Lieutenant Governor office comparison: Difference between revisions
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{{#setmainimage:StateExecLogo.png}}{{SEO small nav}}{{tnr}}The office of '''Lieutenant Governor''' is an elected statewide executive office in | {{#setmainimage:StateExecLogo.png}}{{SEO small nav}}{{tnr}}The office of '''Lieutenant Governor''' is an elected statewide executive office in 44 states.<ref>''Arizona {{Greener|start=11/03/2026 10:00PM CST|before=is holding|after=held}} its first election for lieutenant governor in 2026 after voters created the office by approving [[Arizona Proposition 131, Create Office of Lieutenant Governor Amendment (2022)|Arizona Proposition 131 in 2022]]. The officeholder elected in [[Arizona gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2026|2026]] {{Greener|start=01/04/2027 2:00PM CST|before=is|after=was}} scheduled to take office on January 4, 2027. Until that date, the office {{Greener|start=01/04/2027 2:00PM CST|before=is|after=was}} empty.''</ref> Two states—[[Tennessee]] and [[West Virginia]]—bestow the title of lieutenant governor on senate presidents. The four states that do not have a lieutenant governor position include [[Lieutenant Governor of Maine|Maine]], [[New Hampshire Lieutenant Governor|New Hampshire]], [[Lieutenant Governor of Oregon|Oregon]], and [[Wyoming Lieutenant Governor|Wyoming]]. | ||
In [[Alaska]], [[Hawaii]], [[New Jersey]], and [[Utah]], the position of lieutenant governor is equivalent to that of [[Secretary of State]]. | In [[Alaska]], [[Hawaii]], [[New Jersey]], and [[Utah]], the position of lieutenant governor is equivalent to that of [[Secretary of State]]. | ||
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==About the office== | ==About the office== | ||
===Elected or Appointed=== | ===Elected or Appointed=== | ||
Only two states do not have direct elections for lieutenant governor—Tennessee and West Virginia. In both states, whoever is elected the President of the State Senate is the de facto Lieutenant Governor. In Tennessee, the full title of this individual is, "Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Senate." West Virginia allows the Senate President to use the title, "Lieutenant Governor."<ref name=2021salary>[https://issuu.com/csg.publications/docs/bos_2021_issuu/150 ''Issuu'', "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022]</ref> | Only two states do not have direct elections for lieutenant governor—Tennessee and West Virginia. In both states, whoever is elected the President of the State Senate is the de facto Lieutenant Governor. In Tennessee, the full title of this individual is, "Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Senate." West Virginia allows the Senate President to use the title, "Lieutenant Governor."<ref name=2021salary>[https://issuu.com/csg.publications/docs/bos_2021_issuu/150 ''Issuu'', "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022]</ref> | ||
{{LtGovSelectionProcess}} | |||
===Qualifications=== | ===Qualifications=== | ||
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<big>'''Minimum age'''</big><br> | <big>'''Minimum age'''</big><br> | ||
44 states have a formal provision specifying minimum age, while two states, [[Kansas]] and [[Massachusetts]], have no formal provision.<ref name="4.13"> [https://issuu.com/csg.publications/docs/bos_2021_issuu/161 ''Issuu'', "The Book of the States 2021, Table 4.13 - Lieutenant Governors: Qualifications and Terms," accessed September 22, 2022]</ref> | |||
Of the | Of the 44 states: | ||
*29 designate an officeholder must be at least 30 years of age | *29 designate an officeholder must be at least 30 years of age | ||
* | *7 require a minimum age of 25. These include [[Arizona]], [[Illinois]], [[Louisiana]], [[Minnesota]], [[Montana]], [[Nevada]], and [[West Virginia]]. | ||
*6 require a minimum age of 18. These include [[California]], [[Ohio]], [[Rhode Island]], [[Vermont]], [[Washington]], and [[Wisconsin]]. | *6 require a minimum age of 18. These include [[California]], [[Ohio]], [[Rhode Island]], [[Vermont]], [[Washington]], and [[Wisconsin]]. | ||
*1, [[South Dakota]], sets the limit at 21. | *1, [[South Dakota]], sets the limit at 21. | ||
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<big>'''State Citizen'''</big><br> | <big>'''State Citizen'''</big><br> | ||
32 states have a formal provision stating a lieutenant governor must be a state citizen, while 14 do not have a formal provision. Of the 32 states, 17 specify the number of years and 15 do not.<ref name="4.13"/> | |||
States that specify the number of years as a state citizen: | States that specify the number of years as a state citizen: | ||
