Pennsylvania Governor

The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to approve or veto bills passed by the Pennsylvania Legislature and to convene the legislature. The governor may grant pardons except in cases of impeachment, but only when recommended by the Board of Pardons.
The first constitution in 1776 created the Supreme Executive Council as the executive branch, with the President as its head. The president was chosen annually by the council, though with no specific term dates. The 1790 constitution abolished the council and replaced the president with a governor, and established a three-year term for governor commencing on the third Tuesday of the December following the election, with governors not allowed to serve more than nine out of any twelve years. The 1838 constitution moved the start of the term to the third Tuesday of the January following the election, and allowed governors to only serve six out of any nine years. The 1874 constitution lengthened the term to four years, and prohibited governors from succeeding themselves. The current constitution of 1968 changed this to allow governors to serve two consecutive terms. There are no limits on the number of terms a governor may serve in total as long as there is a four year break after a second term.
If the office of governor becomes vacant through death, resignation, or conviction on impeachment, the lieutenant 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 the state senate becomes governor.

The position of lieutenant governor was created in the 1874 constitution; prior to then, the speaker of the senate would act as governor in cases of vacancy. Originally, the lieutenant governor could only act as governor; it was not until the 1968 constitution that the lieutenant governor could actually become governor in that fashion.

Governors and lieutenant governors are elected on the same ticket. The original 1776 constitution created the position of "vice-president", though no provision was made if the office of president became vacant, which occurred four times. Contemporary sources continue to label the chief executive in such times as the vice president, without any notion of succeeding to the presidency.One acting president, George Bryan, has since been recognized as a full-fledged governor, due to his acting as president for over six months. The office of governor has been vacant for an extended period once, a 17-day gap in 1848 between the death of the previous governor and the swearing in of his acting successor.
There have been seven presidents and 45 governors of Pennsylvania, with two governors serving non-consecutive terms, totalling 54 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.

Bell, Jr., who served only 19 days as acting governor after his predecessor resigned. The current governor is Ed Rendell, whose second term began on January 16, 2007.


Governors


Benjamin Franklin, sixth President of Pennsylvania, and first U.S.

Postmaster General



Thomas Mifflin, last President and first Governor of Pennsylvania



Thomas McKean, second Governor of Pennsylvania, President of Delaware, and President of the Continental Congress



John W. Geary, 16th Governor of Pennsylvania, and first mayor of San Francisco, California



Dick Thornburgh, 41st Governor of Pennsylvania, and U.S.Attorney General



Tom Ridge, 43rd Governor of Pennsylvania, and first U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security

Pennsylvania was one of the original thirteen colonies, and was admitted as a state on December 12, 1787.

Shunk's resignation, an interregnum of 17 days occurred before the speaker of the state senate, William F. Since Hartranft was originally elected under the previous constitution, he was allowed to succeed himself.

Singel acted as governor until Casey resumed the powers and duties of the office six months later on December 13, 1993. The most recent death of a former governor was that of Raymond P.