Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota

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Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
Incumbent
Peggy Flanagan
since January 8, 2019
Style
  • Mister or Madam Lieutenant Governor
    (informal)
  • The Honorable
    (formal)
SeatMinnesota State Capitol
Saint Paul, Minnesota
AppointerGeneral election
Term lengthFour years, no term limits
Constituting instrumentMinnesota Constitution of 1858, Article V
Inaugural holderWilliam Holcombe
FormationMay 11, 1858
(165 years ago)
 (May 11, 1858)
Salary$82,959[1]
WebsiteOfficial page

The lieutenant governor of Minnesota is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the U.S. state of Minnesota. Fifty individuals have held the office of lieutenant governor since statehood. The incumbent is Peggy Flanagan, a DFLer and the first Native American elected to a statewide executive office in Minnesota's history.

Powers and duties[edit]

The lieutenant governor assists the governor in carrying out the functions of the executive branch, as well as serving in the governor's place in the event of his or her absence or disability. The governor, as prescribed by law, may file a written order with the secretary of state to delegate to the lieutenant governor any powers, duties, responsibilities, or functions otherwise performed by the governor. As a key member of the governor's cabinet, the lieutenant governor is consulted on all major policy and budgetary decisions. Moreover, the lieutenant governor is a statutory member of the Executive Council and chairs the Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board, among other responsibilities.[2][3]

History[edit]

In 1886, elections were moved from odd years to even years. Beginning with the 1962 election, the term of the lieutenant governor increased from two to four years. Prior to the 1974 election, governors and lieutenant governors were elected on separate ballots, with the lieutenant governor having independent legislative authority as president of the senate. Since 1974, the lieutenant governor has been relieved of the duty to preside over the state senate and is elected on a joint ticket with the governor. Marlene Johnson, elected in 1982 as the running mate of Rudy Perpich, was the first female lieutenant governor of Minnesota. All eight of her successors in that office have also been women.

List[edit]

Parties

  Democratic   Democratic–Farmer–Labor   Farmer–Labor   Republican/Independent Republican   Reform/Independence

