Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States
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The following is the planned order of succession for the governorships of the 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and the five organized territories of the United States, according to the constitutions (and supplemental laws, if any) of each.[1] Some states make a distinction whether the succeeding individual is acting as governor or becomes governor.
From 1980 to 1999, there were 13 successions of governorships. From 2000 to 2019 this number increased to 29.[2] The only instance since at least 1980 in which the second in line reached a state governorship was on January 8, 2002, when New Jersey Attorney General John Farmer Jr. acted as governor for 90 minutes between Donald DiFrancesco and John O. Bennett's terms in that capacity as president of the Senate following governor Christine Todd Whitman's resignation.[3] In 2019, Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico Wanda Vázquez Garced became governor when both the governor and secretary of state resigned in Telegramgate.
From 1945 to 2016, 39 of those who succeeded to the governorship ran for and won election to a full term.[4]
States
[edit]|
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming |
Alabama
[edit]Established by Article V, Section 127 of the Constitution of Alabama.[5]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Alabama | Kay Ivey (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Will Ainsworth (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Greg Reed (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Nathaniel Ledbetter (R) |
| 4 | Attorney General | Steve Marshall (R) |
| 5 | Auditor | Andrew Sorrell (R) |
| 6 | Secretary of State | Wes Allen (R) |
| 7 | Treasurer | Young Boozer (R) |
Alaska
[edit]Established by Article III, Section 10 of the Constitution of Alaska.[6]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Alaska | Mike Dunleavy (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Nancy Dahlstrom (R) |
Arizona
[edit]Established by Article V, Section 6 of the Constitution of Arizona.[7]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Arizona | Katie Hobbs (D) | |
| 1 | Secretary of State | Adrian Fontes (D) |
| 2 | Attorney General | Kris Mayes (D) |
| 3 | Treasurer | Kimberly Yee (R) |
| 4 | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Tom Horne (R) |
Arkansas
[edit]Established by Article VI, Section 5 of the Constitution of Arkansas as amended.[8]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Arkansas | Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Leslie Rutledge (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Bart Hester (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Matthew Shepherd (R) |
California
[edit]Established by Article V, Section 10 of the Constitution of California[9] and (GOV) Title 2, Division 3, Part 2, Art. 5.5 of the California Codes.[10][11]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of California | Gavin Newsom (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Eleni Kounalakis (D) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Mike McGuire (D) |
| 3 | Speaker of the Assembly | Robert Rivas (D) |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Shirley Weber (D) |
| 5 | Attorney General | Rob Bonta (D) |
| 6 | Treasurer | Fiona Ma (D) |
| 7 | Controller | Malia Cohen (D) |
| 8 | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Tony Thurmond (NP)[a] |
| 9 | Insurance Commissioner | Ricardo Lara (D) |
| 10 | Chair of the Board of Equalization | Sally Lieber (D) |
| 11 | List of 4–7 people named by the governor (subject to confirmation by the Senate) in the case of war or enemy-caused disaster. | |
Colorado
[edit]Established by Article IV, Section 13(7) of the Constitution of Colorado.[12]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Colorado | Jared Polis (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Dianne Primavera (D) |
| 2 | President of the Senate[b] | Steve Fenberg (D) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives[b] | Julie McCluskie (D) |
| 4 | Minority Leader of the House[b] | Rose Pugliese (R) |
| 5 | Minority Leader of the Senate[c] | Paul Lundeen (R) |
Connecticut
[edit]Established by Article IV, Sections 18–21 of the Constitution of Connecticut.[13]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Connecticut | Ned Lamont (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Susan Bysiewicz (D) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Martin Looney (D) |
Delaware
[edit]Established by Article III, Section 20 of the Constitution of Delaware.[14]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Delaware | John Carney (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Bethany Hall-Long (D) |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Jeffrey W. Bullock (D) |
| 3 | Attorney General | Kathy Jennings (D) |
| 4 | President pro tempore of the Senate | David Sokola (D) |