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* 2 years - [[Montana]], [[Nevada]] | * 2 years - [[Montana]], [[Nevada]] | ||
* 4 years - [[Vermont]] | * 4 years - [[Vermont]] | ||
* 5 years - [[Hawaii]], [[Louisiana]], [[Nebraska]], [[North Dakota]], [[South Carolina]], [[West Virginia]] | * 5 years - [[Arizona]], [[Hawaii]], [[Louisiana]], [[Nebraska]], [[North Dakota]], [[South Carolina]], [[West Virginia]] | ||
* 6 years - [[Kentucky]] | * 6 years - [[Kentucky]] | ||
* 7 years - [[Alabama]], [[Alaska]], [[Arkansas]] | * 7 years - [[Alabama]], [[Alaska]], [[Arkansas]] | ||
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<big>'''U.S. citizen'''</big><br> | <big>'''U.S. citizen'''</big><br> | ||
42 states have a formal provision stating a lieutenant governor must be a United States citizen, while four—[[Kansas]], [[Massachusetts]], [[North Dakota]], and [[West Virginia]]—do not have a formal provision. Of the 42 states, 11 specify the number of years and 31 do not.<ref name="4.13"/> | |||
States that specify the number of years as a United States citizen: | States that specify the number of years as a United States citizen: | ||
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*5 years - [[Louisiana]], [[North Carolina]], [[South Carolina]] | *5 years - [[Louisiana]], [[North Carolina]], [[South Carolina]] | ||
*7 years – [[Alaska]] | *7 years – [[Alaska]] | ||
*10 years – [[Alabama]] | *10 years – [[Alabama]], [[Arizona]] | ||
*12 years – [[Delaware]] | *12 years – [[Delaware]] | ||
*15 years – [[Missouri]] | *15 years – [[Missouri]] | ||
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<big>'''State Resident'''</big><br> | <big>'''State Resident'''</big><br> | ||
44 states have a formal provision stating a lieutenant governor must be a state resident, while two—[[Kansas]] and [[North Dakota]]—do not have a formal provision. Of the 44 states, 34 specify the number of years and 10 do not.<ref name="4.13"/> | |||
States that specify the number of years as a state resident: | States that specify the number of years as a state resident: | ||
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*3 years - [[Illinois]], [[Tennessee]] | *3 years - [[Illinois]], [[Tennessee]] | ||
*4 years - [[Michigan]], [[Vermont]] | *4 years - [[Michigan]], [[Vermont]] | ||
*5 years - [[California]], [[Hawaii]], [[Louisiana]], [[Mississippi]], [[Nebraska]], [[New Mexico]], [[New York]], [[South Carolina]], [[Texas]], [[Virginia]], [[West Virginia]] | *5 years - [[Arizona]], [[California]], [[Hawaii]], [[Louisiana]], [[Mississippi]], [[Nebraska]], [[New Mexico]], [[New York]], [[South Carolina]], [[Texas]], [[Virginia]], [[West Virginia]] | ||
*6 years - [[Delaware]] | *6 years - [[Delaware]] | ||
*7 years - [[Alabama]], [[Alaska]], [[Arkansas]], [[Florida]], [[Massachusetts]], [[New Jersey]], [[Pennsylvania]] | *7 years - [[Alabama]], [[Alaska]], [[Arkansas]], [[Florida]], [[Massachusetts]], [[New Jersey]], [[Pennsylvania]] | ||
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<big>'''Qualified Voter'''</big><br> | <big>'''Qualified Voter'''</big><br> | ||
31 states have a formal provision stating a lieutenant governor must be a qualified voter, while 15 do not have a formal provision. Of the 31 states, three specify the number of years and 28 do not.<ref name="4.13"/> | |||
States that specify the number of years as a qualified voter: | States that specify the number of years as a qualified voter: | ||
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===Authority=== | ===Authority=== | ||
All | All 44 elected lieutenant governors derive their authority from their state's [[State constitution|Constitution]]. The majority of these were original state executive positions. Notable exceptions include: | ||
*Established soon after the Civil War, the office of the [[Lieutenant Governor of Alabama|lieutenant governor of Alabama]] was abolished with the 1875 Constitution and recreated in 1901.<ref> [http://www.archives.alabama.gov/conoff/lieulist.html ''Alabama Department of Archives and History,'' " Alabama Lieutenant Governors," accessed October 22, 2013] </ref> | *Established soon after the Civil War, the office of the [[Lieutenant Governor of Alabama|lieutenant governor of Alabama]] was abolished with the 1875 Constitution and recreated in 1901.<ref> [http://www.archives.alabama.gov/conoff/lieulist.html ''Alabama Department of Archives and History,'' " Alabama Lieutenant Governors," accessed October 22, 2013] </ref> | ||
