Joseph "Joe" Manchin III (born August 24, 1947) is an American politician from the State of West Virginia. Manchin was elected Governor of West Virginia in the 2004 election and took office on January 17, 2005; he was reelected in 2008. He is a member of the Democratic Party and the scion of a large Democratic political family in his home state.

Manchin was born in Farmington, West Virginia in 1947, second of five children. He graduated from Farmington High School in 1965. His grandparents were Italian immigrants.

Manchin entered West Virginia University on a football scholarship in 1965; however, an injury during practice ended his football career. He graduated in 1970 with a degree in information management and later became involved in several family owned businesses.