List of current United States lieutenant governors

Last updated

Party affiliation of current United States lieutenant governors:

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Democratic
Republican
Independent
Position nonexistent Party affiliation of current United States lieutenant governors.svg
Party affiliation of current United States lieutenant governors:
  Democratic
  Republican
  Independent
  Position nonexistent
Party affiliation of current designated successors to the current United States governors:

Democratic designated successor
Republican designated successor
Independent designated successor
New Progressive designated successor Party affiliation of current designated successors to the current United States governors.svg
Party affiliation of current designated successors to the current United States governors:
  Democratic designated successor
  Republican designated successor
  Independent designated successor
  New Progressive designated successor
Method for electing the lieutenant governor.
Same ticket
Same ticket in the general election, separate election in the primaries
Separate election
Title given to the leader of state senate
Position nonexistent Methods for electing lieutenant governors.svg
Method for electing the lieutenant governor.
  Same ticket
  Same ticket in the general election, separate election in the primaries
  Separate election
  Title given to the leader of state senate
  Position nonexistent

The lieutenant governor is the second-highest-ranking government official in 45 of the 50 U.S. states and four of the five territories. In those states and territories, the lieutenant governor is the first in the line of succession in case of a vacancy in the office of governor (Note: in Massachusetts and West Virginia, the lieutenant governor only assumes powers and duties as acting governor, not succeeding to the governorship), while in the remaining states and territories another office holds that status. Currently, 26 states elect a lieutenant governor on a ticket with the governor, while 17 states elect a lieutenant governor separately. In West Virginia, the president of the Senate, as elected by the State Senators, serves as the state's lieutenant governor. In Tennessee, the State Senators elect a Speaker of the Senate, who in turn serves as lieutenant governor. Four states and one inhabited territory do not have a lieutenant governor.

Contents

List of lieutenant governors by state

In the table below, "term ends" indicates the year the current lieutenant governor will leave office; a notation (term limits) after the year indicates that the current lieutenant governor is ineligible to seek re-election in that year. A notation of (retiring) after the year indicates that the current lieutenant governor is leaving office that year, having not sought re-election. A notation of (defeated) indicates that the current lieutenant governor was defeated for re-election.