No. Image Lt. Governor Took office Left office Governor(s) served under Party
1 William Holcombe May 24, 1858 January 2, 1860 Henry H. Sibley Democratic
2 Ignatius L. Donnelly January 2, 1860 March 4, 1863 Alexander Ramsey Republican
3 Henry Adoniram Swift March 4, 1863 July 10, 1863 Alexander Ramsey Republican
Vacant July 10, 1863 January 11, 1864 Alexander Ramsey
4 Charles D. Sherwood January 11, 1864 January 8, 1866 Stephen Miller Republican
5 Thomas H. Armstrong January 8, 1866 January 7, 1870 William R. Marshall Republican
6 William H. Yale January 7, 1870 January 9, 1874 Horace Austin Republican
7 Alphonso Barto January 9, 1874 January 7, 1876 Cushman K. Davis Republican
8 James Wakefield January 7, 1876 January 10, 1880 John S. Pillsbury Republican
9 Charles A. Gilman January 10, 1880 January 4, 1887 John S. Pillsbury
Lucius F. Hubbard
Republican
10 Albert E. Rice January 4, 1887 January 5, 1891 Andrew R. McGill
William R. Merriam
Republican
11 Gideon S. Ives January 5, 1891 January 3, 1893 William R. Merriam
Knute Nelson
Republican
12 David Marston Clough January 3, 1893 January 31, 1895 Knute Nelson Republican
13 Frank A. Day January 31, 1895 January 5, 1897 David M. Clough Republican
14 John L. Gibbs January 5, 1897 January 3, 1899 David M. Clough Republican
15 Lyndon Ambrose Smith January 3, 1899 January 5, 1903 John Lind (Democratic)
Samuel R. Van Sant (Republican)
Republican
16 Ray W. Jones January 5, 1903 January 7, 1907 Samuel R. Van Sant
John A. Johnson
Republican
17 Adolph Olson Eberhart January 7, 1907 September 21, 1909 John A. Johnson (Democratic) Republican
18 Edward Everett Smith September 25, 1909 January 3, 1911 Adolph O. Eberhart Republican
19 Samuel Y. Gordon January 3, 1911 January 7, 1913 Adolph O. Eberhart Republican
20 Joseph A. A. Burnquist January 7, 1913 December 30, 1915 Adolph O. Eberhart
Winfield S. Hammond
Republican
Vacant December 30, 1915 October 28, 1916 J. A. A. Burnquist
21 George H. Sullivan October 28, 1916 January 2, 1917 J. A. A. Burnquist Republican
22 Thomas Frankson January 2, 1917 January 4, 1921 J. A. A. Burnquist Republican
23 Louis L. Collins January 4, 1921 January 6, 1925 J. A. O. Preus Republican
24 William I. Nolan January 6, 1925 June 1929 Theodore Christianson Republican
25 Charles Edward Adams June 25, 1929 January 6, 1931 Theodore Christianson Republican
26 Henry M. Arens January 6, 1931 January 3, 1933 Floyd B. Olson Farmer–Labor
27 Konrad K. Solberg January 3, 1933 January 8, 1935 Floyd B. Olson Farmer–Labor
28 Hjalmar Petersen January 8, 1935 August 24, 1936 Floyd B. Olson Farmer–Labor
* William B. Richardson1 August 24, 1936 January 1, 1937 Hjalmar Petersen Republican
29 Gottfrid Lindsten January 5, 1937 January 2, 1939 Elmer A. Benson Farmer–Labor
30 C. Elmer Anderson January 2, 1939 January 4, 1943 Harold Stassen Republican
31 Edward John Thye January 4, 1943 April 27, 1943 Harold Stassen Republican
32 Archie H. Miller May 6, 1943 January 2, 1945 Edward John Thye Republican
33 C. Elmer Anderson January 2, 1945 September 27, 1951 Luther W. Youngdahl Republican
Vacant September 27, 1951 January 5, 1953 C. Elmer Anderson
34 Ancher Nelsen January 5, 1953 May 1, 1953 C. Elmer Anderson Republican
Vacant May 1, 1953 September 3, 1954 C. Elmer Anderson
35 Donald O. Wright2 September 3, 1954 January 3, 1955 C. Elmer Anderson Republican
36 Karl Rolvaag January 3, 1955 January 8, 1963 Orville L. Freeman
Elmer L. Andersen
Democratic–Farmer–Labor
37 Alexander M. Keith January 8, 1963 January 2, 1967 Elmer L. Andersen
Karl F. Rolvaag
Democratic–Farmer–Labor
38 James B. Goetz January 2, 1967 January 4, 1971 Harold LeVander Republican
39 Rudy Perpich January 4, 1971 December 29, 1976 Wendell R. Anderson Democratic–Farmer–Labor
40 Alec G. Olson3 December 29, 1976 January 4, 1979 Rudy Perpich Democratic–Farmer–Labor
41 Lou Wangberg January 4, 1979 January 3, 1983 Al Quie Independent Republican
42 Marlene Johnson January 3, 1983 January 7, 1991 Rudy Perpich Democratic–Farmer–Labor
43 Joanell Dyrstad January 7, 1991 January 3, 1995 Arne H. Carlson Independent Republican
44 Joanne Benson January 3, 1995 January 4, 1999 Arne H. Carlson IR/Republican
45 Mae Schunk January 4, 1999 January 6, 2003 Jesse Ventura Reform/Independence
46 Carol Molnau January 6, 2003 January 3, 2011 Tim Pawlenty Republican
47 Yvonne Prettner Solon January 3, 2011 January 5, 2015 Mark Dayton Democratic–Farmer–Labor
48 Tina Smith January 5, 2015 January 2, 2018 Democratic–Farmer–Labor
49 Michelle Fischbach4 January 2, 2018 January 7, 2019 Republican
50 Peggy Flanagan January 7, 2019 Incumbent Tim Walz Democratic–Farmer–Labor

1 Richardson was actually president pro tem of the Minnesota Senate; became acting lieutenant governor when lieutenant governor Hjalmar Petersen became governor on the death of Floyd B. Olson, but Richardson was never sworn in.

2 Wright was president pro tem of the Minnesota Senate and assumed the office of lieutenant governor in 1954 after Lieutenant Governor Ancher Nelsen resigned to become administrator of the Rural Electric Administration.

3 As president of the Minnesota Senate, Olson assumed office of lieutenant governor when Rudy Perpich, then lieutenant governor, became governor on the resignation of Wendell Anderson, who had appointed himself to the United States Senate on resignation of Walter Mondale who had been elected vice president.

4 As president of the Minnesota Senate, Fischbach became lieutenant governor following the resignation of Tina Smith. Smith was appointed by Governor Mark Dayton to fill the United States Senate seat vacated by Al Franken. Fischbach resigned from the state Senate and took the oath of office for lieutenant governor on May 25, 2018.

Note on Minnesota political parties names[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ State Elected Officials' Compensation (PDF) (Report). Minnesota House Research Department. 2021. p. 1. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  2. ^ "Chapter 4. State Executive Offices, 2020-2021 Minnesota Blue Book" (PDF). Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  3. ^ "2021 Minnesota Statutes Index: Lieutenant Governor". Office of the Revisor of Statutes of Minnesota. Retrieved December 1, 2021.