Governor of Pennsylvania
| Pennsylvania Governor | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $229,642 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $11,634,000 |
| Term limits: | Two consecutive terms |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Pennsylvania Constitution, Article IV, Section 2 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 3, 2026 |
| Last election: | November 8, 2022 |
| Other Pennsylvania Executive Offices | |
| Governor •Lieutenant Governor •Secretary of State •Attorney General •Treasurer •Auditor •Superintendent of Education •Agriculture Commissioner •Insurance Commissioner •Natural Resources Commissioner •Labor Commissioner •Public Service Commission | |
TheGovernor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is an elected constitutional officer, the head of the executive branch and the highest state office inPennsylvania. The Governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and is limited to two consecutive terms.[1]
Pennsylvania has a divided government where neither party holds atrifecta. The Democratic Party controls the office of governor and the lower chamber of the state legislature, while the Republican Party controls the upper chamber of the state legislature.
Pennsylvania has a divided government where neither party holds atriplex. The Democratic Party controls the office of governor, while the Republican Party controls the offices of attorney general and secretary of state.
Current officeholder
The current Governor of Pennsylvania isJosh Shapiro (D). Shapiro assumed office in 2023.
Authority
Thestate Constitution addresses the office of the governor inArticle IV, the Executive Department.
Under Article IV, Section 2:
The supreme executive power shall be vested in the Governor...[1] |
Qualifications
A candidate for the governor must be:
- a citizen of the United States
- at least 30 years old
- a resident of Pennsylvania for at least seven years
Additionally, the governor may not hold Congressional office, any other office under the Commonwealth, or any federal office. The exception is that the governor may be a reserve member of the National Guard.[1]
Vacancies
Details of vacancy appointments are addressed underArticle IV, Section 13 and 14.
If the office of Governor becomes vacant through death, resignation, or conviction on impeachment, theLieutenant 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 theSenate becomes Governor. The position of Lieutenant Governor was created in the 1874state constitution; prior to then, the Speaker of theSenate would act as governor in cases of vacancy.
Duties
The Governor is the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces (§ 7). Thegovernor has a duty to enforce state laws (§ 2), the power to approve or veto bills passed by thePennsylvania Legislature subject to a two-thirds override (§ 15), and to convene the legislature for extraordinary sessions (§ 12).
The governor may grant pardons, reprieves, and commutations except in cases of impeachment, but only when recommended by the Board of Pardons (§ 9). The Board of Pardons consists of theLieutenant Governor, theAttorney General, and three gubernatorial appointees, each of whom must be confirmed by a two-third vote of the Senate and who serve a six year term.
Other duties and privileges of the office include:
- Appointing the Secretary of Education and all other offices not otherwise provided for, subject to the advice and two-third consent of the Senate (§ 8)
- Requiring written information from the head of any executive department on any aspect of that department's work (§ 10)
- Periodically addressing theGeneral Assembly on the state of the state and making recommendation for legislation (§ 11)
- Adjourning the legislature when the body cannot agree to do so itself, for a period not to exceed four months (§ 12)
- Convening the Senate by special proclamation for the purposes of transacting executive business (§ 13)
- Vetoing appropriation bills, subject to legislative override (§ 16)
- Signing and sealing, with "The Great Seal of the State of Pennsylvania," all commissions granted by the state of Pennsylvania (§ 19)[1]
Elections
Pennsylvania elects governors in the midterm elections, that is, even years that are not presidential election years. For Pennsylvania, 2018, 2022, 2026, 2030, and 2034 are all gubernatorial election years. Legally, the gubernatorial inauguration is always set for the third Tuesday in the January following an election.
In the event of a tie, a joint session of the legislature shall cast ballots to choose the governor from the two top vote getters.
If an election's outcome is contested, the members of both chambers of the legislature shall select members of the special Commission to resolve the contest.[1]
Term limits
Pennsylvania governors are restricted to two consecutive terms in office, after which they must wait one term before being eligible to run again.
