Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
Lieutenant-Gouverneur de la Louisiane
Incumbent
Billy Nungesser
since January 11, 2016
Government of Louisiana
AppointerPopular election
Term lengthFour years
Inaugural holderTrasimond Landry
Formation1846
Succession1st

The lieutenant governor of Louisiana (French: Lieutenant-Gouverneur de la Louisiane) 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.[1] Prior to that, the successor to the governor in the event of his death or resignation was the President of the Louisiana State Senate.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4][5]

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.[6] The lieutenant governor is elected on their own ticket separate from the governor.[5]

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.[7]

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.[5][8] The constitution also designates the lieutenant governor an ex officio member of each committee, board, and commission on which the governor serves.[5][9]

Aside from these duties, the lieutenant governor can exercise powers delegated to them by the governor or as provided by law.[5][9] Accordingly, state law designates the lieutenant governor as the commissioner of the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism.[5][10] In this capacity they appoint the department's secretary and several other leading officers, subject to the confirmation of the State Senate.[5]

List of lieutenant governors

Parties

  Independent (0)   Democratic (46)   Republican (8)

1846–1860

No.Lt. governorTook officeLeft officePartyNotesGovernor
1Trasimond Landry18461850Democratic[11][12]Isaac Johnson
2Jean Baptiste Plauche18501853Democratic[11][12][13][14]Joseph Marshall Walker
3William Wood Farmer18531854Democratic[11][12][15]Paul Octave Hébert
4Robert C. Wickliffe18541856Democratic[16][17]Paul Octave Hébert
5Charles Homer Mouton18561856Democratic[11][12][18]Robert C. Wickliffe
6William F. Griffin18561860Democratic[11][12][19]Robert C. Wickliffe

Civil War era

Lieutenant governors of Confederate Louisiana

No.Lt. governorTook officeLeft officePartyNotesGovernor
7Henry M. Hyams18601864DemocraticThomas Overton Moore
8Benjamin W. Pearce18641865DemocraticHenry Watkins Allen

Lieutenant governors of Union-held territory in Louisiana

No.Lt. governorTook officeLeft officePartyNotesGovernor
9James M. Wells18641865DemocratMichael Hahn (Republican)
10Albert Voorhies18651866DemocratJames Madison Wells (Democrat)