StateImageLieutenant governorPartyPrior public experienceStart of termEnd of termChosen by [1]
Alabama (list) Alabama Lieutenant Governor visits Lyster Army Health Clinic (cropped).jpg Will Ainsworth Republican Alabama House January 14, 20192027 Separate election
Alaska (list) Nancy Dahlstrom, 2024.jpg Nancy Dahlstrom RepublicanCommissioner of Alaska Department of Corrections
Alaska House
December 5, 20222026 Same ticket
Arkansas (list) Leslie Rutledge (25475720912) (1).jpg Leslie Rutledge Republican Attorney General January 10, 20232027 Separate election
California (list) Eleni Kounalakis in 2021.jpg Eleni Kounalakis Democratic United States Ambassador to Hungary January 7, 20192027 (term limits) Separate election
Colorado (list) 2010 Official Picture of Representative Dianne Primavera (cropped).jpg Dianne Primavera Democratic Colorado House January 8, 20192027 Same ticket
Connecticut (list) Bysiewicz Sworn In (cropped).jpg Susan Bysiewicz Democratic Secretary of the State of Connecticut
Connecticut House
January 9, 2019 Same ticket in the general elections;
Separate elections in the primaries
Delaware (list) Kyle Evans Gay Democratic Delaware Senate January 21, 20252029 Separate election
Florida (list)Vacant since February 16, 2025 [a]
Georgia (list) Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones 2023 (cropped 2).jpg Burt Jones Republican Georgia Senate January 9, 20232027 Separate election
Hawaii (list) Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke Portrait 2023 (cropped).png Sylvia Luke Democratic Hawaii House December 5, 20222026 Same ticket in the general elections;
Separate elections in the primaries
Idaho (list) Scott Bedke in 2022 (cropped).jpg Scott Bedke Republican Idaho House Speaker January 2, 20232027 Separate election
Illinois (list) Juliana Stratton 2023 (cropped).jpg Juliana Stratton Democratic Illinois House January 14, 2019 Same ticket
Indiana (list) Beckwith Headshot.jpg Micah Beckwith Republican Noblesville public library trusteeJanuary 13, 20252029 Same ticket
Iowa (list) Iowa State Senator Chris Cournoyer.jpg Chris Cournoyer Republican Iowa Senate December 16, 20242027 Same ticket
Kansas (list) David Toland official photo (cropped).jpg David Toland Democratic State Secretary of Commerce January 2, 2021 Same ticket
Kentucky (list) Jacqueline Coleman.png Jacqueline Coleman Democratic No prior officesDecember 10, 20192027 (term limits) Same ticket
Louisiana (list) Billy Nungesser 2018.jpg Billy Nungesser Republican Plaquemines Parish President January 11, 20162028 Separate election
Maryland (list) Aruna Miller Official Portrait.jpg Aruna Miller Democratic Maryland House of Delegates January 18, 20232027 Same ticket
Massachusetts (list) Kim Driscoll, official portrait, lieutenant governor (cropped).jpg Kim Driscoll Democratic Mayor of Salem January 5, 2023 Same ticket in the general elections;
Separate elections in the primaries
Michigan (list) 8R4A9159 (53359280492) (Garlin Gilchrist).jpg Garlin Gilchrist Democratic No prior officesJanuary 1, 20192027 (term limits) Same ticket
Minnesota (list) PFlanagan close up.jpg Peggy Flanagan Democratic (DFL) Minnesota House January 7, 20192027 Same ticket
Mississippi (list) Delbert Hosemann.jpg Delbert Hosemann Republican Mississippi Secretary of State January 14, 20202028 (term limits) Separate election
Missouri (list) David Wasinger Republican No prior officesJanuary 13, 20252029 Separate election
Montana (list) Kristen Juras.jpg Kristen Juras Republican No prior officesJanuary 4, 2021 Same ticket
Nebraska (list) Joseph P Kelly.jpg Joe Kelly Republican United States Attorney for the District of Nebraska January 5, 20232027 Same ticket
Nevada (list) Stavros Anthony (8871828881).jpg Stavros Anthony Republican Las Vegas City Council January 2, 2023 Separate election
New Jersey (list) Tahesha Way.jpg Tahesha Way Democratic Secretary of State
Passaic County Freeholder
September 8, 20232026 Same ticket
New Mexico (list) Lt. Governor Presiding in the Senate (cropped).jpg Howie Morales Democratic New Mexico Senate
Grant County Clerk
January 1, 20192027 Same ticket in the general elections;
Separate elections in the primaries
New York (list) Antonio Delgado, official portrait, 116th Congress (cropped).jpg Antonio Delgado Democratic U.S. House May 25, 20222026 [3] Same ticket in the general elections;
Separate elections in the primaries
North Carolina (list) Senator Rachel Hunt 2023-25 Legislative Portrait (cropped).jpg Rachel Hunt Democratic North Carolina Senate
North Carolina House
January 1, 20252029 Separate election
North Dakota (list) 3x4.svg Michelle Strinden Republican North Dakota House December 15, 20242028 Same ticket
Ohio (list) Coach Tressel.jpg Jim Tressel Republican No prior officesFebruary 14, 20252027 Same ticket
Oklahoma (list) Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma Matt Pinnell.jpg Matt Pinnell Republican Chair of the Oklahoma Republican Party January 14, 2019 Separate election
Pennsylvania (list) AustinDavis.jpg Austin Davis Democratic Pennsylvania House January 17, 2023 Same ticket in the general elections;
Separate elections in the primaries
Rhode Island (list) Sabina Matos 11.21.jpg Sabina Matos Democratic Providence City Council April 14, 2021 Separate election
South Carolina (list) Pamela Evette 2019.jpg Pamela Evette Republican No prior officesJanuary 9, 2019 Same ticket
South Dakota (list) Tony Venhuizen Republican South Dakota House January 30, 2025 Same ticket
Tennessee (list) Sen. Randy McNally (cropped).jpg Randy McNally Republican Tennessee Senate
Tennessee House
January 10, 2017 State Senate [4]
Texas (list) Dan Patrick Texas (alt crop).jpg Dan Patrick Republican Texas Senate January 20, 2015 Separate election
Utah (list) Official portrait of Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson (cropped).png Deidre Henderson Republican Utah Senate January 4, 20212029 Same ticket
Vermont (list) John S. Rodgers, 2024.jpg John S. Rodgers Republican Vermont Senate
Vermont House of Representatives
January 9, 20252027 Separate election
Virginia (list) Winsome Sears portrait, 2022.jpg Winsome Earle-Sears Republican Virginia House of Delegates January 15, 20222026 Separate election
Washington (list) Denny Heck official (cropped).jpg Denny Heck Democratic U.S. House
Washington House
January 13, 20212029 Separate election
West Virginia (list) 3x4.svg Randy Smith Republican West Virginia House
West Virginia Senate
January 8, 20252027 State Senate [5]
Wisconsin (list) Sara Rodriguez 2023 (cropped).png Sara Rodriguez Democratic Wisconsin State Assembly January 3, 2023 Same ticket in the general elections;
Separate elections in the primaries

