Governor of Pennsylvania

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Pennsylvania Governor

Seal of Pennsylvania.svg.png

General information
Office Type:  Partisan
Office website:  Official Link
Compensation:  $213,026
2024 FY Budget:  $8,139,000
Term limits:  Two consecutive terms
Structure
Length of term:   4 years
Authority:  Pennsylvania Constitution, Article IV, Section 2
Selection Method:  Elected
Current Officeholder

Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro
Democratic Party
Assumed office: January 17, 2023

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

The Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is an elected constitutional officer, the head of the executive branch and the highest state office in Pennsylvania. 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 a trifecta. 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 a triplex. The Democratic Party controls the offices of governor and attorney general, while the Republican Party controls the office of secretary of state.

See also: Pennsylvania State Legislature, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Pennsylvania State Senate

Current officer

The 48th and current governor is Josh Shapiro, a Democrat elected in 2022. Shapiro began his first term in office on January 17, 2023, succeeding Democrat Tom Wolf.

Authority

The state Constitution addresses the office of the governor in Article IV, the Executive Department.

Under Article IV, Section 2:

The supreme executive power shall be vested in the Governor...[1]

Qualifications

State Executives
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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

See also: How gubernatorial vacancies are filled


Details of vacancy appointments are addressed under Article IV, Section 13 and 14.

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 Senate becomes Governor. The position of Lieutenant Governor was created in the 1874 state constitution; prior to then, the Speaker of the Senate would act as governor in cases of vacancy.

Duties

The Governor is the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces (§ 7). The governor has a duty to enforce state laws (§ 2), the power to approve or veto bills passed by the Pennsylvania 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 the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney 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 the General 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 state government organizational chart

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

See also: States with gubernatorial 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.
Governor of Pennsylvania Partisanship.PNG

2022

See also: Pennsylvania gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2022

General election

General election for Governor of Pennsylvania

Josh Shapiro defeated Doug Mastriano, Matt Hackenburg, Christina Digiulio, and Joseph Soloski in the general election for Governor of Pennsylvania on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Josh Shapiro
Josh Shapiro (D)
 
56.5
 
3,031,137
Image of Doug Mastriano
Doug Mastriano (R)
 
41.7
 
2,238,477
Image of Matt Hackenburg
Matt Hackenburg (L) Candidate Connection
 
1.0
 
51,611
Image of Christina Digiulio
Christina Digiulio (G) Candidate Connection
 
0.5
 
24,436
Image of Joseph Soloski
Joseph Soloski (Keystone Party of Pennsylvania) Candidate Connection
 
0.4
 
20,518

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 5,366,179
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia 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

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
✔
Image of Josh Shapiro
Josh Shapiro
 
100.0
 
1,227,151

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,227,151
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia 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

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
✔
Image of Doug Mastriano
Doug Mastriano
 
43.8
 
591,240
Image of Lou Barletta
Lou Barletta
 
20.3
 
273,252
Image of Bill McSwain
Bill McSwain
 
15.8
 
212,886
Image of David White
David White
 
9.6
 
129,058
Image of Melissa Hart
Melissa Hart
 
4.1
 
54,752
Image of Joe Gale
Joe Gale
 
2.1
 
27,920
Image of Jake Corman III
Jake Corman III (Unofficially withdrew)
 
1.9
 
26,091
Image of Charlie Gerow
Charlie Gerow
 
1.3
 
17,922
Image of Nche Zama
Nche Zama
 
1.2
 
16,238

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,349,359
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia 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

2018

See also: Pennsylvania gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018

General election

General election for Governor of Pennsylvania

Incumbent Tom Wolf defeated Scott Wagner, Ken Krawchuk, and Paul Glover in the general election for Governor of Pennsylvania on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Tom Wolf
Tom Wolf (D)
 
57.8
 
2,895,652
Image of Scott Wagner
Scott Wagner (R)
 
40.7
 
2,039,882
Image of Ken Krawchuk
Ken Krawchuk (L)
 
1.0
 
49,229
Image of Paul Glover
Paul Glover (G)
 
0.6
 
27,792

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 5,012,555
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia 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.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Pennsylvania

Incumbent Tom Wolf advanced from the Democratic primary for Governor of Pennsylvania on May 15, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Tom Wolf
Tom Wolf
 
100.0
 
749,812

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 749,812
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Pennsylvania

Scott Wagner defeated Paul Mango and Laura Ellsworth in the Republican primary for Governor of Pennsylvania on May 15, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Scott Wagner
Scott Wagner
 
44.3
 
326,612
Image of Paul Mango
Paul Mango
 
36.9
 
271,857
Image of Laura Ellsworth
Laura Ellsworth
 
18.8
 
138,843

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 737,312
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia 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.