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*The [[New Jersey Lieutenant Governor|New Jersey lieutenant governor]] took office for the first time in January 2010 following a conjoint election with the [[governor]] of [[New Jersey]]. The position was created as the result of a [[New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Amendment, Question 1 (2005)|constitutional amendment]] to the [[New Jersey Constitution|New Jersey State Constitution]] passed by the voters on November 8, 2005, and effective as of January 17, 2006. | *The [[New Jersey Lieutenant Governor|New Jersey lieutenant governor]] took office for the first time in January 2010 following a conjoint election with the [[governor]] of [[New Jersey]]. The position was created as the result of a [[New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Amendment, Question 1 (2005)|constitutional amendment]] to the [[New Jersey Constitution|New Jersey State Constitution]] passed by the voters on November 8, 2005, and effective as of January 17, 2006. | ||
*The position of [[Utah]] secretary of state was abolished by the legislature and became the lieutenant governor in 1980.<ref> [http://archives.utah.gov/research/agencyhistories/446.html ''Utah Department of Administrative Services,'' " Governor – Agency History #446," accessed October 22, 2013] </ref> | *The position of [[Utah]] secretary of state was abolished by the legislature and became the lieutenant governor in 1980.<ref> [http://archives.utah.gov/research/agencyhistories/446.html ''Utah Department of Administrative Services,'' " Governor – Agency History #446," accessed October 22, 2013] </ref> | ||
*[[Lieutenant Governor of Arizona|Arizona]] {{Greener|start=11/03/2026 10:00PM CST|before=is holding|after=held}} its first election for lieutenant governor in 2026 after voters created the office by approving [[Arizona Proposition 131, Create Office of Lieutenant Governor Amendment (2022)|Arizona Proposition 131 in 2022]]. The officeholder elected in [[Arizona gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2026|2026]] {{Greener|start=01/04/2027 2:00PM CST|before=is|after=was}} scheduled to take office on January 4, 2027. | |||
The two states where senate presidents are given the title of lieutenant governor are unique: | The two states where senate presidents are given the title of lieutenant governor are unique: | ||
Latest revision as of 22:17, 21 November 2025
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The office of Lieutenant Governor is an elected statewide executive office in 44 states.[1] Two states—Tennessee and West Virginia—bestow the title of lieutenant governor on senate presidents. The four states that do not have a lieutenant governor position include Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Wyoming.
In Alaska, Hawaii, New Jersey, and Utah, the position of lieutenant governor is equivalent to that of Secretary of State.
In the majority of the states with the position, the role and duties of the lieutenant governor are similar, with the main responsibility being to act as governor if the governor is absent from the office, and to succeed a governor who dies, resigns, or is removed from office.
However, beyond that, the duties of the office are often not explicitly laid out, resulting in the position being largely shaped by the governor and the officeholder. This page compares the office from state to state, examining similarities and differences such as how they win office, term limits, authority, salary, and duties.
Current officeholders
Political parties
The chart below is a breakdown of the political parties pertaining to the state executive office of the lieutenant governor. For other state executive offices, click here.
| Office |  Democratic
|
 Republican
|
 Independent
|
Vacant | Total seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Lieutanant Governors | 20 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 45 |
| Counts current as of November 2025 If you see an error, please email us | |||||
List of Current Lieutenant Governors
Note: In Hawaii, the lieutenant governor serves concurrently as the secretary of state. In Tennessee and West Virginia, the president of the Senate also serves as lieutenant governor and is elected from within the legislature.
Four states do not have a lieutenant governor position. Those states are: Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Wyoming. Arizona is holding its first election for lieutenant governor in 2026 after the office was created when voters approved Arizona Proposition 131 in 2022.
Salaries by state
The following table lists the salary reported for each state's lieutenant governor in the Book of the States going back to 2010. Darker shades of grey indicate higher salaries. To rank states by lieutenant gubernatorial salary for a given year, click the header for that year.