| 5 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Valerie Longhurst (D) |
Florida
[edit]Established by Article IV, Section 3 of the Constitution of Florida[15] and Florida Statute 14.055.[16]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Florida | Ron DeSantis (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Jeanette Núñez (R) |
| 2 | Attorney General | Ashley Moody (R) |
| 3 | Chief Financial Officer | Jimmy Patronis (R) |
| 4 | Commissioner of Agriculture | Wilton Simpson (R) |
Georgia
[edit]Established by Article V, Section 1, Paragraph V of the Constitution of Georgia.[17]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Georgia | Brian Kemp (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Burt Jones (R) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Jon Burns (R) |
Hawaii
[edit]Established by Article V, Section 4 of the Constitution of Hawaii[18] and Title 4 §26-2 of the Hawaii code.[19]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Hawaii | Josh Green (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Sylvia Luke (D) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Ron Kouchi (D) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Scott Saiki (D) |
| 4 | Attorney General | Anne E. Lopez[20] |
| 5 | Director of Finance | Luis Salaveria[20] |
| 6 | Comptroller | Keith Regan[20] |
| 7 | Director of Taxation | Gary Suganuma[20] |
| 8 | Director of Human Resources Development | Brenna Hashimoto[20] |
Idaho
[edit]Established by Article IV, Sections 12–14 of the Constitution of Idaho.[21]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Idaho | Brad Little (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Scott Bedke (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Chuck Winder (R) |
Illinois
[edit]Established by Article V, Section 6 of the Constitution of Illinois[22] and the Governor Succession Act[23]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Illinois | J. B. Pritzker (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Juliana Stratton (D) |
| 2 | Attorney General | Kwame Raoul (D) |
| 3 | Secretary of State | Alexi Giannoulias (D) |
| 4 | Comptroller | Susana Mendoza (D) |
| 5 | Treasurer | Mike Frerichs (D) |
| 6 | President of the Senate | Don Harmon (D) |
| 7 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Emanuel Chris Welch (D) |
Indiana
[edit]Established by Article V, Section 10 of the Constitution of Indiana.[24]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Indiana | Eric Holcomb (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Suzanne Crouch (R) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Todd Huston (R) |
| 3 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Rodric Bray (R) |
| 4 | Treasurer | Daniel Elliott (R) |
| 5 | Secretary of State | Diego Morales (R) |
| 6 | Auditor | Elise Nieshalla (R) |
| – | Superintendent of Public Instruction | office abolished[d] |
Iowa
[edit]Established by Article IV, Sections 17–19 of the Constitution of Iowa.[25]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Iowa | Kim Reynolds (R) | |
| – | Lieutenant Governor | Vacant |
| 1 | President of the Senate | Amy Sinclair (R) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Pat Grassley (R) |
Kansas
[edit]Established by KSA Statute 75–125[26] and the Emergency Interim Executive and Judicial Succession Act of 1994.[27]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Kansas | Laura Kelly (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | David Toland (D) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Ty Masterson (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Dan Hawkins (R) |
| Eligible to serve as emergency interim governor if 1–3 are vacant | ||
| 4 | Secretary of State | Scott Schwab (R) |
| 5 | Attorney General | Kris Kobach (R) |
Kentucky
[edit]Established by Sections 84,[28] 85[29] and 87[30] of the Kentucky Constitution.
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Kentucky | Andy Beshear (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Jacqueline Coleman (D) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Robert Stivers (R) |
| 3 | Attorney General[e] | Russell Coleman (R) |
| 4 | Auditor[e] | Allison Ball (R) |
Louisiana
[edit]Established by Article IV, Section 14 of the Constitution of Louisiana.[31]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Louisiana | Jeff Landry (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Billy Nungesser (R) |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Nancy Landry (R) |
| 3 | Attorney General | Liz Murrill (R) |
| 4 | Treasurer | John Fleming (R) |
| 5 | President of the Senate | Cameron Henry (R) |
| 6 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Phillip DeVillier (R) |
Maine
[edit]Established by Article V, Part 1, Section 14 of the Constitution of Maine.[32]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Maine | Janet Mills (D) | |
| 1 | President of the Senate | Troy Jackson (D) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Rachel Talbot Ross (D) |
| 3 | Secretary of State[e] | Shenna Bellows (D) |