List of lieutenant governors by territory

TerritoryImageLieutenant governorPartyPrior public experienceStart of termEnd of termChosen by [1]
American Samoa (list) Pulu Ae Ae Jr., 2011.jpg Pulu Ae Ae Republican No prior officesJanuary 3, 20252029 Same ticket
Guam (list) Lt.-governor-josh-tenorio.jpg Josh Tenorio Democratic No prior officesJanuary 7, 20192027 Same ticket
Northern Mariana Islands (list) David Apatang Standing with USAF Airmen Cropped.jpg David Apatang Independent Mayor of Saipan January 9, 2023 Same ticket
U.S. Virgin Islands (list) Tregenza Roach.jpg Tregenza Roach Democratic Legislature of the Virgin Islands January 7, 2019 Same ticket

States which do not have lieutenant governors

Five states do not have a position of an official lieutenant governor. In these cases, the secretary of state or the president of the Senate is next in line for the governorship.

StateOfficeImageOfficeholderPartyPrior public experienceStart of term
Arizona [Note 1] Secretary of State Adrian Fontes by Gage Skidmore.jpg Adrian Fontes Democratic County Recorder of Maricopa CountyJanuary 2, 2023
Maine President of the Senate Mattie Daughtry Democratic Maine Senate

Maine House of Representatives

December 4, 2024
New Hampshire President of the Senate Sharon Carson The Benefits of Family (1) (cropped).jpg Sharon Carson Republican New Hampshire Senate
New Hampshire House of Representatives
December 4, 2024
Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read 2017.jpg Tobias Read Democratic Oregon Treasurer
Oregon House
January 6, 2025
Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray by Gage Skidmore.jpg Chuck Gray Republican Wyoming House of Representatives January 2, 2023

Federal district and territories which do not have lieutenant governors or deputy mayors

One territory, Puerto Rico, places the secretary of state next in line for the governorship. In the District of Columbia, the chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia is first in line of succession in the event of a vacancy in the office of mayor of the District of Columbia.

JurisdictionOfficeImageOfficeholderPartyPrior public experienceStart of term
District of Columbia Chairman of the Council Phil Mendelson.jpg Phil Mendelson [6] Democratic DC Councilman
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner
June 13, 2012
Puerto Rico Secretary of State Veronica Ferraiuoli 2025.png Verónica Ferraiuoli New Progressive No prior officesJanuary 2, 2025

States and territories with differing party membership at the executive level

In most states or territories, the governor and lieutenant governor are members of the same political party. In the following states and territories, the designated successor to the governorship is of a different political party than the governor:

State
or territory
GovernorDesignated
successor
Northern Mariana Islands Republican Independent

See also

Notes

  1. Proposition 131 passed in the 2022 election which will create the office of Arizona Lieutenant Governor starting with the 2026 election.

References

  1. 1 2 "Executive Branch of the Several States". The Green Papers. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
  2. DeFede, Jime (February 5, 2025). "Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez expected to be named interim FIU president". CBS News . Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  3. NY lieutenant gubernatorial terms begin at midnight New Year's Day.
  4. The Tennessee Senate elects their speaker who serves as lieutenant governor. The full title of the office is Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Senate.
  5. West Virginia Code 6A-1-4(b), as enacted in 2000, entitles the president of the West Virginia Senate to use the title Lieutenant Governor
  6. Mendelson was initially appointed Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia after the position was vacated on June 6, 2012, due to the resignation of Kwame R. Brown. Brown had been charged in federal court with bank fraud and, after his resignation, was further charged in D.C. Superior Court with making an unlawful cash campaign expenditure. Mendelson was subsequently elected to complete Brown's term on November 6, 2013.
  1. The position of lieutenant governor has been vacant since Feb. 16, 2025 due to Lt. Governor Jeanette Nuñez's resignation after being named interim president of Florida International University. [2]