commonwealth of Virginia
Governor of the; Commonwealth of Virginia
	Seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia
	Flag of the Commonwealth of Virginia
	Incumbent; Abigail Spanberger; since January 17, 2026
	Government of Virginia
Style	Madam Governor; (informal); The Honorable; (formal);
Residence	Virginia Executive Mansion
Seat	Richmond, Virginia
Term length	Four years, non-consecutively
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Virginia
Formation	July 5, 1776
First holder	Patrick Henry
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
Salary	$175,000 (2013)
Website	Official website

The governor of Virginia is the head of government of the U.S. state of Virginia. The governor is head of the executive branch of the state government. The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the Virginia National Guard and Virginia Defense Force.^[2]

Abigail Spanberger is the 75th and current governor of Virginia, in office since January 2026.^[3]

Eligibility & requirements

Section 3 of the state's constitution states for a person to serve as governor must:

be at least thirty years old.
be a United States citizen.
be a registered voter and resident of Virginia for at least five years.^[4]

Election process and terms

The governor is elected to a four-year term on a separate ticket. The candidate must have the majority of the popular vote in order to win the election.

Under the state's constitution, the governor is prevented from elected consecutive terms.^[5]

Power and duties

The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the General Assembly, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.^[6]

List of governors

List of living former governors

Chuck Robb
1982–1986
(1939-06-26) June 26, 1939
Douglas Wilder
1990–1994
(1931-01-17) January 17, 1931
George Allen
1994–1998
(1952-03-08) March 8, 1952
Jim Gilmore
1998–2002
(1949-10-06) October 6, 1949
Mark Warner
2002–2006
(1954-12-15) December 15, 1954
Tim Kaine
2006–2010
(1958-02-26) February 26, 1958
Bob McDonnell
2010–2014
(1954-06-15) June 15, 1954
Terry McAuliffe
2014–2018
(1957-02-09) February 9, 1957
Ralph Northam
2018–2022
(1959-09-13) September 13, 1959
Glenn Youngkin
2022–2026
(1966-12-09) December 9, 1966

References

↑ "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
↑ "Governor of Virginia". www.governor.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
↑ "About the Governor". www.governor.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
↑ "Constitution of Virginia - Article V. Executive". law.lis.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
↑ "Constitution of Virginia - Article V. Executive". law.lis.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
↑ Dinan, John J. (2014). The Virginia State Constitution. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-935572-3.

Other websites

Official site for the Governor of Virginia

[1] "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved November 23, 2014.

[2] "Governor of Virginia". www.governor.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2026-02-14.

[3] "About the Governor". www.governor.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2026-02-14.

[4] "Constitution of Virginia - Article V. Executive". law.lis.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2025-10-17.

[5] "Constitution of Virginia - Article V. Executive". law.lis.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2025-10-17.

[6] Dinan, John J. (2014). The Virginia State Constitution. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-935572-3.

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