Governor/ˈɡʌvərnər/ Definition 1 of 4Pro Tip 1/3Political Authority Governor refers to the highest-ranking official in a state, not necessarily the national leader. The governor will be attending the conference. Pro Tip 2/3Legal Power A governor has the power to sign bills into state law and manage the state's executive branch. The governor signed the new traffic law yesterday. Pro Tip 3/3Elected Position Governors are typically elected by the people of a state for a fixed term. She's running for governor next year.