List of governors of Pennsylvania
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]
Governor of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- Governor (informal)
- The Honorable (formal)
Four years, renewable once consecutively
December 21, 1790
$201,729 (2020)[1]
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.