Lieutenant Governor of Virginia

Template:Infobox Political post The lieutenant governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The lieutenant governor is elected every four years along with the governor and attorney general.

The office is currently held by Winsome Earle Sears, who was elected in 2021 and is the first woman and second person of color to hold this position. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected separately and thus may be of different political parties. The lieutenant governor serves as the president of the Senate of Virginia and is first in the line of succession to the governorship; if the governor dies, resigns, or otherwise leaves office, the lieutenant governor becomes governor. In Virginia, the governor is not permitted to serve consecutive terms, but the lieutenant governor may do so, and has no term limit.

History

Beginning in the 1630s, the British Crown appointed several officials to aide the governors of the Colony of Virginia in the execution of their duties, collectively known as the Governor's Council or the Council of State. One member of this body was designated as the governor's deputy, or lieutenant governor, and exercised the governor's authority when they were absent.<ref name= tarter1/><ref name= encyclopedia1/> The Virginia Constitution of 1776 abolished the council.<ref name= tarter1>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Virginia Constitution of 1851 created the modern office of the lieutenant governor.<ref name= encyclopedia1>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It provided for the popular election of the officer and designated them ex officio president of the Virginia Senate.Template:Sfn In this capacity they replaced the Speaker of the Senate, which had been chosen by the body's own members as their presiding officer from 1776 until 1852. During the American Civil War, Virginia had two different governments and accordingly different sets of lieutenant governors. From 1865 until 1870, the lieutenant governors were appointed by the commanding general of the First Military District. In 1870, Virginia was readmitted to the federal union and, from then on, the officers were chosen by popular election.<ref name= encyclopedia1/> That year, the state adopted a new constitution which gave the lieutenant governor the power to cast tie-breaking votes in the Senate.Template:Sfn

Douglas Wilder, sworn-in in 1986, was Virginia's first black lieutenant governor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Winsome Sears, sworn in on January 15, 2022,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> is the first woman to have held the office.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Election

Along with the governor and attorney general, the lieutenant governor is one of three popularly elected executive offices in the state of Virginia.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The lieutenant governor is elected on their own ticket separate from the governor. They serve without term limits.<ref name= about/> If the governor-elect does not assume their office, the lieutenant governor-elect becomes governor.Template:Sfn

Powers, duties, and structure

Article V of the Constitution of Virginia designates the lieutenant governor as the president of the Senate.<ref name= about/> If absent, its president pro tempore serves as its presiding officer.Template:Sfn The lieutenant governor is allowed to vote in the Senate only to break ties.Template:Sfn While this power has been interpreted to apply to most generic legislation, it has been disputed by state officials as to whether the tie-breaking power applies to votes on matters such as constitutional amendments or on the Senate's concurrence with an executive appointment. Such questions are yet to be resolved by litigation in state courts.Template:Sfn The constitution additionally stipulates that the lieutenant governor succeeds the governor in their office should it become vacant due to death, disqualification, or resignation. State law empowers the lieutenant governor to serve on several state boards and commissions.<ref name= about>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The lieutenant governor can be impeached and removed from office by the Virginia General Assembly.Template:Sfn

The lieutenant governor's office is located in the Oliver Hill Building in Richmond, Virginia.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Their salary is set by legislation and cannot be altered during a given term to which they were elected.Template:Sfn As of 2021, the annual salary is $36,321.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As the role is a part-time position, most incumbents—unless already wealthy or retired by the time of their tenure—have held additional occupations.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