Maryland
[edit]Established by Article II, Section 6 of the Constitution of Maryland.[33]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Maryland | Wes Moore (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Aruna Miller (D) |
| 2 | President of the Senate[f] | Bill Ferguson (D) |
Massachusetts
[edit]Established by Article LV of the Constitution of Massachusetts.[34]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Massachusetts | Maura Healey (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Kim Driscoll (D) |
| 2 | Secretary of the Commonwealth | William F. Galvin (D) |
| 3 | Attorney General | Andrea Campbell (D) |
| 4 | Treasurer and Receiver-General | Deb Goldberg (D) |
| 5 | Auditor | Diana DiZoglio (D) |
Michigan
[edit]Established by Article V, Section 26 of the Constitution of Michigan,[35] Section 10.2 of the Revised Statutes of 1846[36] and the Emergency Interim Executive Succession Act (PA 202 of 1959, Section 31.4)[37][38]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Michigan | Gretchen Whitmer (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Garlin Gilchrist (D) |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Jocelyn Benson (D) |
| 3 | Attorney General | Dana Nessel (D) |
| 4 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Jeremy Moss (D) |
| 5 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Joe Tate (D) |
| Eligible to serve as emergency interim governor if 1–5 are vacant | ||
| 6 | List of 5 people named by the governor[39] | State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks |
| 7 | Fmr. Lieutenant Governor John Cherry (D) | |
| 8 | Wayne County Exec. Warren Evans (D) | |
| 9 | Businessman Gary Torgow | |
| 10 | U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D) | |
Minnesota
[edit]Established by Article V, Section 5 of the Minnesota Constitution[40] and Minnesota Statute 4.06.[41]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Minnesota | Tim Walz (DFL) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Peggy Flanagan (DFL) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Bobby Joe Champion (DFL) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Melissa Hortman (DFL) |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Steve Simon (DFL) |
| 5 | Auditor | Julie Blaha (DFL) |
| 6 | Attorney General | Keith Ellison (DFL) |
Mississippi
[edit]Established by Article V, Section 131 of the Constitution of Mississippi.[42]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Mississippi | Tate Reeves (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Delbert Hosemann (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Dean Kirby (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Philip Gunn (R) |
Missouri
[edit]Established by Article IV, Section 11(a) of the Constitution of Missouri.[43]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Missouri | Mike Parson (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Mike Kehoe (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Caleb Rowden (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Dean Plocher (R) |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Jay Ashcroft (R) |
| 5 | Auditor | Scott Fitzpatrick (R) |
| 6 | Treasurer | Vivek Malek (R) |
| 7 | Attorney General | Andrew Bailey (R) |
Montana
[edit]Established by Article VI, Section 6 of the Constitution of Montana[44] and Montana Code 2-16-511 to 2-16-513.[45][46][47]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Montana | Greg Gianforte (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Kristen Juras (R) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Jason Ellsworth (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Matt Regier (R) |
| 4 | Most senior member of the Montana Legislature[g][h] | State Sen. Keith Regier (R) |
Nebraska
[edit]Established by Article IV, Section 16 of the Constitution of Nebraska[48] and Nebraska Revised Statutes 84-120[49] and 84-121.[50]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Nebraska | Jim Pillen (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Joe Kelly (R) |
| 2 | Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature | John Arch (NP/R)[i] |
| 3 | Chair of the Executive Board of the Legislative Council | Ray Aguilar (NP/R)[j] |
| 4 | Chair of the Committee on Committees | Joni Albrecht (NP/R)[j] |
| 5 | Chair of the Judiciary Committee | Justin Wayne (NP/D)[k] |
| 6 | Chair of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee | Tom Brewer (NP/R)[j] |
| 7 | Chair of the Appropriations Committee | Robert Clements (NP/R)[j] |
| 8 | Chair of the Revenue Committee | Lou Ann Linehan (NP/R)[j] |
| 9 | Chair of the Education Committee | Dave Murman (NP/R)[j] |
| 10 | Chair of the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee | Julie Slama (NP/R)[j] |
| 11 | Chair of the Natural Resources Committee | Bruce Bostelman (NP/R)[j] |
| 12 | Chair of the Agriculture Committee | Steve Halloran (NP/R)[j] |
| 13 | Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee | Ben Hansen (NP/R)[j] |
