Lieutenant Governor of Indiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lieutenant Governor of Indiana
Seal of Indiana
Incumbent Suzanne Crouch since January 9, 2017
Government of Indiana
Style	Madam Lieutenant Governor
Term length	4 years (term limited to serving no more than eight years in any twelve-year period)
Inaugural holder	Christopher Harrison November 7, 1816
Formation	Constitution of Indiana 1816
Salary	$103,076
Website	http://www.in.gov/lg/

The lieutenant governor of Indiana is a constitutional office in the US state of Indiana. Republican Suzanne Crouch, who assumed office January 9, 2017, is the incumbent. The office holder's constitutional roles are to serve as the president of the Indiana Senate, become acting governor during the incapacity of the governor, and become governor should the incumbent governor resign, die in office, or be impeached and removed from office. Lieutenant governors have succeeded ten governors following their deaths or resignations. The lieutenant governor holds statutory positions, serving as the head of the state agricultural and rural affairs bureaus, and as the chairman of several state committees.

The lieutenant governor is elected on the same election ticket as the governor in a statewide election held every four years, concurrent with United States presidential elections. Should a lieutenant governor die while in office, resign, or succeed to the governorship, the constitution specifies no mechanism by which to fill vacancies in the lieutenant governor's office. Historically, the position has generally remained vacant during such events. The last attempt to fill such a vacancy in 1887 led to the outbreak of violence in the state legislature known as the Black Day of the General Assembly. However, in recent years the governor has appointed a lieutenant governor if a vacancy arises.

Requirements

The position of lieutenant governor was created with the adoption of the first Constitution of Indiana in August 1816. The position was filled by an October election. The position was retained and the current requirements established in the state's second and current constitution adopted in 1851.

To become lieutenant governor, a candidate must have been a United States citizen and lived within Indiana for the period of five consecutive years before the election. The candidate must also be at least thirty years old when sworn into office. The lieutenant governor may not hold any federal office during his term, and must resign from any such position before being eligible to be sworn in as lieutenant governor. Before taking the office, the candidate must swear an oath of office administered by the chief justice of the Indiana Supreme Court, promising to uphold the constitution and laws of Indiana.

Succession

Jesse D. Bright, Lieutenant Governor and US Senator from Indiana; he was exiled from the United States during the American Civil War

Oliver P. Morton, Lieutenant Governor, Governor, and US Senator from Indiana

The lieutenant governor serves as acting governor when the governor becomes incapacitated. In the state's early history, lieutenant governors would serve as acting governor while the governor was away from the capital. Christopher Harrison was the first lieutenant governor to serve as acting governor while Jonathan Jennings negotiated treaties far from the capital.

If the governor dies in office, becomes permanently incapacitated, resigns, or is impeached, the lieutenant governor becomes governor. In total, ten lieutenant governors become governor by succession. The first occurrence was when Jonathan Jennings resigned to become a congressman and was succeeded by Ratliff Boon.

In the event that both the governorship and lieutenant-governorship are vacant, the constitution stipulates that the Senate president pro tempore becomes governor. Historically, governors appointed the pro tempore to serve as acting lieutenant governor as a formality. This practice ended in the early twentieth century. Although the constitution did not specify a method to fill a vacancy in the lieutenant governorship, an attempt to fill a vacancy occurred in 1887. When the winner of the election attempted to be seated, the Senate erupted into violence known as the Black Day of the General Assembly; the lieutenant governor-elect was sworn in but never seated.

Should the lieutenant governorship become vacant for any reason, including death, resignation, or succession, the governor may nominate a replacement who must be approved by both houses of the General Assembly.

Authority

Constitutional

Indiana Statehouse, location of the Lieutenant Governor's office.

