Lieutenant Governor of Vermont

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The Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Vermont is an elected Constitutional officer, the second ranking officer of the Executive branch, and the first officer in line to succeed the Governor of Vermont. The Lieutenant Governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and has no term limit.

Current officer

See also: Current Lieutenant Governors

The 79th and current lieutenant governor is Phillip Scott, a Republican elected in 2010.

Authority

The state Constitution addresses the office of the governor in both Chapter II, Sections 1-5, the Delegations and Distribution of Powers and Chapter II, Sections 20-27, Executive Department.

Under Section I:

The Commonwealth or State of Vermont shall be governed by a Governor (or Lieutenant-Governor)...

Qualifications

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State legislatures
Elections
2012 • 2011 • 2010
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In order to be eligible for the office of lieutenant governor, a candidate must be:

• a resident of Vermont for at least four years on the day of the election

Lieutenant Governors may not hold any legislative office or any other Constitutional office. Excepting positions in military reserves, they also may not hold any office under the federal government. Nor is the Lieutenant Governor eligible for any appointed position made by any branch of the Vermont government.

Elections

See also: Gubernatorial election cycles by state

See also: Election of lieutenant governors

Vermont's Constitution address lieutenant gubernatorial elections not in the section on the Executive but in Chapter II, Section 43-55, Elections; Officers; Terms of Office.

Vermont is one of only two states that elects lieutenant governors biennially, that is, each even-numbered year. For Vermont, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016 are all lieutenant gubernatorial election years. Legally, the gubernatorial inauguration is always set for the first Thursday following the first Tuesday in the January following an election. Thus, January 6, 2011, January 3, 2013, and January 8, 2015 are inaugural days.

By law, lieutenant governors are elected in separate elections from governors in both the primary and general elections. This means it is possible to have a partisan split in the Executive office.

If the office of the Lieutenant Governor is not filled in the election, a joint session of the legislature shall cast ballots to choose among three candidates.

Vacancies

Details of vacancies are addressed under Article V, Sections24.

If the office of the Lieutenant Governor is vacant, the Governor of Vermont appoints a replacement.

If both offices are vacant, then the legislature appoints a replacement.

Duties

According to the state Constitution, if the office of the governor becomes vacant by reason of death, resignation, impeachment or inability to serve, the lieutenant governor will fill the office until a governor is qualified to act or until the office is filled at the next election.

In such instances, the Lieutenant Governor has all the powers, privileges, and duties of the elected Governor.

The Lieutenant Governor is, at all times and by virtue of his office, the second commander of the state's militia and naval forces.

Compensation

See also: Comparison of lieutenant gubernatorial salaries

The lieutenant governor's pay is set by law and may not be increased or diminished effective during the current term.

As of 2010, the lieutenant governor is paid $60,507 a year, the 37th highest lieutenant gubernatorial salary in America.

Contact information

Office of the Lt. Governor
115 State Street
Montpelier, Vermont 05633-5401
Phone:802-828-2226
Fax:802-828-3198

See also

• Vermont Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie
• Governor of Vermont
• Governor Peter Shumlin
• Vermont Attorney General
• Vermont Secretary of State

External links

• Office of the Vermont Lieutenant Governor