| 14 | Chair of the General Affairs Committee | John Lowe (NP/R)[j] |
| 15 | Chair of the Urban Affairs Committee | Terrell McKinney (NP/D)[k] |
| 16 | Chair of the Business and Labor Committee | Merv Riepe (NP/R)[j] |
| 17 | Chair of the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee | Mike Moser (NP/R)[j] |
Nevada
[edit]Established by Nevada Revised Statute 223.080.[51]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Nevada | Joe Lombardo (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Stavros Anthony (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Pat Spearman (D) |
| 3 | Speaker of the Assembly | Steve Yeager (D) |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Cisco Aguilar (D) |
New Hampshire
[edit]Established by Part 2, Article 49 of the Constitution of New Hampshire.[52]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of New Hampshire | Chris Sununu (R) | |
| 1 | President of the Senate | Jeb Bradley (R) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Sherman Packard (R) |
| 3 | Secretary of State | David Scanlan (R) |
| 4 | Treasurer[e] | Monica Mezzapelle |
New Jersey
[edit]Established by Article V, Section I, Paragraph 7 of the Constitution of New Jersey[53] and New Jersey Revised Statute 52:14A-4.[54]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of New Jersey | Phil Murphy (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Tahesha Way (D) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Nicholas Scutari (D) |
| 3 | Speaker of the General Assembly | Craig Coughlin (D) |
| Eligible to serve as emergency interim governor if 1–3 are vacant | ||
| 4 | Attorney General | Matt Platkin (D) |
| 5 | Commissioner of Transportation | Francis K. O'Connor |
New Mexico
[edit]Established by Article V, Section 7 of the Constitution of New Mexico[55]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of New Mexico | Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Howie Morales (D) |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Maggie Toulouse Oliver (D) |
| 3 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Mimi Stewart (D) |
| 4 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Javier Martínez (D) |
New York
[edit]Established by Article IV, Sections 5–6 of the New York Constitution[56] and Article 1-A, Section 5 of the Defense Emergency Act of 1951.[57]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of New York | Kathy Hochul (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Antonio Delgado (D) |
| 2 | Temporary President of the Senate | Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D) |
| 3 | Speaker of the Assembly | Carl Heastie (D) |
| Eligible to serve as emergency interim governor if 1–3 are vacant | ||
| 4 | Attorney General | Letitia James (D) |
| 5 | Comptroller | Thomas DiNapoli (D) |
| 6 | Commissioner of Transportation | Marie Therese Dominguez |
| 7 | Commissioner of Health | Mary T. Bassett |
| — | Commissioner of Commerce[l] | n/a |
| — | Industrial Commissioner[l] | n/a |
| 8 | Chair of the Public Service Commission | John B. Rhodes |
| 9 | Secretary of State | Walter T. Mosley (D) |
North Carolina
[edit]Established by Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution of North Carolina[58] and G.S. Section 147.11.1.[59]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of North Carolina | Roy Cooper (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Mark Robinson (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Phil Berger (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Tim Moore (R) |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Elaine Marshall (D) |
| 5 | Auditor | Jessica Holmes (D) |
| 6 | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Catherine Truitt (R) |
| 7 | Attorney General | Josh Stein (D) |
| 8 | Commissioner of Agriculture | Steve Troxler (R) |
| 9 | Commissioner of Labor | Josh Dobson (R) |
| 10 | Commissioner of Insurance | Mike Causey (R) |
North Dakota
[edit]Established by Article V, Section 11 of the Constitution of North Dakota.[60]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of North Dakota | Doug Burgum (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Tammy Miller (R) |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Michael Howe (R) |
Ohio
[edit]Established by Article III, Section 15 of the Constitution of Ohio[61] and Title I, Chapter 161 of the Ohio Revised Code.[62]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Ohio | Mike DeWine (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Jon Husted (R) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Matt Huffman (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Jason Stephens (R) |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Frank LaRose (R) |
| 5 | Treasurer | Robert Sprague (R) |
| 6 | Auditor | Keith Faber (R) |
| 7 | Attorney General | Dave Yost (R) |
Oklahoma
[edit]As provided by Article VI, Section 15 of the Constitution of Oklahoma[63] and the Oklahoma Emergency Interim Executive and Judicial Succession Act.