Resumption of U.S. statehood

No.Lt. governorTook officeLeft officePartyNotesGovernor
11Oscar J. Dunn18681871RepublicanHenry C. Warmoth (Republican)
12P. B. S. Pinchback18711872RepublicanHenry C. Warmoth (Republican)
14C.C. Antoine18731877RepublicanWilliam P. Kellogg (Republican) 1873-1877
Stephen B. Packard (Republican) 1877
15Louis A. Wiltz18771880DemocraticFrancis T. Nicholls (Democratic)
16Samuel D. McEnery18801881DemocraticLouis A. Wiltz (Democratic)
17W.A. Robertson18811881DemocraticSamuel D. McEnery (Democratic)
18George L. Walton18811882DemocraticSamuel D. McEnery (Democratic)
19Clay Knobloch18841888DemocraticSamuel D. McEnery (Democratic)
20James Jeffries18881892DemocraticFrancis T. Nicholls (Democratic)
21Charles Parlange18921893DemocraticMurphy J. Foster (Democratic)
22Hiram R. Lott18931896DemocraticMurphy J. Foster (Democratic)
23Robert H. Snyder18961900DemocraticMurphy J. Foster (Democratic)
24Albert Estopinal19001904DemocraticW. W. Heard (Democratic)
25Jared Y. Sanders, Sr.19041908DemocraticNewton C. Blanchard (Democratic)
26Paul M. Lambremont19081911DemocraticJared Y. Sanders, Sr. (Democratic)
27Thomas C. Barret19121916DemocraticLuther E. Hall (Democratic)
28Fernand Mouton19161920DemocraticRuffin G. Pleasant (Democratic)
29Hewitt Bouanchaud19201924DemocraticJohn M. Parker (Democratic)
30Delos R. Johnson19241924DemocraticJohn M. Parker (Democratic)
31Oramel H. Simpson19241926DemocraticHenry L. Fuqua (Democratic)
32Philip H. Gilbert19261928DemocraticOramel H. Simpson (Democratic)
33Paul N. Cyr19281931Democratic[20]Huey P. Long (Democratic)
34Alvin Olin King19311932Democratic[12][21][22]Huey P. Long (Democratic)
35John B. Fournet19321935DemocraticO. K. Allen (Democratic)
36Thomas C. Wingate19351935DemocraticO. K. Allen (Democratic)
37James A. Noe19351936DemocraticO. K. Allen (Democratic)
38Earl K. Long19361939DemocraticRichard W. Leche (Democratic)
39Coleman Lindsey19391940DemocraticEarl K. Long (Democratic)
40Marc M. Mouton19401944DemocraticSam H. Jones (Democratic)
41J. Emile Verret19441948DemocraticJimmie H. Davis (Democratic)
42William J. Dodd19481952DemocraticEarl K. Long (Democratic)
43Charles E. (Cap) Barham19521956DemocraticRobert F. Kennon (Democratic)
44Lether Frazar19561960DemocraticEarl K. Long (Democratic)
45Clarence C. (Taddy) Aycock19601972DemocraticJimmie H. Davis (Democratic) 1960-1964
John J. McKeithen (Democratic) 1964-1972
46James E. (Jimmy) Fitzmorris, Jr.19721980DemocraticEdwin Edwards (Democratic)
47Robert Louis Freeman Sr.19801988DemocraticDavid C. Treen (Republican) 1980-1984
Edwin Edwards (Democratic) 1984-1988
48Paul Hardy19881992RepublicanBuddy Roemer (Democratic turn Republican)
49Melinda Schwegmann19921996DemocraticEdwin Edwards (Democratic)
50Kathleen Babineaux Blanco19962004DemocraticMike Foster (Republican)
51Mitchell (Mitch) Landrieu20042010DemocraticKathleen Blanco (Democratic)
Bobby Jindal (Republican)
52Scott Angelle20102010Democratic
20102010Republican
53John L. (Jay) Dardenne20102016Republican
54Billy Nungesser20162024RepublicanJohn Bel Edwards (Democratic)
2024IncumbentRepublicanJeff Landry (Republican)

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dawson 1990, p. xvii.
  2. ↑ Dawson 1990, p. xvi.
  3. ↑ "New Lieutenant Governor Role Seen". The Shreveport Times. Associated Press. August 27, 1975. p. 5-A.
  4. ↑ Hill, John (July 6, 1986). "Money not only issue Legislature tackled". The Times. Gannett News Service. p. 12-B.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Branches of Government : Executive Branch : Statewide Elected Officials". Louisiana.gov. Government of Louisiana. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  6. ↑ Qualifications of Candidates 2022, p. 1.
  7. ↑ Hargrave 2011, p. 75.
  8. ↑ Hutchinson, Piper (June 21, 2023). "Louisiana's governor and lt. governor are out of the country. Who's running the state?". Louisiana Illuminator. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  9. 1 2 Hargrave 2011, p. 72.
  10. ↑ "Branches of Government : Executive Branch : Officers". Louisiana.gov. Government of Louisiana. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 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. p 325
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Calhoun, Milburn, and Bernie McGovern. Louisiana Almanac, 2002-2003 Edition. Gretna, LA: Pelican Pub. Co, 2001. PP 462-63
  13. ↑ s:Louisiana State Constitution of 1852 The Constitution of 1852 shortened this term.
  14. ↑ 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
  15. ↑ Died in office
  16. ↑ When William Wood Farmer died in office in 1854, Robert C. Wickliffe, as president pro temp, became lieutenant governor.
  17. ↑ s:Louisiana State Constitution of 1852 The Constitution of 1852 Set this to in end in 1856
  18. ↑ Resigned
  19. ↑ When Charles Homer Mouton resigned from office, William F. Griffin, as president pro temp, became lieutenant governor.
  20. ↑ Vacated the lieutenant governorship by trying to declare himself governor
  21. ↑ As President pro tempore of the Senate became lieutenant governor when Paul N. Cyr vacated the lieutenant governorship
  22. ↑ Became Governor on January 25, 1932

Works cited

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.