What Does a Governor Do? Powers, Terms and the Veto, Explained With Arizona and Oklahoma
A governor is a state’s chief executive: the official who carries out state law, signs or vetoes bills, proposes a budget and commands the state’s military forces. Each state’s constitution sets the details, so this page works through Arizona’s and Oklahoma’s and compares ten states that elect a governor on November 3, 2026.
- A governor runs the state’s executive branch; the National Governors Association says governors are “responsible for implementing state laws and overseeing the operation of the state executive branch.” [1]
- Every governor can veto a whole bill; Arizona and Oklahoma both let lawmakers override with two-thirds of the members elected to each chamber. [1][5][6]
- A line item veto lets a governor strike individual spending items from an appropriations bill and sign the rest; presidents have no such power. [5][7][8]
- Terms are four years in every state except New Hampshire and Vermont; Arizona allows two consecutive terms and Oklahoma eight years in a lifetime. [1][9][10]
- Arizona’s minimum age is 25 and Oklahoma’s is 31, and both constitutions allow a governor to be impeached. [10][11][20][21]
A governor is the chief executive of a state. The National Governors Association (NGA) puts the job in one sentence: “As state managers, Governors are responsible for implementing state laws and overseeing the operation of the state executive branch.” [1]
The details come from each state’s constitution. This page works through Arizona’s and Oklahoma’s and compares eight other states that elect a governor on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. [2]
What does a governor do?
Arizona’s constitution gives a compact job description. The governor “shall transact all executive business with the officers of the government, civil and military,” “shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed,” “may convene the legislature in extraordinary session,” and must report to lawmakers “at every session the condition of the state.” [3] Most governors hold versions of these powers:
- Signing or vetoing bills. “All 50 state Governors have the power to veto whole legislative measures.” [1]
- Proposing the budget. “Governors develop and submit annual or biennial budgets for review and approval by the legislature.” [1]
- Commanding the state’s forces. Florida’s governor is “commander-in-chief of all military forces of the state not in active service of the United States.” [4]
- Appointing officials. “Most Governors have broad authority to nominate officials to serve in state executive branch positions.” [1]
- Granting clemency. “Virtually every state constitution authorizes the Governor or a board of pardons to grant clemency.” [1]
- Acting in emergencies. Emergency powers are “generally activated through the implementation of a state declaration of emergency or disaster.” [1]
The veto: how a governor blocks a bill and how lawmakers override
In Arizona, a vetoed bill goes back “with his objections, to the house in which it originated,” and still becomes law if it passes again by “two-thirds of the members elected to each house.” [5] Section 7 says it “shall not apply to emergency measures,” which the article on the legislative department addresses. [5] A bill neither signed nor returned within five days, Sundays excepted, becomes law without a signature; after final adjournment the governor has ten days, Sundays excepted, to file a veto. [5] Measures the Legislature refers to the voters cannot be vetoed. [5]
Oklahoma’s override vote is the same, two-thirds of the members elected to each chamber, and its governor also has five days, Sundays excepted, during the session. [6] After adjournment the rule flips: “No bill shall become a law after the final adjournment of the Legislature, unless approved by the Governor within fifteen days after such adjournment.” [6] NGA’s term for that is a pocket veto: in some states, bills “will die (pocket veto) unless the Governor formally signs them.” [1]
What is a line item veto?
A line item veto lets an executive reject part of a bill and sign the rest. NGA describes it as the veto “by which a Governor can strike a general item from a piece of legislation.” [1] In Arizona, Oklahoma and Florida it is confined to spending bills. [4][5][7]
“If any bill presented to the governor contains several items of appropriations of money, he may object to one or more of such items, while approving other portions of the bill.”