The lieutenant governor has two constitutional functions. The primary function is to serve as the president of the Indiana Senate. In the Senate the lieutenant governor is permitted to debate on legislation, introduce legislation, and vote on matters to break ties. As presiding officer in the Senate, lieutenant governors also have partial control over what legislation will be considered, and influence on the legislative calendar. Unless a special session is called by the governor, the Senate meets for no more than 91 days in any two years period, leaving the lieutenant governor free from his or her senatorial duties in the remainder of the year.

The secondary function is to serve as a successor to the governorship should it become vacant, or act as governor if necessary. If a lieutenant governor should succeed to the governorship, the office of lieutenant governor and president of the Senate become vacant; the duties are taken over by the Senate president pro tempore.

Statutory

The majority of the powers exercised by the lieutenant governor are statutory and have been assigned by the Indiana General Assembly. The first additional powers granted to the lieutenant governor were added in 1932 when the office holder was made the head of the state's agricultural commission. The office's powers have since expanded to include the chairmanship of the Office of Community and Rural Affairs, the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Office of Energy and Defense Development, and the Office of Tourism Development. As head of the various office and committees, the lieutenant governor controls many patronage positions and is permitted to fill them by appointment. Important positions filled by the lieutenant governor include the members of the Corn Marketing Council, the Main Street Council, Steel Advisory Commission, and the Indiana Film Commission.

In addition to the chairmanship of the committees, the lieutenant governor is also a participating member of the Natural Resources Committee, State Office Building Commission, Air Pollution Control Board, Water Pollution Control Board, and Solid Waste Management Board.

The annual salary of the lieutenant governor is set by the Indiana General Assembly and was $76,000 in 2007.

List of lieutenant governors of Indiana

There have been forty-nine lieutenant governors of Indiana since Indiana became a state in 1816.

      Democratic-Republican (4)       Democratic (22)       Whig (3)       Republican (27)       Independent (1)