Full history

2014

See also: Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 2014

Democrat Tom Wolf won election on November 4, 2014.

Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngTom Wolf/Mike Stack 54.9% 1,920,355
     Republican Tom Corbett/Jim Cawley Incumbent 45.1% 1,575,511
Total Votes 3,495,866
Election results via Pennsylvania Department of State


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, please email us.

State budget

Role in state budget

See also: Pennsylvania state budget and finances

The state operates on an annual budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[2]

  1. Budget instructions are sent to state agencies in August.
  2. State agencies submit their requests to the governor in October.
  3. Agency hearings are held between December and January.
  4. The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the state legislature in February. In a governor's first term, the budget proposal is submitted in March.
  5. The legislature adopts a budget by June 30. A simple majority is required to pass a budget. The fiscal year begins July 1.

Pennsylvania is one of 44 states in which the governor has line 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 2024 was $8,139,000.[4]

Compensation

See also: Comparison of gubernatorial salaries and Compensation of state executive officers

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]

2022

In 2022, the officer's salary was $213,026, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]

2021

In 2021, the governor received a salary of $201,729, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]

2020

In 2020, the governor received a salary of $201,729, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]

2019

In 2019, the governor received a salary of $194,850, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]

2018

In 2018, the governor received a salary of $194,850, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]

2017

In 2017, the governor received a salary of $193,304, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]

2016

In 2016, the governor received a salary of $190,823, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]

2015

In 2015, the governor’s salary was increased to $190,823, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]

2014

In 2014, the governor received a salary of $187,818, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]

2013

In 2013, the governor's salary was $187,256, according to the Council 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.[15]

2010

In 2010, the governor was paid $174,914 a year, the 6th highest gubernatorial salary in America.[16]

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.[17]

History

Partisan balance 1992-2013

Who Runs the States Project
See also: Ballotpedia:Who Runs the States and Ballotpedia:Who Runs the States, Pennsylvania
Partisan breakdown of the Pennsylvania governorship from 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 Republican trifectas 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 the Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Senate and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.

Partisan composition of Pennsylvania state government(1992-2013).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
Chart displaying the partisanship of Pennsylvania government from 1992-2013 and the State Quality of Life Index (SQLI).

State profile

Demographic data for Pennsylvania
 PennsylvaniaU.S.
Total population:12,791,904316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):44,7433,531,905
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)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here 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 census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania voted for the Democratic candidate in five out of the six presidential elections between 2000 and 2020.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot 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.[18]

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, 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 as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang 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

Contact information

Office of the Governor
508 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Phone:717-787-2500
Fax:717-772-8284

See also

Pennsylvania State Executive Elections News and Analysis
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Party control of state government
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State of the state addresses
Partisan composition of governors

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Pennsylvania Legislature, "Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," accessed January 18, 2021
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2021," accessed January 24, 2023
  3. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Separation of Powers: Executive Veto Powers," accessed January 26, 2024
  4. ↑ Pennsylvania Governor's Budget Office, "2023-24 Governor's Executive Budget," accessed December 6, 2023
  5. ↑ Pennsylvania Legislature, "Senate Bill: Act 51 of 1995," accessed January 18, 2021
  6. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
  7. ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
  8. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 18, 2021
  9. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 18, 2021
  10. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 18, 2021
  11. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 18, 2021
  12. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed January 18, 2021
  13. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed January 18, 2021
  14. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 18, 2021
  15. ↑ Council of State Governments, "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries," June 25, 2013
  16. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 18, 2021
  17. ↑ National Governors Association, "Former Pennsylvania Governors," accessed January 18, 2021
  18. ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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