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Oklahoma | Kevin Stitt (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma | Matt Pinnell (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Greg Treat (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Charles McCall (R) |
| Eligible to serve as emergency interim governor if 1–3 are vacant | ||
| 4 | State Auditor and Inspector | Cindy Byrd (R) |
| 5 | Attorney General | Gentner Drummond (R) |
| 6 | State Treasurer | Todd Russ (R) |
| 7 | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Ryan Walters (R) |
| 8 | Labor Commissioner | Leslie Osborn (R) |
| 9 | Corporation Commissioner (by length of tenure) | Bob Anthony (R) |
| 10 | Todd Hiett (R) | |
| 11 | Kim David (R) | |
Oregon
[edit]Established by Article V, Section 8a of the Constitution of Oregon[64]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Oregon | Tina Kotek (D) | |
| – | Secretary of State | LaVonne Griffin-Valade (D)[m] |
| 1 | Treasurer | Tobias Read (D) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Rob Wagner (D) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Dan Rayfield (D) |
Pennsylvania
[edit]Established by Article IV, Sections 13–14 of the Pennsylvania Constitution[65][66]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Pennsylvania | Josh Shapiro (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Austin Davis (D) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Kim Ward (R) |
Rhode Island
[edit]Established by Article IX, Sections 9–10 of the Constitution of Rhode Island[67]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Rhode Island | Dan McKee (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Sabina Matos (D) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Joe Shekarchi (D) |
South Carolina
[edit]Established by Article IV, Sections 6 and 7 of the South Carolina Constitution[68] and South Carolina Code of Laws sections 1-3-120,[69] 1-3-130[70] and 1-9-30.[71]
| # | Position | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of South Carolina | Henry McMaster (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Pamela Evette (R) |
| 2 | President of the South Carolina Senate | Thomas C. Alexander (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Murrell Smith (R) |
| Eligible to serve as emergency interim governor if 1–3 are vacant | ||
| 4 | Secretary of State | Mark Hammond (R) |
| 5 | Treasurer | Curtis Loftis (R) |
| 6 | Attorney General | Alan Wilson (R) |
South Dakota
[edit]Established by Article IV, Section 6 of the Constitution of South Dakota.[72]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of South Dakota | Kristi Noem (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Larry Rhoden (R) |
Tennessee
[edit]Established by Article III, Section 12 of the Constitution of Tennessee[73] and Acts 1941, Chapter 99 §1.[74]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Tennessee | Bill Lee (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Senate | Randy McNally (R) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Cameron Sexton (R) |
| 3 | Secretary of State | Tre Hargett (R) |
| 4 | Comptroller of the Treasury | Jason Mumpower (R) |
Texas
[edit]Established by Article IV, Sections 3a and 16–18 of the Constitution of Texas[75] and Chapter 401.023 of Title 4 the Texas Gov't Code.[76]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Texas | Greg Abbott (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Dan Patrick (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Charles Schwertner (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Dade Phelan (R) |
| 4 | Attorney General | Ken Paxton (R) |
| Chief Justices of the Texas Courts of Appeals, in numerical order | ||
| 5 | 1st Court of Appeals (Houston) | Terry Adams (R) |
| 6 | 2nd Court of Appeals (Fort Worth) | Bonnie Sudderth (R) |
| 7 | 3rd Court of Appeals (Austin) | Darlene Byrne (D) |
| 8 | 4th Court of Appeals (San Antonio) | Rebeca Martinez (D) |
| 9 | 5th Court of Appeals (Dallas) | Robert Burns III (D) |
| 10 | 6th Court of Appeals (Texarkana) | Josh Morriss (R) |
| 11 | 7th Court of Appeals (Amarillo) | Brian Quinn (R) |
| 12 | 8th Court of Appeals (El Paso) | Jeff Alley (R) |
| 13 | 9th Court of Appeals (Beaumont) | Scott Golemon (R) |
| 14 | 10th Court of Appeals (Waco) | Tom Gray (R) |
| 15 | 11th Court of Appeals (Eastland) | John M. Bailey (R) |
| 16 | 12th Court of Appeals (Tyler) | Jim Worthen (R) |
| 17 | 13th Court of Appeals (Corpus Christi) | Dori Contreras (D) |
| 18 | 14th Court of Appeals (Houston) | Tracy Christopher (R) |
Utah
[edit]Established by Article VII, Section 11 of the Constitution of Utah[77] and the Emergency Interim Succession Act (C53-2a-803).[78]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Utah | Spencer Cox (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Deirdre Henderson (R) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | J. Stuart Adams (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Brad Wilson (R) |
| Eligible to serve as emergency interim governor if 1–3 are vacant | ||
| 4 | Attorney General | Sean Reyes (R) |
| 5 | Treasurer | Marlo Oaks (R) |
| 6 | Auditor | John Dougall (R) |
Vermont
[edit]Established by Chapter II, Section 20 of the Constitution of Vermont,[79] 3 VSA §1[80] and 20 VSA §183.[81]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Vermont | Phil Scott (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | David Zuckerman (VPP/D) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Jill Krowinski (D) |
