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Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
| Arkansas Lieutenant Governor | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Term limits: | 2 terms |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Arkansas Constitution, Article 6, Section 1 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder | |
 | |
| Name: | Mark Darr |
| Officeholder Party: | Republican |
| Assumed office: | January 11, 2011 |
| Compensation: | $42,219 |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 4, 2014 |
| Last election: | November 2, 2010 |
| Other Arkansas Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Secretary • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Exec. Director • Labor Director • Public Service Commission | |
Contents |
Current officeholder
The current lieutenant governor is Mark Darr, a Republican elected in 2010. He took office in January of the following year. Darr will come up for re-election in November 2014.
Darr is a licensed insurance agent and co-owner of The MAD Pizza Company in Rogers, AK. He earned his bachelor's degree from Ouachita Baptist University. He and his wife, Kim, have two children.
Authority
The Constitution of Arkansas establishes the office of the lieutenant governor in Article VI, the Executive.
Arkansas Constitution, Article 6, Section 1:
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The executive department of this State shall consist of a Governor, Lieutenant Governor... |
Qualifications
| Governors |
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| Current Governors |
| Gubernatorial Elections |
| 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 Lists of candidates |
| Current Lt. Governors |
| Lt. Governor Elections |
| 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 |
| Breaking news |
Per Amendment 6 to the Arkansas Constitution, the lieutenant governor must "possess the same qualifications of eligibility for the office as the Governor."[1] Under Article 6, Section 11 of the Constitution, the governor may not hold any federal office, any civil or military commission, any office in another state, or any other office in Arkansas concurrently with his gubernatorial term. Article 6, Section 5 requires the governor to be at least 30 years old, an American citizen, and a resident of Arkansas for at least seven years on election day.
Constitution of Arkansas, Amendment 6, Section 5
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The Lieutenant Governor shall possess the same qualifications of eligibility for the office as the Governor. |
Constitution of Arkansas, Article 6, Section 11
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No member of Congress, or other person holding office under the authority of this State, or of the United States, shall exercise the office of Governor, except as herein provided. |
Constitution of Arkansas, Article 6, Section 5
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No person shall be eligible to the office of Governor except a citizen of the United States, who shall have attained the age of thirty years, and shall have been seven years a resident of this State. |
Elections
- See also: Gubernatorial election cycles by state
- See also: Election of lieutenant governors
Arkansas elects its lieutenant governors during federal midterm election years (e.g. 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018). Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run on separate tickets, so it is possible for the two officeholders to be members of different parties. Winners assume office on the second Tuesday in January following the election. Thus, January 11, 2011 and January 13, 2015 are inaugural days. If two candidates are tied after the general election, then a joint session of the legislature will choose the winner by simple balloting when the General Assembly convenes.
Term limits
In 1998, Arkansans adopted Amendment 73 to the state constitution, which limited all executive department officers to two terms. Whereas some states allow previous officeholders to run again after spending one term out of office, Arkansas does not.[2]
Vacancies
If the lieutenant governor leaves office, is disabled, or ascends to the office of governor, a special election is held to choose a replacement; the new officeholder serves for a full term, not merely the unexpired term of his predecessor.
Duties
The primary responsibility of the lieutenant governor is to replace a governor who has died, become disabled, or is removed from office. He also serves as president of the Arkansas Senate, though he may cast a vote only in the case of a tie.[3]
Compensation
In 2010, the lieutenant governor was paid $42,219 , the 39th highest lieutenant gubernatorial salary in America. The lieutenant governor's pay is set by law and may not be increased or diminished during his term.
History
The position of lieutenant governor was established by a 1914 constitutional amendment, though the position was vacant until 1927 due to confusion over whether the amendment had actually been passed. The measure had received a narrow plurality of the votes, but not a majority, which was believed to be required for passage at the time. As a result, the speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives ruled the amendment had been defeated. However, it was discovered in 1925 that the Initiative and Referendum amendment of 1910 changed the requirement for passage to a plurality. Consequently, the first election for lieutenant governor took place in 1926.
Contact information
Physical address:
Office of the Lt. Governor
State Capitol, Suite 270
Little Rock, AR 72201-1061
Phone: 501-682-2144
Fax: 501-682-2894
See also
External links
References
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