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Home | Political post | Governor of New Hampshire
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The governor is elected at the biennial state general election in November of even-numbered years. New Hampshire is one of only two states, along with bordering Vermont, to hold gubernatorial elections every two years as opposed to every four. Currently, the governor is Democrat John Lynch from Hopkinton, who has served since 2005 and is the state's eightieth governor. In New Hampshire, the governor has no term limit of any kind, but no governor had served more than three terms since the 18th century (when the term was for only one year) until John Lynch won an unprecedented fourth two-year term on November 2, 2010. John Taylor Gilman was the last governor to serve longer than six years, serving 14 one-year terms as governor between 1794 and 1816. Unlike in many other states in which Executive Councils are merely advisory, the Executive Council of New Hampshire has a strong check on the governor's power. The five-member Executive Council has a veto over many actions of the governor. Together, the Governor and Executive Council approve contracts with a value of $5,000 or more, approve pardons, and appoint the directors and commissioners, judges, the Attorney General and officers in the National Guard. The governor has the sole power to veto bills and to command the state National Guard. |