Pennsylvania Constitution, Article IV, Section 3
| Except for the Governor who may be in office when this amendment is adopted, he shall be eligible to succeed himself for one additional term.[1] |
Partisan composition
The chart below shows the partisan breakdown of Pennsylvania governors from 1992 to 2013.
2022
General election
General election for Governor of Pennsylvania
Josh Shapiro defeatedDoug Mastriano,Matt Hackenburg,Christina Digiulio, andJoseph Soloski in the general election for Governor of Pennsylvania on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Josh Shapiro (D) | 56.5 | 3,031,137 |
 | Doug Mastriano (R) | 41.7 | 2,238,477 | |
 | Matt Hackenburg (L)  | 1.0 | 51,611 | |
 | Christina Digiulio (G) | 0.5 | 24,436 | |
 | Joseph Soloski (Keystone Party of Pennsylvania) | 0.4 | 20,518 | |
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 5,366,179 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Eddie Wenrich (Independent)
- Christina Olson (Green Party of Pennsylvania)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Pennsylvania
Josh Shapiro advanced from the Democratic primary for Governor of Pennsylvania on May 17, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Josh Shapiro | 100.0 | 1,227,151 |
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 1,227,151 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Tega Swann (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Pennsylvania
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Pennsylvania on May 17, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Doug Mastriano | 43.8 | 591,240 |
 | Lou Barletta | 20.3 | 273,252 | |
 | Bill McSwain | 15.8 | 212,886 | |
 | David White | 9.6 | 129,058 | |
 | Melissa Hart | 4.1 | 54,752 | |
 | Joe Gale | 2.1 | 27,920 | |
 | Jake Corman III (Unofficially withdrew) | 1.9 | 26,091 | |
 | Charlie Gerow | 1.3 | 17,922 | |
 | Nche Zama | 1.2 | 16,238 | |
| There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 1,349,359 | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jason Monn (R)
- Guy Ciarrocchi (R)
- Scott Martin (R)
- Jason Richey (R)
- John Ventre (R)
Past elections
Divisions
Note:Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for information that describes the divisions (if any exist) of a state executive office. That information for the Governor of Pennsylvania has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, pleaseemail us.
State budget
Role in state budget
The state operates on an annual budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[2]
- Budget instructions are sent to state agencies inAugust.
- State agencies submit their requests to thegovernor inOctober.
- Agency hearings are held betweenDecember and January.
- The governor submits his or her proposed budget to thestate legislature inFebruary. In a governor's first term, the budget proposal is submitted inMarch.
- The legislature adopts a budget byJune 30. A simple majority is required to pass a budget. The fiscal year beginsJuly 1.
Pennsylvania is one of 44 states in which the governor hasline item veto authority.[2][3]
The governor is legally required to submit a balanced budget proposal. Likewise, the legislature is required to pass a balanced budget.[2]
Governor's office budget
The budget for the Governor's office in Fiscal Year 2025 was $11,634,000.[4]
Compensation
The governor's salary is set by statute and subject to cost-of-living adjustments, also known as COLAs, pursuant to Section 3(e) of the Public Official Compensation Law (amended in 1995). This law mandates that Pennsylvania executives' salaries "shall be increased by applying the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland area for the most recent 12-month period for which figures have been officially reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) immediately prior to the date adjustment is due to take effect."[5]
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $229,642, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[6]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $213,026, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[7]
2021
In 2021, the governor received a salary of $201,729, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[8]
2020
In 2020, the governor received a salary of $201,729, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[9]
2019
In 2019, the governor received a salary of $194,850, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[10]
2018
In 2018, the governor received a salary of $194,850, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[11]
2017