Arizona Constitution, Article V, Section 7 [5]
In Arizona, a struck item “shall not take effect unless passed over the governor’s objections.” [5] Oklahoma’s version covers bills “making appropriations of money embracing distinct items”: items the governor does not disapprove “shall have the force and effect of law,” and a disapproved item is void unless repassed by a two-thirds vote, though the section keeps “the requirement of the three-fourths vote” for emergency bills. [7] Florida’s governor “may veto any specific appropriation in a general appropriation bill.” [4]
Presidents have no line item veto. In 1996 Congress approved a Line Item Veto Act that “empowered the President, within five days of signing a bill, to cancel certain spending items and targeted, defined tax benefits,” but in Clinton v. City of New York (1998) “the Supreme Court held the Act unconstitutional because it did not comply with the Presentment Clause.” [8]
How long is a governor’s term?
Four years, with two exceptions. “Gubernatorial terms are four years in every state, commonwealth, and territory, except for New Hampshire and Vermont which have two-year terms.” [1] Every governor but Virginia’s may serve consecutive terms, NGA adds, though states may cap the number of “consecutive or total terms.” [1]
The two states limit terms differently. The version of Arizona’s Article V, Section 1 amended by Proposition 107 in 1992 says: “No member of the executive department shall hold that office for more than two consecutive terms.” Any part of a term counts, and a former governor may return after “no less than one full term” out of office. [9] NGA also lists two consecutive terms for Arizona. [2] Oklahoma’s limit is for life: “No person shall be eligible to serve as Governor for a period of time in excess of eight (8) years. Such years need not be consecutive.” [10] Years served filling a vacancy for less than a full term “shall not be included in the eight-year limitation.” [10]
How old do you have to be to be governor?
It depends on the state. NGA says the minimum age “ranges from no formal provision to age 35.” [1] Arizona requires a governor to be at least 25, a U.S. citizen for ten years and a citizen of Arizona for five. [11] Oklahoma requires a U.S. citizen at least 31 years old who has been “a qualified elector of this state” for ten years. [10] Seven of the other eight states in the table use 30. [4][12][13][14][15][16][17]
| State | Term | Limit on terms | Minimum age | Citizenship and residency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 4 years [9] | Two consecutive terms [9] | 25 [11] | U.S. citizen 10 years; Arizona citizen 5 years [11] |
| Florida | 4 years [4] | No next term after more than six years in two consecutive terms [4] | 30 [4] | Florida elector; resident 7 years [4] |
| Georgia | 4 years [13] | One successive term; eligible again after four years out [13] | 30 [13] | U.S. citizen 15 years; Georgia resident 6 years [13] |
| Iowa | 4 years [2] | No maximum listed by NGA [2] | 30 [14] | U.S. citizen and Iowa resident 2 years [14] |
| Michigan | 4 years [2] | Two terms in a lifetime [2] | 30 [15] | Registered Michigan elector 4 years [15] |
| Nebraska | 4 years [2] | Two consecutive terms [2] | 30 [16] | U.S. citizen, Nebraska resident and citizen 5 years [16] |
| Ohio | 4 years [18] | Two successive terms [18] | None in Art. III, §2 [18] | None in Art. III, §2 [18] |
| Oklahoma | 4 years [10] | Eight years in a lifetime [10] | 31 [10] | U.S. citizen; qualified Oklahoma elector 10 years [10] |
| Pennsylvania | 4 years [17] | One additional successive term [17] | 30 [17] | U.S. citizen; Pennsylvania inhabitant 7 years [17] |
| Texas | 4 years [12] | No maximum listed by NGA [2] | 30 [12] | U.S. citizen; Texas resident 5 years [12] |
As read on September 17, 2026. Texas figures come from the Secretary of State’s qualifications table. [12] Georgia, Iowa, Michigan and Pennsylvania are quoted from Justia’s copies of their constitutions, not state websites. [13][14][15][17] Ohio’s Article III, Section 2 sets terms and limits only; the Ledger did not review the rest of Ohio’s constitution for qualifications. [18]
How much does a governor make?
Pay is set state by state; Georgia’s constitution, for one, says the governor’s compensation “shall be as provided by law.” [13] The most recent Council of State Governments table the Ledger could open, published in 2023, lists $95,000 for Arizona’s governor and $147,000 for Oklahoma’s, and, among the states, a high of $250,000 in New York and a low of $70,000 in Maine. [19] The table’s note says salary information was “current as of January 1, 2022,” so treat the figures as a baseline. [19]
Can a governor be impeached?