| 3 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Philip Baruth (D/VPP) |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Sarah Copeland-Hanzas (D) |
| 5 | Treasurer | Mike Pieciak (D) |
Virginia
[edit]Established by Article V, Section 16 of the Constitution of Virginia.[82]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Virginia | Glenn Youngkin (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Winsome Sears (R) |
| 2 | Attorney General | Jason Miyares (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Delegates | Don Scott (D) |
| 4 | House of Delegates convenes to fill the vacancy | |
Washington
[edit]Established by Article III, Section 10 of the Constitution of Washington.[83]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Washington | Jay Inslee (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Denny Heck (D) |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Steve Hobbs (D) |
| 3 | Treasurer | Mike Pellicciotti (D) |
| 4 | Auditor | Pat McCarthy (D) |
| 5 | Attorney General | Bob Ferguson (D) |
| 6 | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Chris Reykdal (NP)[n] |
| 7 | Commissioner of Public Lands | Hilary Franz (D) |
West Virginia
[edit]Established by Article VII, Section 16 of the Constitution of West Virginia.[84]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of West Virginia | Jim Justice (R) | |
| 1 | President of the Senate | Craig Blair (R) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Delegates | Roger Hanshaw (R) |
| 3 | New governor elected by a joint vote of the Legislature | |
Wisconsin
[edit]Established by Article V, Sections 7 and 8 of the Constitution of Wisconsin.[85]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Wisconsin | Tony Evers (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Sara Rodriguez (D) |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Sarah Godlewski (D) |
Wyoming
[edit]Established by Article IV, Section 6 of the Wyoming Constitution.[86]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Wyoming | Mark Gordon (R) | |
| 1 | Secretary of State | Chuck Gray (R) |
Federal district
[edit]Washington, D.C.
[edit]Established by Title IV, Section 421(c)(2) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act.[87]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Mayor of Washington, D.C. | Muriel Bowser (D) | |
| 1 | Chair of the D.C. Council | Phil Mendelson (D) |
Organized territories
[edit]American Samoa
[edit]Established by Article IV, Section 4 Constitution of American Samoa[88] and Section 4.0106 of the American Samoa Codes Annotated.[89]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of American Samoa | Lemanu Peleti Mauga[o] | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Eleasalo Ale[o] |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Savali Talavou Ale[o] |
Guam
[edit]Established by Subchapter 1, Section 1422(b) of the Guam Organic Act of 1950.[90]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Guam | Lou Leon Guerrero (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Josh Tenorio (D) |
| 2 | Speaker of the Legislature | Therese M. Terlaje (D) |
Northern Mariana Islands
[edit]Established by Article III, Section 7 of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Constitution.[91]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands | Arnold Palacios (I) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | David M. Apatang (I) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Edith DeLeon Guerrero (D) |
Puerto Rico
[edit]Established by Article IV, Section 8 of the Constitution of Puerto Rico[92] and Law No. 7 of 2005[93]
U.S. Virgin Islands
[edit]Established by Subsection IV §1595(b, e) of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands[94] and the Executive Succession Act of 1972[95]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of the United States Virgin Islands | Albert Bryan (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Tregenza Roach (D) |
| 2 | President of the Legislature | Novelle Francis (D) |
| 3 | Vice President of the Legislature | Marvin Blyden (D) |
| 4 | Commissioner of Finance | Kevin McCurdy |
| 5 | Attorney General | Gordon Rhea |
| 6 | Director of the Office of Management and Budget | Julio Rhymer Sr. (Acting) |
| 7 | Commissioner of Education | Dionne Wells-Hedrington |
| 8 | Commission of Public Works | Derek Gabriel |
| 9 | Commission of Sports, Parks and Recreation | Calvert White |
| 10 | Police Commissioner | Mario Brooks (Acting) |
Notes
[edit]- ^ The office is officially nonpartisan, but Superintendent Thurmond identifies with the Democratic Party.
- ^ a b c Must be the same party as the outgoing governor. If the current officeholder is not a member of the same party, skip to the next on the list.
- ^ If the minority leader of the Senate is not a member of the same party as the outgoing governor, succession goes back to the president of the Senate
- ^ The elected office of Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction was abolished as of January 11, 2021 and replaced with the appointed Secretary of Education. However the state constitution has not been changed.
- ^ a b c d Only eligible to serve until a new president of the Senate is elected.
- ^ Only eligible to serve until a new governor is elected by the General Assembly.
- ^ "Senior" is defined as the member of the legislature who has served "for the longest continuous period of time", with age being the tiebreaker (in favor of the older/oldest person) if multiple people qualify. Sen. Regier served for eight years in the state House of Representatives from 2009-2017 and went directly to the state Senate, serving until the present.
