Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana explained

Post:Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
Native Name:Lieutenant-Gouverneur de la Louisiane
Vicegobernador de Luisiana
Incumbent:Billy Nungesser
Incumbentsince:January 11, 2016
Department:Government of Louisiana
Appointer:Popular election
Termlength:Four years
Formation:1846
Succession:1st
Inaugural:Trasimond Landry

The lieutenant governor of Louisiana (French: Lieutenant-Gouverneur de la Louisiane; Spanish; Castilian: Vicegobernador de Luisiana) is the second highest state office in Louisiana. The current lieutenant governor is Billy Nungesser, a Republican. The lieutenant governor is also the commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism.

Paul J. Hardy, who served from 1988 to 1992, was the first Republican to be elected to the position since the Reconstruction Era.

History

The office was established by the Louisiana Constitution of 1845. Prior to that, the successor to the governor in the event of his death or resignation was the President of the Louisiana State Senate. A number of state senate presidents succeeded governors before the 1845 Constitution was adopted, including Henry S. Thibodaux, Armand Beauvais and Jacques Dupre.

The lieutenant governor presided over the Louisiana Senate from 1845 until the adoption of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974. Under the new constitution, the lieutenant governor was—effective in 1976—primarily tasked with serving as acting governor in the governor's absence from the state and succeeding to gubernatorial office in the event it became vacant. The document also allowed the governor and the Louisiana State Legislature to delegate responsibilities upon the lieutenant governor at their discretion.[1] In 1986, the legislature placed the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism under the lieutenant governor's purview, enabling them to appoint the department's leaders.[2] [3]

Selection

Only qualified voters in Louisiana are eligible to be elected lieutenant governor. Any potential lieutenant governor must be at least 25 years of age and have resided in the state for the five previous years. The lieutenant governor is elected on their own ticket separate from the governor.[3]

In the event the lieutenant governor's office becomes vacant, the governor is empowered to nominate a new incumbent subject to the approval of both houses of the legislature.

Duties and responsibilities

The constitution directs the lieutenant governor to assume the office of governor if the previous incumbent vacates the office. If the incumbent governor is unable to act as governor, or is temporarily absent from the state, the lieutenant governor assumes the governor's powers and duties as acting governor.[3] [4] The constitution also designates the lieutenant governor an ex officio member of each committee, board, and commission on which the governor serves.[3]

Aside from these duties, the lieutenant governor can exercise powers delegated to them by the governor or as provided by law.[3] Accordingly, state law designates the lieutenant governor as the commissioner of the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism.[3] [5] In this capacity they appoint the department's secretary and several other leading officers, subject to the confirmation of the State Senate.[3]

List of lieutenant governors

Parties

1846–1860

No. Lt. governor Took office Left office PartyNotes Governor
1 1846 1850 Democratic [6] [7] Isaac Johnson
2 1850 1853 Democratic [8] [9] Joseph Marshall Walker
3 1853 1854 Democratic[10] Paul Octave Hébert
4 1854 1856 Democratic[11] [12] Paul Octave Hébert
5 1856 1856 Democratic[13] Robert C. Wickliffe
6 1856 1860 Democratic[14] Robert C. Wickliffe

Civil War era

Lieutenant governors of Confederate Louisiana

No. Lt. governor Took office Left office PartyNotes Governor
7 1860 1864 DemocraticThomas Overton Moore
8 1864 1865 DemocraticHenry Watkins Allen

Lieutenant governors of Union-held territory in Louisiana

No. Lt. governor Took office Left office PartyNotes Governor
9 1864 1865 DemocratMichael Hahn (Republican)
10 1865 1866 Democrat James Madison Wells (Democrat)

