The lieutenant governor of Georgia is a constitutional officer of the State of Georgia, elected to a four-year term by popular vote. Unlike in some other U.S. states, the lieutenant governor is elected on a separate ticket from the governor of Georgia.
Constitutionally, the lieutenant governor's primary job is to serve as president of Georgia's Senate. In the case of incapacity of the governor, the lieutenant governor assumes their duties and power (but not the title). Should the governor die or otherwise leave office, the lieutenant governor assumes the office for the remainder of the term.
The office of Lieutenant Governor was created by a state constitutional revision in 1945. Prior to that time, Georgia did not have such an office. Elected in 1946 (for a term to begin in 1947) Georgia's first lieutenant governor, Melvin E. Thompson became involved in the three governors controversy.
The current lieutenant governor of Georgia is Republican Burt Jones.
History The office of lieutenant governor in Georgia was created by an amendment to the state constitution in 1945. The primary purpose of the office was for its incumbent to serve as a successor in the event the governorship became vacant. Melvin E. Thompson became the first person elected to the office in 1946. Due to the outcome of the three governors controversy, he served only two months (January to March 1947) in the office, succeeding to the governorship in March 1947, pending a special election in 1948. That year, Marvin Griffin was elected to the lieutenant governorship. Griffin establish several informal precedents during his tenure, namely by assuming an active leadership role in the State Senate and by naming chairs of the body's committees with the governor's assent. In 2003, the Senate altered its rules and granted the power of appointing committee chairs to the Senate president pro tempore. In November 2010, the Republican majority voted to change the Senate rules, stripping the Lieutenant Governor's ability to appoint the membership of Senate committees.
Election All candidates for the office of lieutenant governor must also have been a citizen of the United States for at least 15 years and a resident of Georgia for at least six years preceding election. The lieutenant governor is elected on their own ticket separate from the governor. They serve without term limits.
Powers, duties, and structure
The lieutenant governor's formal duties are limited by the Georgia State Constitution to serving as the President of the Senate and the successor of the governor whenever the governorship becomes vacant due to the governor's death or a determination by the State Supreme Court that they are incapable of discharging their duties. The lieutenant governor assumes the gubernatorial powers and duties pending the next general election in the state.
As President of the Senate the lieutenant governor presides over debate in the Senate. As the lieutenant governor is not a member of the Senate, the lieutenant governor is barred from sponsoring legislation. The Rules of the Georgia State Senate assign the president of the Senate to appoint two senators to the Committee on Assignments and to serve as the Chair of the committee, but the Chair may only vote in case of a tie. Additionally, the president is a member of and appoints three other members to the Committee on Administrative Affairs. Under the supervision of the State Senate, the President "shall as a matter of course and without debate, report the reference of bills to the proper committee." Senate pages are supervised by the president who "shall establish a program of familiarization with state government, its procedures and those duties and responsibilities which will be required of pages." As the Senate's presiding officer, the lieutenant governor can exercise influence over state legislation, though the Senate can disregard their wishes at its discretion.
List of lieutenant governors of Georgia Parties
Lt. Governor Term in office Party Election Governor 1 –March 18, 1947 Democratic 1946 Disputed —Office vacant from March 18, 1947 - November 17, 1948 — Melvin E. Thompson 2 –January 11, 1955 Democratic 1948 Herman Talmadge 1950 3 –January 13, 1959 Democratic 1954 Marvin Griffin 4 –January 15, 1963 Democratic 1958 Ernest Vandiver 5 –January 11, 1967 Democratic 1962 Carl Sanders 6 –January 12, 1971 Democratic 1966 Lester Maddox 7 –January 14, 1975 Democratic 1970 Jimmy Carter 8 –January 13, 1991 Democratic 1974 George Busbee 1978 1982 Joe Frank Harris 1986 9 –January 11, 1999 Democratic 1990 Zell Miller 1994 10 –January 8, 2007 Democratic 1998 Roy Barnes 2002 Sonny Perdue 11 –January 14, 2019 Republican 2006 2010 Nathan Deal 2014 12 –January 9, 2023 Republican 2018 Brian Kemp 13 –Incumbent Republican 2022
See also Georgia Senate Georgia House of Representatives Georgia General Assembly
References
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