Article XVII.

And this convention doth further, in the name and by the authority of the good people of this state, ORDAIN, DETERMINE, AND DECLARE, That the supreme executive power, and authority of this state, shall be vested in a governor; and that steadily once in every three years, and as often as the seat of government shall become vacant, a wise and discreet freeholder of this state shall be by ballot elected governor, by the freeholders of this state, qualified as before described to elect senators; which elections shall be always held at the times and places of choosing representatives in assembly for each respective county; and that the person who hath the greatest number of votes within the said state, shall be the governor thereof.