In 2017, the governor received a salary of $193,304, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[12]
2016
In 2016, the governor received a salary of $190,823, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[13]
2015
In 2015, the governor’s salary was increased to $190,823, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[14]
2014
In 2014, the governor received a salary of$187,818, according to theCouncil of State Governments.[15]
2013
In 2013, the governor's salary was$187,256, according to theCouncil of State Governments. However, Gov.Corbett refused several cost-of-living adjustments during his tenure, returning the increases to the state, making his actual pay closer to $175,000.[16]
2010
In 2010, the governor was paid $174,914 a year, the 6th highest gubernatorial salary in America.[17]
Historical officeholders
Counting non-consecutive terms, there have been 50 governors of Pennsylvania since 1799. (Otherwise, there have been 48). Of the 48 officeholders, 25 were Republican, 11 were Democratic, 7 were Democratic-Republicans, 1 was a Federalist, 1 was Anti-Masonic, 1 was a Jacksonian Democrat, 1 was a Whig, and 1 was a Whig/Republican.[18]
| List of officeholders from 1799-present | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Tenure | Party | ||
| 1 | Thomas Mifflin | 1788 - 1799 | Federalist | ||
| 2 | Thomas McKean | 1799 - 1808 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 3 | Simon Snyder | 1808 - 1817 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 4 | William Findlay | 1817 - 1820 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 5 | Joseph Hiester | 1820 - 1823 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 6 | John Andrew Shulze | 1823 - 1829 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 7 | George Wolf | 1829 - 1835 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 8 | Joseph Ritner | 1835 - 1839 | Anti-Masonic | ||
| 9 | David Rittenhouse Porter | 1839 - 1845 | Democratic-Republican | ||
| 10 | Francis Rawn Shunk | 1845 - 1848 | Jacksonian Democrat | ||
| 11 | William Freame Johnston | 1848 - 1852 | Whig | ||
| 12 | William Bigler | 1852 - 1855 |  Democratic | ||
| 13 | James Pollock | 1855 - 1858 | Whig/Republican | ||
| 14 | William Fisher Packer | 1858 - 1861 | Democratic | ||
| 15 | Andrew Gregg Curtin | 1861 - 1867 |  Republican | ||
| 16 | John White Geary | 1867 - 1873 | Republican | ||
| 17 | John Frederick Hartranft | 1873 - 1879 | Republican | ||
| 18 | Henry Martyn Hoyt | 1879 - 1883 | Republican | ||
| 19 | Robert Emory Pattison | 1883 - 1887 | Democratic | ||
| 20 | James Addams Beaver | 1887 - 1891 | Republican | ||
| 19 | Robert Emory Pattison | 1891 – 1895 | Democratic | ||
| 21 | Daniel Hartman Hastings | 1895 - 1899 | Republican | ||
| 22 | William Alexis Stone | 1899 - 1903 | Republican | ||
| 23 | Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker | 1903 - 1907 | Republican | ||
| 24 | Edwin Sydney Stuart | 1907 - 1911 | Republican | ||
| 25 | John Kinley Tener | 1911 - 1915 | Republican | ||
| 26 | Martin Grove Brumbaugh | 1915 - 1919 | Republican | ||
| 27 | William Cameron Sproul | 1919 - 1923 | Republican | ||
| 28 | Gifford Pinchot | 1923 - 1927 | Republican | ||
| 29 | John Stuchell Fisher | 1927 - 1931 | Republican | ||
| 28 | Gifford Pinchot | 1931 – 1935 | Republican | ||
| 30 | George Howard Earle | 1935 - 1939 | Democratic | ||
| 31 | Arthur Horace James | 1939 - 1943 | Republican | ||
| 32 | Edward Martin | 1943 - 1947 | Republican | ||
| 33 | John Cromwell Bell | 1947 - 1947 | Republican | ||
| 34 | James Henderson Duff | 1947 - 1951 | Republican | ||
| 35 | John Sydney Fine | 1951 - 1955 | Republican | ||
| 36 | George Michael Leader | 1955 - 1959 | Democratic | ||
| 37 | David Leo Lawrence | 1959 - 1963 | Democratic | ||
| 38 | William W. Scranton | 1963 - 1967 | Republican | ||
| 39 | Raymond Philip Shafer | 1967 - 1971 | Republican | ||
| 40 | Milton Jerrold Shapp | 1971 - 1979 | Democratic | ||
| 41 | Dick Thornburgh | 1979 - 1987 | Republican | ||
| 42 | Robert P. Casey | 1987 - 1995 | Democratic | ||
| 43 | Tom Ridge | 1995 - 2001 | Republican | ||
| 44 | Mark Schweiker | 2001 - 2003 | Republican | ||
| 45 | Edward G. Rendell | 2003 - 2011 | Democratic | ||
| 46 | Tom Corbett | 2011 – 2015 | Republican | ||
| 47 | Tom Wolf | 2015 – 2023 | Democratic | ||
| 48 | Josh Shapiro | 2023 – present | Democratic | ||
History
Partisan balance 1992-2013
From 1992-2013, in Pennsylvania there were Democratic governors in office for 11 years while there were Republican governors in office for 11 years, including the last three. Pennsylvania was under Republicantrifectas for the last three years of the study period.
