The lieutenant governor of Wisconsin is the first person in the line of succession of Wisconsin's executive branch, thus serving as governor in the event of the death, resignation, removal, impeachment, absence from the state, or incapacity due to illness of the governor of Wisconsin. Forty-one individuals have held the office of lieutenant governor since Wisconsin's admission to the Union in 1848, two of whom—Warren Knowles and Jack Olson—have served for non-consecutive terms. The first lieutenant governor was John Holmes, who took office on June 7, 1848. The current lieutenant governor is Sara Rodriguez, who took office on January 3, 2023.
Succession to the governorship Until 1979, the Wisconsin Constitution merely stated that in the event of the governor's death, resignation, removal from office, impeachment, absence from the state or incapacity due to illness, "the powers and duties of the office [of Governor of Wisconsin] shall devolve upon the lieutenant governor". Lieutenant governors who served as governor during this period are referred to as "acting governors". In 1979, the constitution was amended to make this more specific: in the event of the governor's death, resignation, or removal from office, the lieutenant governor becomes governor; in the event of the governor's impeachment, absence, or incapacity, the lieutenant governor becomes acting governor until the governor is again able to serve.
Lieutenant gubernatorial elections and term of office Under the original terms of the state constitution, the lieutenant governor was elected for a two-year term on a separate ticket from the governor; because of this, the governor and lieutenant governor of Wisconsin have not always been of the same party. After a 1967 amendment, however, the two have been nominated, and voted upon, as a single ticket. The 1967 amendment also increased the terms of both the governor and lieutenant governor to four years. There is no limit to the number of terms a lieutenant governor may hold.
Vacancy The original constitution made no provision for a vacancy in the office of the lieutenant governor; in the event of the lieutenant governor's death, resignation, or service as acting governor, the lieutenant governorship usually remained vacant until the end of the term. In 1938, following the resignation of lieutenant governor Henry Gunderson, Governor Philip La Follette appointed Herman Ekern lieutenant governor to fill the vacancy. This appointment was challenged in court, and ruled valid in the case State ex rel. Martin v. Ekern. In 1979 the constitution was amended to explicitly allow this: in the event of a vacancy in the office of the lieutenant governor, the governor nominates a candidate who becomes lieutenant governor for the remainder of the term upon his approval by the Wisconsin Assembly and Wisconsin State Senate.
Removal A lieutenant governor may be removed from office through an impeachment trial or a recall. They may also choose to resign from office. No lieutenant governor has ever been impeached; two have resigned. Rebecca Kleefisch is the only lieutenant governor in the history of any state to face recall election in 2012. She faced Democrat Mahlon Mitchell and won the election with a six percent majority.
Lieutenant gubernatorial powers If the governor appoints the lieutenant governor to a statutory board, committee or commission on which he is entitled membership as his representative, the lieutenant governor has all the authority in that position that would be granted the governor.
Originally, the lieutenant governor also presided over the state senate and cast a vote in the event of a tie; however, after an amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution in 1979, the senate chooses a senator to be presiding officer.
List of lieutenant governors +Number of lieutenant governors of Wisconsin by party affiliationPartyLt. governorsRepublican29Democratic16Progressive2 From 1836, until 1848, what is now Wisconsin was part of Wisconsin Territory. There was no position of "Territorial Lieutenant Governor"; however, the territory had a Secretary who was similar in that one of his functions was to assume the powers and duties of the territorial governor if he were unable to carry them out. For the secretaries from the territorial period, see the List of secretaries of Wisconsin Territory.
Wisconsin was admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848. Since then, it has had 41 lieutenant governors, two of whom have served non-consecutive terms.
Parties
# Image Lt. Governor Party Took office Left officeWhen there is no evidence to the contrary, it is assumed that lieutenant governors left office the same day their successors were sworn in. Governor Term(s)The fractional terms of some lieutenant governors are not to be understood absolutely literally; rather, they are meant to show single terms during which multiple lieutenant governors served, due to resignations, deaths, and delayed inaugurations. 1 John E. Holmes Democratic June 7, 1848 January 7, 1850 Nelson Dewey 1 2 Samuel W. Beall Democratic January 7, 1850 January 5, 1852 Nelson Dewey 1 3 Timothy Burns Democratic January 5, 1852 September 21, 1853 Leonard Farwell Died in office. vacant September 21, 1853 January 2, 1854 Leonard Farwell Vacant due to death of lieutenant governor. 