- ^ Only eligible to serve until a new governor is elected by a joint session of the Legislature.
- ^ The Nebraska Legislature is officially nonpartisan, but Speaker Arch identifies with the Republican Party.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m The Nebraska Legislature is officially nonpartisan, but this senator identifies with the Republican Party.
- ^ a b The Nebraska Legislature is officially nonpartisan, but this senator identifies with the Democratic Party.
- ^ a b The New York Defense Emergency Act of 1951 calls for the "Commissioner of Commerce" and the "Industrial Commissioner" to be in the emergency line of succession. However, these departments/positions no longer appear to exist and it is unclear if there have been statutory changes made to accommodate the line of succession.
- ^ Griffin-Valade is not eligible to succeed to the office of governor as she was appointed, not elected, to her position.
- ^ The office is officially nonpartisan, but Superintendent Reykdal identifies with the Democratic Party.
- ^ a b c Elections in American Samoa are officially nonpartisan, but Gov. Mauga and Lt. Gov. Ale both identify with the Democratic Party, and Speaker Ale with the Republican Party.
References
[edit]- ^ "States' Lines of Succession of Gubernatorial Powers" (PDF). National Lieutenant Governors Association. May 2011.
- ^ "Chart of Gubernatorial Successions" (PDF). National Lieutenant Governors Association. June 2018.
- ^ Staff. "N.J.'S LINE OF SUCCESSION / A SIMPLE FIX", The Press of Atlantic City, November 11, 2002. Retrieved June 22, 2012. "Thanks to an unusual set of circumstances and a flaw in the state constitution, New Jersey had five different governors over eight days at the beginning of the year. Even for New Jersey, this was pretty bizarre."
- ^ "Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball » Stepping Up: How Governors Who Have Succeeded to the Top Job Have Performed Over the Years". centerforpolitics.org. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 2019-11-23.
- ^ "Constitution of Alabama 1901". Alabama Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "The Constitution of the State of Alaska". Lieutenant Governor of Alaska. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of Arizona: Article V, Section 6". Arizona Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of the State of Arkansas of 1874" (PDF). Arkansas Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of California: Article V, Section 10". California Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Government Code, Article 5.5, Section 12058 — Succession to the Office of Governor". California Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Government Code, Article 5.5, Section 12061 — Succession to the Office of Governor in the Event of War or Enemy-Caused Disaster". California Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of Colorado: Article IV, Section 13". LexisNexis. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of Connecticut". Connecticut General Assembly. Archived from the original on September 1, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of Delaware: Article III, Section 20". State of Delaware. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of Florida: Article IV, Section 3". Florida Legislature. Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Florida Statutes 14.055". Law Server. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Georgia Constitution of 1983: Article V". Georgia Info. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "The Constitution of the State of Hawaii: Article V". Hawaii Legislative Reference Bureau. Archived from the original on February 1, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "2013 Revised Hawaii Statutes 26-2: Order of succession to offices of governor and lieutenant governor". Justia. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "Hawaii Department Directors and Deputies". Office of the Governor, State of Hawaii. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
- ^ "Constitution of the State of Idaho: Article IV — Executive Department". Secretary of State of Idaho. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of the State of Illinois". Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Illinois Compiled Statutes 15 ILCS 5 — Governor Succession Act". Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Current Indiana Constitution as amended". Indiana General Assembly. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "1857 Constitution of the State of Iowa" (PDF). Iowa General Assembly. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Article I: 75–125". Kansas Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Emergency Interim Executive and Judicial Succession Act of 1994". Kansas Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of Kentucky, Section 84". Kentucky General Assembly. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of Kentucky, Section 85". Kentucky General Assembly. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of Kentucky, Section 87". Kentucky General Assembly. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of Louisiana: Article IV. Executive Branch". Louisiana Senate. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of the State of Maine". Maine Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of Maryland: Article II". Maryland State Archives. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Massachusetts Constitution: Article LV". Massachusetts General Court. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "State Constitution: Article V, Section 26". www.legislature.mi.gov. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Revised Statutes of 1846 (EXCERPT) – Section 10.2 THE GOVERNOR". www.legislature.mi.gov. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
- ^ "Emergency Interim Executive Succession Act". www.legislature.mi.gov. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
- ^ "Whitmer - Gov. Whitmer Designates Emergency Interim Successors". www.michigan.gov. January 25, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
- ^ The Office of Governor Gretchen Whitmer (January 25, 2019). "Gov. Whitmer Designates Emergency Interim Successors". Michigan.gov.
