Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
| Virginia Lieutenant Governor | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| 2012 FY Budget: | $323,803 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Virginia Constitution, Article V, Section 13 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder | |
 | |
| Name: | Bill Bolling |
| Officeholder Party: | Republican |
| Assumed office: | January 14, 2006 |
| Compensation: | $36,321 |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 5, 2013 |
| Last election: | November 2009 |
| Other Virginia Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
Contents |
Current officer
- See also: Current Lieutenant Governors
The 39th and current lieutenant governor is Bill Bolling, a Republican elected in 2005 and 2009.[1]
Authority
The state Constitution addresses the office of the lieutenant governor Article V, the Executive.
Under Article V, Section 13:
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A Lieutenant Governor shall be elected at the same time and for the same term as the Governor, and his qualifications and the manner and ascertainment of his election, in all respects, shall be the same, except that there shall be no limit on the terms of the Lieutenant Governor. |
Qualifications
In order to be eligible for the office of lieutenant governor, a candidate must be:
- a United States citizen
- a resident of Virginia for at least five years at the time of the election
- a qualified elector of Virginia for at least one year preceding the election
- at least 30 years old
Elections
- See also: Gubernatorial election cycles by state
- See also: Election of lieutenant governors
Virginia belongs to the handful of states that hold off-year elections, that is, elections in off-numbered years that are neither Presidential nor midterm years. In Virginia's case, elections are held in the year after a Presidential and before a midterm; thus, 2009, 2013, 2017, and 2021 are all lieutenant gubernatorial election years. Legally, the inauguration is always held the second Wednesday in the January after an election. Thus, January 8, 2014 and January 10, 2018 are inaugural days.
By law, lieutenant governors are elected in separate elections from governors in both the primary and general elections. This means it is possible to have a partisan split in the Executive office.
In the event of a tie between two candidates or a contested election, a joint session of the legislature shall cast ballots.
Success running for governor
An April 2013 article in Governing looked at how successful lieutenant governors have been in their bids for the governorship. Their research showed that since the early 1990s they made 55 attempts for the top post, of which 17 won and 38 lost - a winning percentage of 31 percent.[2]
Virginia stood out among the states, where incumbent lieutenant governors won four of the nine races for governor since 1977. State term-limits allow governors only one term in office and provide lieutenant governors with an advantage. University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato explained the situation, stating, "It's a part-time, poorly paid post whose occupants mainly spend their time running for governor." And due to Virginia's system, he added, "being seen as in the wings is a big plus."[2]
Vacancies
Details of vacancies are addressed under Article V, Section 7.
A vacancy in the Lieutenant Governor's office is filled by the Governor.
Duties
The lieutenant governor serves as the president of the Senate of Virginia and is first in the line of succession to the governor; in the event the governor dies, resigns, or otherwise leaves office, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.
He serves as the President of the Senate but only has a vote in cases of a tie. (§ 14)
State budget
The budget for the Lieutenant Governor's Office in Fiscal Year 2012 was $323,803.[3]
Compensation
The lieutenant governor's pay is set by law and may not be increased or diminished effective during the current term.
As of 2010, the lieutenant governor is paid $36,321 a year, the 40th highest lieutenant gubernatorial salary in America.
Contact information
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Physical Address: |
Mailing Address: |
Phone:804-786-2078 |
See also
- Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling
- Governor of Virginia
- Governor Bob McDonnell
- Virginia Attorney General
- Virginia Secretary of State
External links
References
Portions of this article were adapted from Wikipedia.
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