Governor of Virginia

The Governor of Virginia is the head of government of the U.S. state of Virginia, the head of the executive branch of Virginia's state government, and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The officeholder has a duty to enforce state laws, to convene the Virginia State Legislature, the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the legislature, as well as to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.
There have been 12 Governors of Virginia. 4 Independents, 4 Democratic-Republicans, 2 Constitutional Democrats, 2 Patriots, 1 Federalist, and 1 Democrat.
Horatio Gates has been the longest serving Governor, serving 1,514 days in office.
==Governors==
Governors of Virginia
No.	Governorship	Governor	Governor	Prior Office 	Party	Party 	Election
1 	July 6, 1776
-
June 1, 1779	 	
===Patrick Henry===	Member of the Virginia House of Burgesses 	 	Independent 	1776
1 	July 6, 1776
-
June 1, 1779	 	
===Patrick Henry===	Member of the Virginia House of Burgesses 	 	Independent 	1777
1 	July 6, 1776
-
June 1, 1779	 	
===Patrick Henry===	Member of the Virginia House of Burgesses 	 	Independent 	1778
2 	June 1, 1779
-
November 30, 1782	 	
===Thomas Jefferson===	Member of the Virginia House of Delegates 	 	Independent 	1779
2 	June 1, 1779
-
November 30, 1782	 	
===Thomas Jefferson===	Member of the Virginia House of Delegates 	 	Independent 	1780
2 	June 1, 1779
-
November 30, 1782	 	
===Thomas Jefferson===	Member of the Virginia House of Delegates 	 	Democratic-Republican 	1781
3 	November 30, 1782
-
December 1, 1785	 	
===Benjamin Harrison V===	Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates 	 	Independent 	1782
3 	November 30, 1782
-
December 1, 1785	 	
===Benjamin Harrison V===	Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates 	 	Independent 	1783
3 	November 30, 1782
-
December 1, 1785	 	
===Benjamin Harrison V===	Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates 	 	Independent 	1784
4 	December 1, 1785
-
December 1, 1787	 	
===Patrick Henry===	Former Governor 	 	Independent 	1785
4 	December 1, 1785
-
December 1, 1787	 	
===Patrick Henry===	Former Governor 	 	Independent 	1786
5 	December 1, 1787
-
November 30, 1788	 	
===Thomas Jefferson===	Minister to France 	 	Democratic-Republican 	1787
6 	November 30, 1788
-
December 1, 1791	 	
===James Monroe===	Former Delegate to the Congress of Confederation	 	Democratic-Republican 	1788
6 	November 30, 1788
-
December 1, 1791	 	
===James Monroe===	Former Delegate to the Congress of Confederation	 	Democratic-Republican 	1789
6 	November 30, 1788
-
December 1, 1791	 	
===James Monroe===	Former Delegate to the Congress of Confederation	 	Democratic-Republican 	1790
7 	December 1, 1791
-
March 4, 1795	 	
===Henry Lee III===	Former Delegate to the Congress of Confederation	 	Federalist 	1791
7 	December 1, 1791
-
March 4, 1795	 	
===Henry Lee III===	Former Delegate to the Congress of Confederation	 	Federalist 	1792
7 	December 1, 1791
-
March 4, 1795	 	
===Henry Lee III===	Former Delegate to the Congress of Confederation	 	Federalist 	1793
8 	March 4, 1795
-
March 4, 1799	 	
===Robert Brooke===	Member to the Virginia House of Delegates 	 	Democratic-Republican 	1794
8 	March 4, 1795
-
March 4, 1799	 	
===Robert Brooke===	Member to the Virginia House of Delegates 	 	Democratic 	1794
9 	March 4, 1799
-
July 26, 1800	 	
===Fring Gus===	U.S. Representative 	 	Patriot 	1798
10 	July 26, 1800
-
January 3, 1802	 	
===Aaron Sawyer===	Lieutenant Governor of Virginia 	 	Patriot 	Appointed
11 	February 16, 1802
-
April 10, 1806	 	
===Horatio Gates===	Major General 	 	Constitutional Democratic	Appointed
11 	February 16, 1802
-
April 10, 1806	 	
===Horatio Gates===	Major General 	 	Constitutional Democratic	1802
12 	April 10, 1806
-
Present	 	
===James Wood===	Lieutenant Governor of Virginia 	 	Constitutional Democratic	Appointed