About the office
Elected or Appointed
Only two states do not have direct elections for lieutenant governor—Tennessee and West Virginia. In both states, whoever is elected the President of the State Senate is the de facto Lieutenant Governor. In Tennessee, the full title of this individual is, "Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Senate." West Virginia allows the Senate President to use the title, "Lieutenant Governor."[2]
In 27 states, the lieutenant governor is selected on a ticket with the governor, meaning that lieutenant gubernatorial candidates serve as running mates to gubernatorial candidates, with the winning gubernatorial candidate's running mate becoming lieutenant governor. In seven of these states, there are separate primaries for governor and lieutenant governor, with the winning candidate in each primary appearing on the general election ticket. In the remaining 20 states, gubernatorial candidates may pick their own running mates in a similar fashion to presidential candidates. In 17 states, the lieutenant governor is elected separately from the governor. In Tennessee and West Virginia, the title of lieutenant governor is given to the president of the state Senate.[3]
- Lt. gov. nominated in separate primary and elected in separate general election (17): Alabama, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington
- Lt. gov. nominated in separate primary but runs on a single ticket with gubernatorial nominee in general election (7): Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin
- Lt. gov. chosen by gubernatorial candidate before primary and runs on a single ticket with gubernatorial candidate in both the primary and general election (9): Alaska, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah
- Lt. gov. chosen by gubernatorial nominee after primary and runs on a single ticket with gubernatorial nominee in the general election (11): Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, South Carolina, South Dakota
- Lt. gov. is a member of the legislature (2): Tennessee, West Virginia
- Lt. gov. office does not exist in state (4): Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon, Wyoming
Qualifications
Qualifications for the office of lieutenant governor vary widely from state to state.
Minimum age
44 states have a formal provision specifying minimum age, while two states, Kansas and Massachusetts, have no formal provision.[4]
Of the 44 states:
- 29 designate an officeholder must be at least 30 years of age
- 7 require a minimum age of 25. These include Arizona, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, and West Virginia.
- 6 require a minimum age of 18. These include California, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
- 1, South Dakota, sets the limit at 21.
- 1, Oklahoma, sets the limit at 31.
State Citizen
32 states have a formal provision stating a lieutenant governor must be a state citizen, while 14 do not have a formal provision. Of the 32 states, 17 specify the number of years and 15 do not.[4]
States that specify the number of years as a state citizen:
- 2 years - Montana, Nevada
- 4 years - Vermont
- 5 years - Arizona, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, West Virginia
- 6 years - Kentucky
- 7 years - Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas
- 10 years - Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma
U.S. citizen
42 states have a formal provision stating a lieutenant governor must be a United States citizen, while four—Kansas, Massachusetts, North Dakota, and West Virginia—do not have a formal provision. Of the 42 states, 11 specify the number of years and 31 do not.[4]
States that specify the number of years as a United States citizen:
- 2 years - Iowa
- 5 years - Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina
- 7 years – Alaska
- 10 years – Alabama, Arizona
- 12 years – Delaware
- 15 years – Missouri
- 20 years - Mississippi, New Jersey
State Resident
44 states have a formal provision stating a lieutenant governor must be a state resident, while two—Kansas and North Dakota—do not have a formal provision. Of the 44 states, 34 specify the number of years and 10 do not.[4]
States that specify the number of years as a state resident:
- 1 year - Minnesota,
- 2 years - Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, South Dakota
- 3 years - Illinois, Tennessee
- 4 years - Michigan, Vermont
- 5 years - Arizona, California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia
- 6 years - Delaware
- 7 years - Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
- 10 years – Missouri
- 15 years – Georgia
Qualified Voter
31 states have a formal provision stating a lieutenant governor must be a qualified voter, while 15 do not have a formal provision. Of the 31 states, three specify the number of years and 28 do not.[4]
States that specify the number of years as a qualified voter:
Term Limits
- See also: State executives with term limits
Of the 43 Lieutenant Governors, 23 have term limits, while 20 do not. The two senate presidents (Tennessee and West Virginia) who are designated as lieutenant governors do not face legislative term limits but do serve two-year terms. Of the elected lieutenant governors, all serve four-year terms except for Vermont, who serves a two-year term.[5]
- 6 lieutenant governors are limited to serving two four-year terms. These include Arkansas, California, Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, and Oklahoma.
- 12 lieutenant governors are limited to serving two consecutive four-year terms, after which they must wait four years and/or one full term before being eligible again. These include Alabama, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and South Dakota.
- 4 lieutenant governors—Alaska, Florida, Mississippi, and Nebraska—are limited to two consecutive terms and must wait one term before being eligible to run again.
- 1 lieutenant governor, Montana, is limited to two terms in any 16 years.