List of elected lieutenant governors of Virginia

Parties

#	Image	Name	Party	Term	Governor	Notes	Source
1		Shelton Leake	Democratic	1852–1856	Joseph Johnson		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
2		Elisha W. McComas	Democratic	1856–1857	Henry A. Wise		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
3	File:William Lowther Jackson.jpg	William Lowther Jackson	Democratic	1857–1860	Henry A. Wise		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
4	File:Montague R 1874 (cropped).png	Robert Latane Montague	Democratic	1860–1864	John Letcher	Richmond (Confederate) Government	<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
5	File:Samuel Price - Brady-Handy.jpg	Samuel Price	Democratic	1864–1865	William Smith	Richmond (Confederate) Government	<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
6	File:DanielPolsley.jpg	Daniel Polsley	Union	1861–1863	John Letcher	Restored (Unionist) Government	<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
7		Leopold Copeland Parker Cowper	Union	1863–1865	John Letcher	Restored (Unionist) Government	<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
8				1865–1869	William Smith Francis Harrison Pierpont Henry H. Wells Gilbert Carlton Walker		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
9	File:Hon. John F. Lewis - NARA - 527363.jpg	John F. Lewis	Republican	1869–1870	Gilbert Carlton Walker		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
10	File:John L Marye, Jr..jpg	John Lawrence Marye, Jr.	Conservative	1870–1874	Gilbert Carlton Walker		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
11	File:Robert E. Withers - Brady-Handy.jpg	Robert E. Withers	Democratic	1874–1875	James L. Kemper		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
12	File:Henry Wirtz Thomas.jpg	Henry Wirtz Thomas	Republican	1875–1878	James L. Kemper		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
13	File:JAWalker.jpg	James A. Walker	Democratic	1878–1882	Frederick W. M. Holliday		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
14	File:Hon. John F. Lewis - NARA - 527363.jpg	John F. Lewis	Republican	1882–1886	William E. Cameron		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
15	File:John E. Massey.jpg	John E. Massey	Democratic	1886–1890	Fitzhugh Lee		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
16	File:James Hoge Tyler.jpg	James Hoge Tyler	Democratic	1890–1894	Philip W. McKinney		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
17	File:Robert C Kent 1891.jpg	Robert Craig Kent	Democratic	1894–1898	Charles Triplett O'Ferrall		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
18	File:Edward Echols 1912.jpg	Edward Echols	Democratic	1898–1902	James H. Tyler		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
19	File:J.E. Willard LCCN2014693220 (3x4a).jpg	Joseph Edward Willard	Democratic	1902–1906	Andrew J. Montague		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
20	File:James Taylor Ellyson.jpg	James Taylor Ellyson	Democratic	1906–1918	Claude A. Swanson William Hodges Mann Henry Carter Stuart		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
21	File:Benjamin F Buchanan 1920 square.jpg	Benjamin Franklin Buchanan	Democratic	1918–1922	Westmoreland Davis		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
22	File:Junius E West 1912.jpg	Junius Edgar West	Democratic	1922–1930	Elbert L. Trinkle Harry F. Byrd		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
23	File:James H Price 1922 square.jpg	James H. Price	Democratic	1930–1938	John Garland Pollard George C. Peery		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
24	File:Lieutenant Governor Holt 1940.jpg	Saxon Winston Holt	Democratic	1938–1940	James H. Price	died in office	<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
25	File:William M. Tuck.jpg	William M. Tuck	Democratic	1942–1946	Colgate Darden		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
26		Lewis Preston Collins II	Democratic	1946–1952	William M. Tuck	died in office	<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
27		Allie Edward Stokes Stephens	Democratic	1952–1962	John S. Battle	filled Collins's term	<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
28	File:Mills Godwin 1966.jpg	Mills E. Godwin, Jr.	Democratic	1962–1966	Albertis Harrison		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
29	File:Fred G. Pollard 1968.png	Fred G. Pollard	Democratic	1966–1970	Mills Godwin		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
30	File:J Sargeant Reynolds 1970.jpg	J. Sargeant Reynolds	Democratic	1970–1971	Linwood Holton	died in office	<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
31	File:Henry Howell 1972.jpg	Henry Howell	Independent	1971–1974	Linwood Holton	Completed Reynolds's term	<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
32	File:John Dalton 1976.jpg	John N. Dalton	Republican	1974–1978	Mills Godwin		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
33	File:Charles Robb 1980.jpg	Chuck Robb	Democratic	1978–1982	John N. Dalton		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
34	File:Dick Davis 1984.jpg	Dick Davis	Democratic	1982–1986	Chuck Robb		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
35	File:D.Wilder S.Senate poster (cropped).jpg	Douglas Wilder	Democratic	1986–1990	Gerald Baliles		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
36	File:Donald S Beyer Jr ambassador (cropped).jpg	Don Beyer	Democratic	1990–1998	Douglas Wilder George Allen		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
37	File:JHHager.jpg	John H. Hager	Republican	1998–2002	Jim Gilmore		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
38	File:Tim Kaine in 2003 (030820-N-4294K (cropped).jpg	Tim Kaine	Democratic	2002–2006	Mark Warner		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
39	File:Bill Bolling (cropped).jpg	Bill Bolling	Republican	2006–2014	Tim Kaine Bob McDonnell		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
40	File:Watts BBQ 2013 (8993613772) (cropped).jpg	Ralph Northam	Democratic	2014–2018	Terry McAuliffe		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
41	File:Justin Fairfax 20.jpg	Justin Fairfax	Democratic	2018–2022	Ralph Northam		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
42	File:Winsome Sears portrait, 2022 (cropped).jpg	Winsome Earle-Sears	Republican	2022–present	Glenn Youngkin		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>
43	File:Hashmi - Porch Headshot (cropped) (3x4).jpg	Ghazala Hashmi	Democratic	Lieutenant Governor-elect taking office 2026	Abigail Spanberger		<ref name= encyclopedia1/>