Across the country, there were 493 years of Democratic governors (44.82%) and 586 years of Republican governors (53.27%) from 1992 to 2013.
Over the course of the 22-year study, state governments became increasingly more partisan. At the outset of the study period (1992), 18 of the 49 states with partisan legislatures had single-party trifectas and 31 states had divided governments. In 2013, only 13 states had divided governments, while single-party trifectas held sway in 36 states, the most in the 22 years studied.
The chart below shows the partisan composition of theOffice of the Governor of Pennsylvania, thePennsylvania State Senate and thePennsylvania House of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.
.PNG)
SQLI and partisanship
The chart below depicts the partisanship of Pennsylvania state government and the state's SQLI ranking for the years studied. For the SQLI, the states were ranked from 1-50, with 1 being the best and 50 the worst. Pennsylvania had a Democratic trifecta in 1993, but switched two years later to a Republican trifecta that lasted from 1995-2002. The state had a divided government for many years until a Republican trifecta returned in 2011. Pennsylvania's worst SQLI ranking, finishing 30th, occurred in 1994 during a divided government and in 2012 during a Republican trifecta. The state's best ranking, finishing 19th, occurred from 1999-2000 during a Republican trifecta and again in 2004 during a divided government.
- SQLI average with Democratic trifecta: 25.00
- SQLI average with Republican trifecta: 23.70
- SQLI average with divided government: 25.20
State profile
| Demographic data for Pennsylvania | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 12,791,904 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 44,743 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 81.6% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 11% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 3.1% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.1% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 6.4% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 89.2% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 28.6% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $53,599 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 15.9% | 11.3% |
| Source:U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Clickhere for more information on the 2020 census andhere for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Pennsylvania. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the censushere. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
Pennsylvaniavoted for the Democratic candidate in five out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted forDonald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting forBarack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won thesePivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, three are located in Pennsylvania, accounting for 1.46 percent of the total pivot counties.[19]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won asRetained Pivot Counties and those won byJoe Biden (D) asBoomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Pennsylvania had one Retained Pivot County and two Boomerang Pivot Counties, accounting for 0.55 and 8.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.
More Pennsylvania coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Pennsylvania
- United States congressional delegations from Pennsylvania
- Public policy in Pennsylvania
- Endorsers in Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania fact checks
- More...
Contact information
Office of the Governor
508 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Phone:717-787-2500
Fax:717-772-8284
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑1.01.11.21.31.41.5Pennsylvania Legislature, "Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑2.02.12.2National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2021," accessed January 24, 2023
- ↑National Conference of State Legislatures, "Separation of Powers: Executive Veto Powers," accessed January 26, 2024
- ↑Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, "2024-25 Enacted General Fund Tracking Run," accessed January 22, 2025
- ↑Pennsylvania Legislature, "Senate Bill: Act 51 of 1995," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑Council of State Governments, "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries," June 25, 2013
- ↑Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑National Governors Association, "Former Pennsylvania Governors," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip ofAtlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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