4 James T. Lewis Democratic January 2, 1854 January 7, 1856 William Barstow 1 5 Arthur MacArthur Sr. Democratic January 7, 1856 March 21, 1856 William Barstow MacArthur was elected lieutenant governor in the 1855 election; initially Barstow was declared the winner of the gubernatorial election, but when he resigned amid claims that he had won by fraudulent means, MacArthur began to act as governor. After five days, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that Bartow's opponent, Bashford, was the legitimate governor, at which point MacArthur returned to serving as lieutenant governor. MacArthur acting as governorPeriods during which the lieutenant governor acted as governor are listed only if they would have caused the lieutenant governor to become governor had the 1979 amendment existed during that time; that is, those resulting from the death, resignation, or removal of the governor. Those resulting from the governor's temporary absence from the state, impeachment, or his inability to serve due to illness are not listed. March 21, 1856 March 25, 1856 Arthur MacArthur Sr. Arthur MacArthur Sr. Democratic March 25, 1856 January 4, 1858 Coles Bashford 6 Erasmus D. Campbell Democratic January 4, 1858 January 2, 1860 Alexander Randall 1 7 Butler G. Noble Republican January 2, 1860 January 6, 1862 Alexander Randall 1 8 Edward Salomon Republican January 6, 1862 April 19, 1862 Louis Harvey Salomon acting as governor April 19, 1862 January 4, 1864 Edward Salomon vacant January 4, 1864 by January 13, 1864 James Lewis 9 Wyman Spooner Republican by January 13, 1864 January 3, 1870 James Lewis 2 Lucius Fairchild 10 Thaddeus C. Pound Republican January 3, 1870 January 1, 1872 Lucius Fairchild 1 11 Milton H. Pettit Republican January 1, 1872 March 23, 1873Cadwallader Washburn vacant March 23, 1873 January 5, 1874 Cadwallader Washburn 12 Charles D. Parker Democratic January 5, 1874 January 7, 1878 William Taylor 2 Harrison Ludington 13 James M. Bingham Republican January 7, 1878 January 2, 1882 William Smith 2 14 Sam S. Fifield Republican January 2, 1882 January 3, 1887 Jeremiah Rusk 2During Fifield's first term, the Wisconsin Constitution was amended to say that all elections of state and county officers would henceforth take place in even-numbered years. By the provisions of the amendment, the terms of all officials who would have left office in 1884, including Fifield, were extended by one year. 15 George W. Ryland Republican January 3, 1887 January 5, 1891 Jeremiah Rusk 2 William Hoard 16 Charles Jonas Democratic January 5, 1891 April 4, 1894 George Peck 1Resigned from office. vacant April 4, 1894 January 7, 1895 George Peck Vacant due to resignation of lieutenant governor. 17 Emil Baensch Republican January 7, 1895 January 2, 1899 William Upham 2 Edward Scofield 18 Jesse Stone Republican January 2, 1899 May 11, 1902 Edward Scofield 1 Robert La Follette Sr. vacant May 11, 1902 January 5, 1903 Robert La Follette Sr. 19 James O. Davidson Republican January 5, 1903 January 1, 1906 Robert La Follette Sr. 1 Davidson acting as governor January 1, 1906 January 7, 1907 James Davidson 20 William D. Connor Republican January 7, 1907 January 4, 1909 James Davidson 1 21 John Strange Republican January 4, 1909 January 2, 1911 James Davidson 1 22 Thomas Morris Republican January 2, 1911 January 4, 1915 Francis McGovern 2 23 Edward F. Dithmar Republican January 4, 1915 January 3, 1921 Emanuel Philipp 3 24 George F. Comings Republican January 3, 1921 January 5, 1925 John Blaine 2 25 Henry A. Huber Republican January 5, 1925 January 2, 1933 John Blaine 4 Fred R. Zimmerman Walter Kohler Sr. Philip La Follette 26 Thomas J. O'Malley Democratic January 2, 1933 May 27, 1936 Albert Schmedeman 1 Philip La Follette vacant May 27, 1936 January 4, 1937 Philip La Follette 27 Henry A. Gunderson Progressive January 4, 1937 October 16, 1937 Philip La Follette vacant October 16, 1937 May 16, 1938 Philip La Follette 28 Herman L. Ekern Progressive May 16, 1938 January 2, 1939 Philip La Follette Appointed to fill vacancy. 29 Walter S. Goodland Republican January 2, 1939 January 4, 1943 Julius Heil 2 Goodland acting as governor January 4, 1943 January 1, 1945 Walter Goodland 1Goodland was re-elected lieutenant governor in the 1942 election, and Orland Loomis was elected governor. When Loomis died before taking office, Goodland acted as governor for the entire term, per a ruling of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. 30 Oscar Rennebohm Republican January 1, 1945 March 12, 1947 Walter Goodland 1 Rennebohm acting as governor March 12, 1947 January 3, 1949 Oscar Rennebohm 31 George M. Smith Republican January 3, 1949 January 3, 1955 Oscar Rennebohm 3 Walter Kohler Jr. 32 Warren P. Knowles Republican January 3, 1955 January 5, 1959 Walter Kohler Jr. 2 Vernon Thomson 33 Philleo Nash Democratic January 5, 1959 January 2, 1961Gaylord Nelson 1 34 Warren P. Knowles Republican January 2, 1961 January 7, 1963 Gaylord Nelson 1 35 Jack B. Olson Republican January 7, 1963 January 4, 1965 John Reynolds 1 36 Patrick J. Lucey Democratic January 4, 1965 January 2, 1967 Warren Knowles 1 37 Jack B. Olson Republican January 2, 1967 January 4, 1971 Warren Knowles 2 38 Martin J. Schreiber Democratic January 4, 1971 July 6, 1977 Patrick Lucey 1As per a 1967 amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution, Schreiber's first term was the first lieutenant gubernatorial term to last for 4 years. Schreiber acting as governor July 6, 1977 January 3, 1979 Martin Schreiber 39 Russell A. Olson Republican January 3, 1979 January 3, 1983 Lee Dreyfus 1 40 James Flynn Democratic January 3, 1983 January 5, 1987 Anthony Earl 1 41 Scott McCallum Republican January 5, 1987 February 1, 2001 Tommy Thompson 3 vacant February 1, 2001 May 9, 2001 Scott McCallum Vacant due to lieutenant governor becoming governor for remainder of unexpired term. 42 Margaret A. Farrow Republican May 9, 2001 January 6, 2003 Scott McCallum 43 Barbara Lawton Democratic January 6, 2003 January 3, 2011 Jim Doyle 2 44 Rebecca Kleefisch Republican January 3, 2011 January 7, 2019 Scott Walker2 45 Mandela Barnes Democratic January 7, 2019 January 3, 2023 Tony Evers1 46 Sara Rodriguez Democratic January 3, 2023 Incumbent1
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References General
Specific
External links Office of the Lieutenant Governor