Timeline

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 from: 01/01/1861 till: 01/01/1863 color:un text:"Daniel Polsley"
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 from: 01/01/1882 till: 01/01/1886 color:rep text:"John F. Lewis"
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 from: 01/01/1870 till: 01/01/1874 color:con text:"John Lawrence Marye Jr."
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 from: 01/01/1886 till: 01/01/1890 color:dem text:"John E. Massey" 
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 from: 01/01/1890 till: 01/01/1894 color:dem text:"James Hoge Tyler"
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 from: 01/01/1894 till: 01/01/1898 color:dem text:"Rober Craig Kent"
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 from: 01/01/1898 till: 01/01/1902 color:dem text:"Edward Echols"
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 from: 01/01/1902 till: 01/02/1906 color:dem text:"Joseph Edward Willard"
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 from: 02/02/1906 till: 01/02/1918 color:dem text:"James Taylor Ellyson"
bar:Buchanan
 from: 02/02/1918 till: 01/01/1922 color:dem text:"Benjamin Franklin Buchanan"
bar:West
 from: 02/02/1922 till: 15/01/1930 color:dem text:"Junius Edgar West"
bar:HPrice
 from: 17/01/1930 till: 19/01/1938 color:dem text:"James Hubert Price"
bar:Holt
 from: 07/01/1931 till: 31/03/1940 color:dem text:"Saxon W. Holt"
bar:Tuck
 from: 21/01/1942 till: 16/01/1946 color:dem text:"William M. Tuck"
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 from: 16/01/1946 till: 20/09/1952 color:dem text:"Lewis Preston Collins II"
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 from: 12/01/1966 till: 17/01/1970 color:dem text:"Fred G. Pollard"
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 from: 18/01/1970 till: 13/06/1971 color:dem text:"J. Sargeant Reynolds"
bar:Howell
 from: 13/06/1971 till: 12/01/1974 color:ind text:"Henry Howell"
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 from: 13/01/1974 till: 14/01/1978 color:rep text:"John N. Dalton"
bar:Robb
 from: 15/01/1978 till: 16/01/1982 color:dem text:"Chuck Robb"
bar:Davis
 from: 17/01/1982 till: 18/01/1986 color:dem text:"Dick Davis"
bar:Wilder
 from: 19/01/1986 till: 13/01/1990 color:dem text:"Douglas Wilder"
bar:Beyer
 from: 14/01/1990 till: 17/01/1998 color:dem text:"Don Beyer"
bar:Hager
 from: 18/01/1998 till: 12/01/2002 color:rep text:"John H. Hager"
bar:Kaine
 from: 13/01/2002 till: 14/01/2006 color:dem text:"Tim Kaine"
bar:Bolling
 from: 15/01/2006 till: 11/01/2014 color:rep text:"Bill Bolling"
bar:Northam
 from: 12/01/2014 till: 13/01/2018 color:dem text:"Ralph Northam"
bar:Fairfax
 from: 14/01/2018 till: 15/01/2022 color:dem text:"Justin Fairfax"
bar:Sears
 from: 16/01/2022 till: $today color:rep text:"Winsome Sears"

</timeline>

Works cited

• Template:Cite book

External links

• Lieutenant Governor of Virginia's website
• List of past Lieutenant Governors