Governor of Virginia

The Governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Democrat Tim Kaine.

Qualifications

Candidates for Governor must be United States citizens who have resided in Virginia for five years prior to the election in which they are running. The candidates must be at least 30 years of age. Also, Virginia does not allow an incumbent Governor to succeed himself, so the incumbent Governor is barred from running in the election. (A former governor may run again in subsequent gubernatorial elections). As of 2007, Virginia is the only state in the U.S. in which governors cannot serve consecutive terms.

Duties

The Governor is required to live in the seat of government of Virginia. At every regular session, he must report the state of the Commonwealth to the General Assembly, Virginia's legislature. He must also convene the legislature when two-thirds of each house calls for a special session. The Governor must ensure that the laws of the Commonwealth are faithfully executed and is responsible for the safety of the state, as he serves as commander-in-chief of the Virginia Militia. The salary for Governor is $135,000.

Powers

*The Governor has the legislative power to submit recommendations and to call special sessions when he finds them necessary.

*The Governor has veto powers. All bills must be sent to the Governor before becoming law. The Governor may sign the bill, let it sit unsigned for seven days after which it becomes law, or veto the legislation. After a veto, the bill returns to its house of origin and may be overridden by two-thirds of the vote in each house.

*The Governor also has the power to use a line-item veto. He may send legislation back to the legislature with recommendations and amendments. The legislature must either approve the changes by a majority in each house, or override the veto with a two-thirds majority in each house.

*The Governor is commander-in-chief of Virginia's armed forces.

*The Governor may also communicate with other States and foreign powers.

*The Governor has the power to fill vacancies in positions unless the position is appointed by the legislature.

*The Governor may commute fines or sentences and issue pardons. The Governor may also restore voting rights and overturn other political penalties on individuals.

History

The position of Governor of Virginia dates back to the first permanent English settlement in America, Jamestown. The Virginia Company of London set up a government run by a council. The President of the Council basically served as governor. The council was based in London and controlled the colony from afar. Nominally, Thomas Smith was the first President of the Council, but he never left England. Edward Maria Wingfield was the first President of the Council in residence, making him the first to exercise the actual authority of governing Virginia. The Virginia Company abandoned governance by council May 23, 1609, and replacing it with a Governor, John Smith. [http://www.apva.org/history/timeline.html]

In 1624, the English Monarchy took control from the Virginia Company and made Virginia a crown colony. Governors continued to be appointed by the monarch for many years. Most often, the appointed Governor would reside in England while a Deputy or Lieutenant Governor actually exercised authority. Royal rule was interrupted during the English Civil War after which Governors were appointed by the Commonwealth of England until the English Restoration. Virginia became an independent state during the American Revolution with Patrick Henry as its first Governor.

From the Revolution until 1851, the Governor was elected by the state legislature. After 1851, the state turned to popular elections.

During the American Civil War, Francis Harrison Pierpont was the Governor of the Union-controlled parts of the state. Pierpont also served as one of the provisional Governors during Reconstruction. These governors were appointed by the Federal government. In 1874, Virginia regained its right to self-governance and elected James L. Kemper as Governor. After Reconstruction, Virginia would not elect a Republican as Governor until A. Linwood Holton Jr. in 1969.

Douglas Wilder became the first elected and only the second African-American Governor of any U.S. state. He served as Governor from 1990-1994. (Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback (May 10, 1837 – December 21, 1921) was the first African-American to become governor of a U.S. state. Pinchback, a Republican, served as the governor of Louisiana for thirty-five days, from December 9, 1872, to January 13, 1873.)

Ever since 1851, Virginia's gubernatorial elections have been held in "off-off" years—years in which there are no national (presidential, senatorial, or House) elections; Virginia's gubernatorial elections are held one year after U.S. presidential elections (2001, 2005, 2009, etc.). (Most states hold gubernatorial elections either on presidential-election years or on "off" years, when there are congressional elections.) This fact, coupled with the no-consecutive-terms rule, has been charged with limiting interest and voter turnout in gubernatorial elections in Virginia. There are never incumbents in the race, and voters are always being introduced to new politicians, so they often choose between two little-known politicians every four years. The no-consecutive-terms rule also, some argue, makes it very difficult for the state's chief executive to make sweeping changes in four short years.

Tim Kaine was inaugurated on January 14, 2006. Due to renovations on the Capitol in Richmond, his inauguration was held in Williamsburg, making him the first Governor to be inaugurated in Williamsburg since Thomas Jefferson in 1779.

Style

Unlike most other states where governors are referred to as "The Honorable", the Governor of Virginia is referred to as "His Excellency".Fact|date=August 2008

See also

*List of Governors of Virginia
*List of colonial governors of Virginia