- ^ "Constitution of the State of Minnesota: Article V". Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitutional Offices and Duties, Chapter 4: 4.06". Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "The Constitution of the State of Mississippi" (PDF). Secretary of State of Mississippi. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Missouri Constitution Section: Article IV, Section 11(a)". Missouri General Assembly. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "The Constitution of the State of Montana: Article VI, Section 6". Montana Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Montana Code 2-16-511. Vacancy in office of governor and lieutenant governor". LawServer. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Montana Code 2-16-512. Election by legislature if president of senate and speaker unable to assume office of governor". LawServer. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Montana Code 2-16-513. Succession in case of termination or incapacitation of primary successors". LawServer. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Nebraska State Constitution: Article IV-16". Nebraska Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Nebraska Revised Statute 84-120". Nebraska Legislature. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
- ^ "Nebraska Revised Statute 84-121". Nebraska Legislature. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
- ^ "Nevada Revised Statutes 223.080". Nevada Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "State Constitution: Part 2". State of New Hampshire. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "New Jersey State Constitution 1947". New Jersey Legislature. Archived from the original on June 30, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 52:14A-4 – Additional successors to office of Governor". Justia. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "New Mexico Constitution Art. V, § 7. Succession to office of governor". FindLaw. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "New York State Constitution" (PDF). New York Department of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 5, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Defense Emergency Act 1951". New York State Senate. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "North Carolina State Constitution". North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "G.S. §147-11.1 — Succession to office of Governor; Acting Governor" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of North Dakota" (PDF). North Dakota Legislative Assembly. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Ohio Constitution, Article III, Section 15". Ohio Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "161.03 Succession to the governorship". Ohio Revised Code. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
- ^ "Oklahoma Constitution: Article VI Section 15". Oklahoma State Courts Network. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Oregon Constitution". Oregon Legislature. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "The Constitution of Pennsylvania: Article IV §13 — When Lieutenant Governor to act as Governor". Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "The Constitution of Pennsylvania: Article IV §14 — Vacancy in office of Lieutenant Governor". Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations: Article IX — Of the Executive Power". Rhode Island General Assembly. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Article IV, Executive Department" (PDF). scstatehouse.gov.
- ^ "Section 1-3-120: Vacancy in office of both Governor and Lieutenant Governor". casetext.com.
- ^ "Section 1-3-130: Disability of Governor, Lieutenant Governor and President of Senate pro tempore". casetext.com.
- ^ "Section 1-9-30: Emergency interim successors to office of Governor". casetext.com.
- ^ "Constitution of South Dakota: Article IV §6 — Succession of executive power". South Dakota Legislative Research Council. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "The Constitution of the State of Tennessee" (PDF). Tennessee General Assembly. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "S.B. 206 — An Act regulating successorship to the Governor's Office in certain cases". HathiTrust. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "The Texas Constitution: Article IV — Executive Department" (PDF). Texas Legislature. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Section 401.023 — Succession". Texas Legislature. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Utah Constitution: Article VII, §11 — Vacancy in office of Governor – Determination of disability". Utah Legislature. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Emergency Interim Succession Act" (PDF). Utah Legislature. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of the State of Vermont". Vermont General Assembly. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "3 V.S.A. § 1 — Vacancy, absence from State". Vermont General Assembly. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "20 V.S.A. § 183 — Additional successor to office of governor". Vermont General Assembly. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of Virginia: Article V, Section 16 — Succession to the office of Governor". Virginia's Legislative Information System. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Washington State Constitution". Washington State Legislature. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of West Virginia: Article VII". West Virginia State Legislature. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Wisconsin Constitution" (PDF). Wisconsin Legislature. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of the State of Wyoming" (PDF). Secretary of State of Wyoming. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "D.C. Code 1–241". ABF Associates. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Revised Constitution of American Samoa: Article IV". American Samoa Bar Association. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "A.S.C.A. § 4.0106 — Line of succession". American Samoa Bar Association. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "The Organic Act of Guam" (PDF). The Judiciary of Guam. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Commonwealth Constitution: Article III — Executive Branch". CNMI Law Revision Commission. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico: Article IV — The Executive". Wikisource. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Ley Núm. 7 del año 2005 (in Spanish)". LexJuris Puerto Rico. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands". Office of the Law Revision Counsel. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "3 V.I.C. § 29 — Executive Succession Act of 1972". LexisNexis. Retrieved August 23, 2019.