Resumption of U.S. statehood

No. Lt. governor Took office Left office PartyNotes Governor
11 1868 1871 RepublicanHenry C. Warmoth (Republican)
12 1871 1872 RepublicanHenry C. Warmoth (Republican)
14 1873 1877 Republican William P. Kellogg (Republican) 1873-1877
Stephen B. Packard (Republican) 1877
15 1877 1880 DemocraticFrancis T. Nicholls (Democratic)
16 1880 1881 DemocraticLouis A. Wiltz (Democratic)
17 1881 1881 DemocraticSamuel D. McEnery (Democratic)
18 1881 1882 DemocraticSamuel D. McEnery (Democratic)
19 1884 1888 DemocraticSamuel D. McEnery (Democratic)
20 1888 1892 DemocraticFrancis T. Nicholls (Democratic)
21 1892 1893 DemocraticMurphy J. Foster (Democratic)
22 1893 1896 DemocraticMurphy J. Foster (Democratic)
23 1896 1900 DemocraticMurphy J. Foster (Democratic)
24 1900 1904 DemocraticW. W. Heard (Democratic)
25 1904 1908 DemocraticNewton C. Blanchard (Democratic)
26 1908 1911 DemocraticJared Y. Sanders, Sr. (Democratic)
27 1912 1916 DemocraticLuther E. Hall (Democratic)
28 1916 1920 DemocraticRuffin G. Pleasant (Democratic)
29 1920 1924 DemocraticJohn M. Parker (Democratic)
30 1924 1924 DemocraticJohn M. Parker (Democratic)
31 1924 1926 DemocraticHenry L. Fuqua (Democratic)
32 1926 1928 DemocraticOramel H. Simpson (Democratic)
33 1928 1931 Democratic[15] Huey P. Long (Democratic)
34 1931 1932 Democratic[16] [17] Huey P. Long (Democratic)
35 1932 1935 DemocraticO. K. Allen (Democratic)
36 1935 1935 DemocraticO. K. Allen (Democratic)
37 1935 1936 DemocraticO. K. Allen (Democratic)
38 1936 1939 DemocraticRichard W. Leche (Democratic)
39 1939 1940 DemocraticEarl K. Long (Democratic)
40 1940 1944 DemocraticSam H. Jones (Democratic)
41 1944 1948 DemocraticJimmie H. Davis (Democratic)
42 1948 1952 DemocraticEarl K. Long (Democratic)
43 1952 1956 DemocraticRobert F. Kennon (Democratic)
44 1956 1960 DemocraticEarl K. Long (Democratic)
45 1960 1972 DemocraticJimmie H. Davis (Democratic) 1960-1964
John J. McKeithen (Democratic) 1964-1972
46 1972 1980 DemocraticEdwin Edwards (Democratic)
47 1980 1988 DemocraticDavid C. Treen (Republican) 1980-1984
Edwin Edwards (Democratic) 1984-1988
48 1988 1992 RepublicanBuddy Roemer (Democratic turn Republican)
49 1992 1996 DemocraticEdwin Edwards (Democratic)
50 1996 2004 DemocraticMike Foster (Republican)
51 2004 2010 DemocraticKathleen Blanco (Democratic)
Bobby Jindal (Republican)
52 2010 2010 Democratic
2010 2010 Republican
53 2010 2016 Republican
542016 2024 Republican John Bel Edwards (Democratic)
2024 Incumbent Republican Jeff Landry (Republican)

See also

Works cited

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: New Lieutenant Governor Role Seen. The Shreveport Times. Associated Press. 5-A. August 27, 1975.
  2. News: Hill. John. Money not only issue Legislature tackled. The Times. Gannett News Service. 12-B. July 6, 1986.
  3. Web site: Branches of Government : Executive Branch : Statewide Elected Officials. Louisiana.gov. Government of Louisiana. July 17, 2023.
  4. News: Hutchinson. Piper. Louisiana's governor and lt. governor are out of the country. Who's running the state?. Louisiana Illuminator. June 21, 2023. July 17, 2023.
  5. Web site: Branches of Government : Executive Branch : Officers. Louisiana.gov. Government of Louisiana. July 18, 2023.
  6. https://books.google.com/books?id=NugqAAAAYAAJ& Louisiana. Report of the Secretary of State to His Excellency W.W. Heard, Governor of the State of Louisiana. May 12th, 1902. [Baton Rouge]: Baton Rouge news Pub. Co., State printers, 1902.
  7. Calhoun, Milburn, and Bernie McGovern. Louisiana Almanac, 2002-2003 Edition. Gretna, LA: Pelican Pub. Co, 2001. PP 462-63
  8. [s:Louisiana State Constitution of 1852 The Constitution of 1852]
  9. Hyde, Samuel C. Pistols and Politics: The Dilemma of Democracy in Louisiana's Florida Parishes, 1810-1899. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1998. p.71
  10. Died in office
  11. When William Wood Farmer died in office in 1854, Robert C. Wickliffe, as president pro temp, became lieutenant governor.
  12. [s:Louisiana State Constitution of 1852 The Constitution of 1852]
  13. Resigned
  14. When Charles Homer Mouton resigned from office, William F. Griffin, as president pro temp, became lieutenant governor.
  15. Vacated the lieutenant governorship by trying to declare himself governor
  16. As President pro tempore of the Senate became lieutenant governor when Paul N. Cyr vacated the lieutenant governorship
  17. Became Governor on January 25, 1932