Yes, under both constitutions examined here. In Arizona, “The governor and other state and judicial officers, except justices of courts not of record, shall be liable to impeachment for high crimes, misdemeanors, or malfeasance in office.” [20] Conviction takes “a concurrence of two-thirds of the senators elected,” and the judgment reaches only removal from office and disqualification from state office; a criminal trial can still follow. [20]
Oklahoma’s grounds are “wilful neglect of duty, corruption in office, habitual drunkenness, incompetency, or any offense involving moral turpitude committed while in office.” [21] The same section suspends an elected state officer automatically on being declared guilty of a felony. [21] Across the states, NGA says, “In most cases, impeachment requires a majority of members, while conviction generally requires a two-thirds or other special majority.” [1]
Governors on the ballot on November 3, 2026
NGA counts 39 gubernatorial elections in 2026; its list covers 36 states and three territories: Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands. [2] As of September 17, 2026, its table, which shows only major-party candidates for the ten states above, lists Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) and Andy Biggs (R) in Arizona. [2] See the Arizona governor race and the Arizona voting guide.
In Oklahoma, where NGA marks Gov. Kevin Stitt as term-limited, the State Election Board’s November list names Republican Mike Mazzei, Democrat Cyndi Munson and independents Orlando Lynn Bush, Robert E Brooks Sr and Jerry Griffin. [2][22] See who is running for Oklahoma governor, the Oklahoma race page and the Oklahoma voting guide. Candidates in all ten states are in who is running for governor in 2026; for Congress, see what a U.S. senator does.
Questions and answers
What does a governor do?
A governor is a state’s chief executive. The National Governors Association says governors are “responsible for implementing state laws and overseeing the operation of the state executive branch”; they also sign or veto bills and submit budgets to the legislature. [1]
What is a line item veto?
It is the power to reject individual items in a bill while signing the rest. Arizona’s governor may object to “one or more” items in a bill containing “several items of appropriations of money.” [5] Presidents lack the power: the Supreme Court held the federal Line Item Veto Act unconstitutional in 1998. [8]
How long is a governor’s term?
How old do you have to be to be governor?
How much does a governor make?
It varies by state. A Council of State Governments table published in 2023, whose note dates its salary data to January 1, 2022, lists $95,000 for Arizona, $147,000 for Oklahoma, and a range among the states from $70,000 in Maine to $250,000 in New York. [19]
Can a governor be impeached?
Sources
Statutes, election offices and official records anchor this explainer. Numbered references in the text link here.
- 01Governors’ Powers & AuthorityNational Governors Association · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
National overview of what governors do: veto types, budgets, appointments, clemency, term length, age range, impeachment majorities.Independent analysis / professional record - 02Elections (2026 Gubernatorial Elections)National Governors Association · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
39 elections in 2026 (36 states and three territories); for each state the term length, any maximum number of terms and the incumbent; for the ten states here it shows Republican and Democratic entries only, and Oklahoma’s Republican line still read “August 25 Primary Runoff Winner” on Sept. 17, 2026.Independent analysis / professional record - 03Arizona Constitution, Article V, Section 4: Governor; powers and duties; special sessions of legislature; message and recommendationsArizona State Legislature · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
The Arizona governor’s constitutional duties.Government / regulatory record - 04The Florida Constitution (Article III, Section 8; Article IV, Sections 1 and 5)The Florida Senate · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Florida: commander-in-chief clause, four-year term, consecutive-term limit, age 30 and seven years’ residence, veto of specific appropriations.Government / regulatory record - 05Arizona Constitution, Article V, Section 7: Presentation of bills to governor; approval; veto; filing with secretary of state; veto of items in appropriation bills; inapplication of veto power to referred billsArizona State Legislature · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Arizona veto procedure, two-thirds override, five-day and ten-day clocks, item veto of appropriations, no veto of referred measures.Government / regulatory record - 06Oklahoma Constitution, Section VI-11: Approval or veto of bills - Passage over veto - Failure to return billJustia (text of the Oklahoma Constitution) · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Oklahoma veto procedure, two-thirds override, five-day clock, fifteen-day rule after final adjournment.Independent analysis / professional record - 07Oklahoma Constitution, Section VI-12: Appropriation bills - Approval or disapproval - Emergency billsJustia (text of the Oklahoma Constitution) · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Oklahoma’s item veto of appropriation bills; three-fourths vote for emergency bills.Independent analysis / professional record - 08ArtI.S7.C2.3 Line Item VetoConstitution Annotated, Library of Congress (constitution.congress.gov) · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