#		Image	Lt. Governor	Took office	Left office	Party	Governor	Notes
1			Christopher Harrison	November 7, 1816	December 17, 1818	Democratic-Republican	Jonathan Jennings
2			Ratliff Boon	December 8, 1819	September 12, 1822	Democratic-Republican	Jonathan Jennings
3			Ratliff Boon	December 5, 1822	January 30, 1824	Democratic-Republican	William Hendricks
4			John H. Thompson	December 7, 1825	December 3, 1828	Jacksonian	William Hendricks
5			Milton Stapp	December 3, 1828	December 7, 1831	Independent	James B. Ray
6			David Wallace	December 7, 1831	December 6, 1837	Whig	Noah Noble
7			David Hillis	December 6, 1837	December 9, 1840	Whig	David Wallace
8			Samuel Hall	December 9, 1840	December 6, 1843	Whig	Samuel Bigger
9			Jesse D. Bright	December 6, 1843	March 4, 1845	Democratic	James Whitcomb
10			Paris C. Dunning	December 9, 1846	December 26, 1848	Democratic	James Whitcomb
11			Jim Lane	December 5, 1849	January 10, 1853	Democratic	Joseph A. Wright
12			Ashbel P. Willard	January 10, 1853	January 12, 1857	Democratic	Joseph A. Wright
13			Abram A. Hammond	January 12, 1857	October 3, 1860	Democratic	Ashbel P. Willard
14			Oliver P. Morton	January 14, 1861	January 16, 1861	Republican	Henry S. Lane
—			John R. Cravens	January 16, 1861	October 9, 1863	Republican	Oliver P. Morton	acting
—			Paris C. Dunning	October 9, 1863	January 9, 1865	Democratic	Oliver P. Morton	acting
15			Conrad Baker	January 9, 1865	January 23, 1867	Republican	Oliver P. Morton
16			William Cumback	January 11, 1869	January 13, 1873	Republican	Conrad Baker
17			Leonidas Sexton	January 13, 1873	January 13, 1877	Republican	Thomas A. Hendricks
18			Isaac P. Gray	January 13, 1877	November 2, 1880	Democratic	James D. Williams
—			Fredrick Vieche	November 20, 1880	January 8, 1881	Democratic	Isaac P. Gray	acting
19			Thomas Hanna	January 10, 1881	January 12, 1885	Republican	Albert G. Porter
20			Mahlon Dickerson Manson	January 12, 1885	August 3, 1886	Democratic	Isaac P. Gray
21			Robert S. Robertson	January 10, 1887	January 13, 1889	Republican	Isaac P. Gray
–			Alonzo G. Smith	November 8, 1886	January 14, 1889	Democratic	Isaac P. Gray	acting
22			Ira Joy Chase	January 14, 1889	November 24, 1891	Republican	Alvin Peterson Hovey	acting
—			Francis M. Griffith	November 23, 1891	January 9, 1893	Republican	Ira Joy Chase	acting
23			Mortimer Nye	January 9, 1893	January 11, 1897	Democratic	Claude Matthews
24			William S. Haggard	January 11, 1897	January 14, 1901	Republican	James A. Mount
25			Newton W. Gilbert	January 14, 1901	January 9, 1905	Republican	Winfield T. Durbin
26			Hugh Thomas Miller	January 9, 1905	January 11, 1909	Republican	Frank Hanly
27			Frank J. Hall	January 11, 1909	January 13, 1913	Democratic	Thomas R. Marshall
28			William P. O'Neill	January 13, 1913	January 8, 1917	Democratic	Samuel M. Ralston
29			Edgar D. Bush	January 8, 1917	January 10, 1921	Republican	James P. Goodrich
30			Emmett Forrest Branch	January 10, 1921	April 30, 1924	Republican	Warren T. McCray
—			James J. Nejdl	April 30, 1924	January 12, 1925	Republican	Warren T. McCray	acting
31			F. Harold Van Orman	January 12, 1925	January 14, 1929	Republican	Edward L. Jackson
32			Edgar D. Bush	January 14, 1929	January 9, 1933	Republican	Harry G. Leslie
33			M. Clifford Townsend	January 9, 1933	January 11, 1937	Democratic	Paul V. McNutt
34			Henry F. Schricker	January 11, 1937	January 13, 1941	Democratic	M. Clifford Townsend
35			Charles M. Dawson	January 13, 1941	January 8, 1945	Democratic	Henry F. Schricker
36			Richard T. James	January 8, 1945	January 10, 1948	Republican	Ralph F. Gates
37			Rue J. Alexander	April 14, 1948	January 2, 1949	Republican	Henry F. Schricker
38			John A. Watkins	January 10, 1949	January 12, 1953	Democratic	Henry F. Schricker
39			Harold W. Handley	January 12, 1953	January 14, 1957	Republican	George N. Craig
40			Crawford F. Parker	January 14, 1957	January 9, 1961	Republican	Harold W. Handley
41			Richard O. Ristine	January 9, 1961	January 11, 1965	Republican	Matthew E. Welsh
42			Robert L. Rock	January 11, 1965	January 13, 1969	Democratic	Roger D. Branigin
43			Richard E. Folz	January 13, 1969	January 8, 1973	Republican	Edgar Whitcomb
44			Robert D. Orr	January 8, 1973	January 12, 1981	Republican	Otis R. Bowen
45			John Mutz	January 12, 1981	January 9, 1989	Republican	Robert D. Orr
46			Frank O'Bannon	January 9, 1989	January 13, 1997	Democratic	Evan Bayh
47			Joe E. Kernan	January 13, 1997	September 13, 2003	Democratic	Frank O'Bannon
48			Kathy Davis	October 20, 2003	January 10, 2005	Democratic	Joe E. Kernan
49			Becky Skillman	January 10, 2005	January 14, 2013	Republican	Mitch Daniels
50			Sue Ellspermann	January 14, 2013	March 2, 2016	Republican	Mike Pence
51			Eric Holcomb	March 3, 2016	January 9, 2017	Republican	Mike Pence
52			Suzanne Crouch	January 9, 2017		Republican	Eric Holcomb