<P> The governor serves a four - year term which begins on the second day of January after the year of his election and ends on the date his successor takes office . Consecutive service is unlimited, according to the Constitution of the Island . As an example Luis Muñoz Marín, its first elected governor, served for four consecutive terms from 1949 to 1965; the Constitution of the Commonwealth was ratified by the people of Puerto Rico in 1952 . </P> <P> The governor is elected by a direct vote from the people . The Puerto Rico Elections Code states that if the margin of victory of a candidate is less than 0.5% of the votes a full recount of the election must take place . So far, only in the gubernatorial elections of 1980 and 2004 has a recount taken place . </P> <P> The last elected governor was Ricardo Rosselló who was sworn into office on January 2, 2017 at the age of 37 . </P> <P> Upon the death, resignation, or removal from office (by impeachment and conviction) of a sitting governor, the Secretary of State would then take the office of governor until the end of the four - year term . In case the Secretary of State is unwilling or unable to assume it, the Secretary of Justice would temporarily assume the governorship, followed by the Secretary of Treasury, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Labor and Human Resources, the Secretary of Transportation and Public Works, the Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce, the Secretary of Health and the Secretary of Agriculture, until the Legislative Assembly meets to elect by majority vote of all of its members a governor for the rest of the term . Other provisions exist for the transition between an incumbent governor and a governor - elect . </P>

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