The federal Line Item Veto Act and Clinton v. City of New York (1998).Government / regulatory record - 09Arizona Constitution, Article V, Section 1: Term limits on executive department and state officers; term lengths; election; residence and office at seat of government; duties (Version amended by 1992 Proposition 107)Arizona State Legislature · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Arizona: four-year term and the two-consecutive-terms limit.Government / regulatory record - 10Oklahoma Candidate Qualifications: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction (2026)Oklahoma State Election Board · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Quotes Oklahoma Constitution Article 6, Sections 3 and 4: age 31, ten years a qualified elector, four-year term, eight-year lifetime limit.Government / regulatory record - 11Arizona Constitution, Article V, Section 2: Eligibility to state officesArizona State Legislature · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Arizona: age 25, ten years a U.S. citizen, five years a citizen of Arizona.Government / regulatory record - 12Qualifications for All Public OfficesTexas Secretary of State · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Texas governor: U.S. citizen, Texas resident five years, minimum age 30 before the date of the general election, four-year term; the table cites Texas Constitution Article IV, Section 4.Government / regulatory record - 13Georgia Constitution, Article V: Executive BranchJustia (text of the Georgia Constitution) · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Georgia: four-year term, one successive term, age 30, citizenship and residency, compensation as provided by law.Independent analysis / professional record - 14Iowa Constitution, Article IV, § 6: EligibilityJustia (text of the Iowa Constitution) · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Iowa: age 30, two years a U.S. citizen and state resident.Independent analysis / professional record - 15Michigan Constitution, Article V, § 22: Governor and lieutenant governor, qualificationsJustia (text of the Michigan Constitution) · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Michigan: age 30 and four years a registered elector.Independent analysis / professional record - 16Nebraska Constitution, Article IV-2: Governor; Lieutenant Governor; eligibility; qualifications; appointive officers, ineligible for other officeNebraska Legislature · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Nebraska: age 30 and five years’ residence and citizenship.Government / regulatory record - 17Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Article IV: The ExecutiveJustia (text of the Pennsylvania Constitution) · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Pennsylvania: four-year term, one additional term, age 30, seven years an inhabitant.Independent analysis / professional record - 18Ohio Constitution, Article III, Section 2: Term of office of key state officersOhio Legislative Service Commission (codes.ohio.gov) · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Ohio: four-year term, two successive terms; the section states no age, citizenship or residency rule.Government / regulatory record - 19The Book of the States, Table 4.3: The Governors: Compensation, Staff, Travel and Residence (data publication year 2023)The Council of State Governments · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Governors’ salaries by state, with the table’s own as-of note.Independent analysis / professional record - 20Arizona Constitution, Article VIII, Part 2, Section 2: Conviction; grounds for impeachment; judgment; liability to trialArizona State Legislature · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Arizona impeachment: grounds, two-thirds of senators elected, limits of the judgment.Government / regulatory record - 21Oklahoma Constitution, Section VIII-1: Officers subject to impeachment - Grounds - Suspension from office upon felony conviction - Reinstatement - Temporary judgesJustia (text of the Oklahoma Constitution) · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Oklahoma impeachment grounds and automatic suspension on a felony verdict.Independent analysis / professional record - 22November / 2026 List of ElectionsOklahoma State Election Board · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
The five candidates for governor of Oklahoma on the November 2026 list.Government / regulatory record
Reviewed . This explainer is general civic information, not legal advice. Election rules change; the official page linked beside each rule is the authority, and the date above is when those pages were last read.