Authority
All 44 elected lieutenant governors derive their authority from their state's Constitution. The majority of these were original state executive positions. Notable exceptions include:
- Established soon after the Civil War, the office of the lieutenant governor of Alabama was abolished with the 1875 Constitution and recreated in 1901.[6]
- The Alaska Lieutenant Governor/Secretary of State ballot question, passed by voters in 1970, amended the state Constitution to change the name of the secretary of state to the lieutenant governor, with all powers and duties remaining the same.
- The position of Arkansas lieutenant governor was established by a 1914 constitutional amendment, though the position was vacant until 1927 due to confusion over whether the amendment had been passed.[7]
- The New Jersey lieutenant governor took office for the first time in January 2010 following a conjoint election with the governor of New Jersey. The position was created as the result of a constitutional amendment to the New Jersey State Constitution passed by the voters on November 8, 2005, and effective as of January 17, 2006.
- The position of Utah secretary of state was abolished by the legislature and became the lieutenant governor in 1980.[8]
- Arizona is holding its first election for lieutenant governor in 2026 after voters created the office by approving Arizona Proposition 131 in 2022. The officeholder elected in 2026 is scheduled to take office on January 4, 2027.
The two states where senate presidents are given the title of lieutenant governor are unique:
- The Tennessee Speaker of the Senate has been the successor to the Governor since the first state Constitution of 1796 but did not receive the title of lieutenant governor until the enactment of a statutory law in 1951.[9]
- Similarly, the office of lieutenant governor of West Virginia does not exist in the state's constitution. Legislation in 2000 bestowed the title on the Senate President. In 2011, then acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (R) submitted a constitutional amendment to the legislature that would have created a new elected state executive position of lieutenant governor. It did not make it to the ballot in 2012.[10]
Attempt to abolish the office in Illinois
On April 11, 2013, the Illinois House of Representatives approved a proposal seeking to eliminate the position of lieutenant governor by constitutional amendment. For the measure to be passed, it had to win the approval of both the state Senate and Illinois voters. If the proposal was approved in a statewide public vote, the office would have remained intact for one final term following the 2014 election.[11] There have been at least 10 attempts to eliminate the office since 1970, but David McSweeney's (R) was the first to be passed by the House.[12]
Duties
The powers and duties of lieutenant governors come from a variety of sources - gubernatorial appointment, statute, the Constitution, direct democracy action, and personal initiative.[13]
- All 43 elected lieutenant governors are the first in the line of succession to the governor's office. The two senate presidents in Tennessee and West Virginia, who are bestowed with the title of lieutenant governor, are the first in line. In the five states without lieutenant governors, the senate presidents in New Hampshire and Maine are the first, while the secretary of states in Arizona, Oregon, and Wyoming are first in line.[14]
- 27 lieutenant governors serve as President of the Senate. 24 have the power to break roll-call ties.
- 11 lieutenant governors appoint committees.
- 9 lieutenant governors have the power to assign bills.
- Governors in 26 states have the authority to assign duties to the lieutenant governor. In 26 states, the lieutenant governor serves as a member of the governor’s cabinet or advisory body.
- 29 lieutenant governors serve as acting the governor when the governor is out of the state.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Arizona is holding its first election for lieutenant governor in 2026 after voters created the office by approving Arizona Proposition 131 in 2022. The officeholder elected in 2026 is scheduled to take office on January 4, 2027. Until that date, the office is empty.
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ National Lieutenant Governors Association, "Methods of Election," accessed August 27, 2025
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021, Table 4.13 - Lieutenant Governors: Qualifications and Terms," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021, Table 4.13 - Lieutenant Governors: Qualifications and Terms," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Alabama Department of Archives and History, " Alabama Lieutenant Governors," accessed October 22, 2013
- ↑ Arkansas Lieutenant Governor, " Office History," accessed October 22, 2013
- ↑ Utah Department of Administrative Services, " Governor – Agency History #446," accessed October 22, 2013
- ↑ Lexis-Nexis, "Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-2-101," accessed December 28, 2012
- ↑ Register Herald, "Tomblin proposes lieutenant governor," February 22, 2011
- ↑ The Chicago Tribune, "House votes to eliminate lieutenant governor post," April 12, 2013
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "A job nobody would miss: Illinois lieutenant governor," April 29, 2013
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021, Table 4.14 - Lieutenant Governors: Powers and Duties," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Lieutenant Governors and the Role of Succession," July 1, 2011
