Lieutenant Governor of Georgia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lieutenant Governor
Great Seal of the State of Georgia
Incumbent Burt Jones since January 9, 2023
Government of Georgia
Appointer	Elected by popular vote
Term length	4-years, no term limit
Inaugural holder	Melvin E. Thompson
Formation	August 13, 1945
Salary	$54,920 (2023)

The lieutenant governor of Georgia is an important leader in the State of Georgia. This person is chosen by people voting in an election. They serve for four years. In Georgia, the lieutenant governor is elected separately from the governor. This is different from some other states.

The main job of the lieutenant governor is to lead the Georgia Senate. The Senate is one part of Georgia's lawmaking body. If the governor cannot do their job, the lieutenant governor steps in. They take over the governor's duties and powers. If the governor leaves office or passes away, the lieutenant governor becomes the new governor.

The job of lieutenant governor was created in Georgia in 1945. Before that, Georgia did not have this position. The first lieutenant governor was Melvin E. Thompson. He was elected in 1946. The current lieutenant governor of Georgia is Burt Jones. He is a Republican.

What is the Lieutenant Governor's Job?

The lieutenant governor has several key roles in Georgia's government. Their main responsibilities are set by the state's constitution.

Leading the Senate

The lieutenant governor serves as the President of the Senate. This means they lead the meetings and debates in the Georgia Senate. Even though they lead the Senate, the lieutenant governor is not a senator. This means they cannot suggest new laws themselves.

The lieutenant governor helps guide how bills are discussed. They also help decide which committees review different bills. This gives them a lot of influence over new laws.

Taking Over for the Governor

One very important duty of the lieutenant governor is to be ready to take over for the governor. If the governor cannot do their job, the lieutenant governor steps in. This might happen if the governor is sick or leaves office. If the governor passes away or leaves office permanently, the lieutenant governor becomes the new governor. They serve for the rest of the original term.

How is the Lieutenant Governor Elected?

To become lieutenant governor, a person must meet certain requirements. They must have been a citizen of the United States for at least 15 years. They also need to have lived in Georgia for at least six years before the election.

The lieutenant governor is elected by the people of Georgia. They run for office on their own. This means voters choose the lieutenant governor separately from the governor. There is no limit to how many terms a person can serve as lieutenant governor.

History of the Office

The job of lieutenant governor in Georgia started in 1945. It was added to the state's constitution. The main reason for creating the job was to have someone ready to take over if the governor's office became empty.

Melvin E. Thompson was the first person elected to this office in 1946. He served a short time before becoming governor. Over the years, the role of the lieutenant governor has changed a bit. Early lieutenant governors, like Marvin Griffin, took an active role in the Senate. They helped decide who would lead Senate committees.

Later, the Senate changed its rules. In 2003, the power to appoint committee leaders went to another senator. In 2010, the Senate changed its rules again. The lieutenant governor lost the power to choose who would be on Senate committees.

List of Lieutenant Governors of Georgia

The office of lieutenant governor inside the Georgia Capitol Building

Here is a list of the people who have served as lieutenant governor of Georgia.

Parties

      Democratic (10)       Republican (3)

No.	Lt. Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Governor
1			Thompson, Melvin E.Melvin E. Thompson	January 14, 1947 – March 18, 1947	Democratic	1946		Herman Talmadge
—	Office vacant from March 18, 1947 - November 17, 1948				—			Melvin E. Thompson
2			Griffin, MarvinMarvin Griffin	November 17, 1948 – January 11, 1955	Democratic	1948 (special)		Herman Talmadge
						1950
3			Vandiver, ErnestErnest Vandiver	January 11, 1955 – January 13, 1959	Democratic	1954		Marvin Griffin
4			Byrd, Garland T.Garland T. Byrd	January 13, 1959 – January 15, 1963	Democratic	1958		Ernest Vandiver
5			Geer, Peter ZackPeter Zack Geer	January 15, 1963 – January 11, 1967	Democratic	1962		Carl Sanders
6			Smith, George T.George T. Smith	January 11, 1967 – January 12, 1971	Democratic	1966		Lester Maddox
7			Maddox, LesterLester Maddox	January 12, 1971 – January 14, 1975	Democratic	1970		Jimmy Carter
8			Miller, ZellZell Miller	January 14, 1975 – January 13, 1991	Democratic	1974		George Busbee
						1978
						1982		Joe Frank Harris
						1986
9			Howard, PierrePierre Howard	January 13, 1991 – January 11, 1999	Democratic	1990		Zell Miller
						1994
10			Taylor, MarkMark Taylor	January 11, 1999 – January 8, 2007	Democratic	1998		Roy Barnes
						2002		Sonny Perdue
11			Cagle, CaseyCasey Cagle	January 8, 2007 – January 14, 2019	Republican	2006
						2010		Nathan Deal
						2014
12			Duncan, GeoffGeoff Duncan	January 14, 2019 – January 9, 2023	Republican	2018		Brian Kemp
13			Jones, BurtBurt Jones	January 9, 2023 – Incumbent	Republican	2022

See Also

• Georgia Senate
• Georgia House of Representatives
• Georgia General Assembly