Frequently Asked Questions

Where have NLGA meetings been held? Click here for full list.

Who are the past Chairs? Click here for full list.

What states are in which regions for NLGA?  The states are noted, by region, in the NLGA Bylaws.

Is there a list of duties for lt. governors?  Each NLGA member shares one common duty – each is first in line of gubernatorial succession and, so, is the second highest chief executive officer of the state or territory. A lieutenant governor (or NLGA member) has other duties which are derived from the Constitution, from the legislature through statute, through gubernatorial appointment, through state senate rules, and/or personal initiative.  Most pursue legislative agendas, testifying in-state, to Congress, and/or to federal agencies or bodies.  State officials develop a portfolio of work for lieutenant governors based on pressing issues, state specific needs, and particular expertise.  The office of lieutenant governor is perhaps the most diverse office in all of state or territorial government so no comprehensive list of duties exists.

NLGA has compiled a 50-state listing of statutory duties for seconds-in-command.

How many states have a lieutenant governor?  Forty-five states have an officeholder who holds the title ‘lieutenant governor.’ New Jersey was the most recent state to create the office of lieutenant governor, electing its first in 2009.  In Tennessee and West Virginia, the senate president is first in line of succession and in both states that official, by statute, is empowered with the title ‘lieutenant governor’ in recognition of the vital succession role. In Arizona, Oregon and Wyoming, the Secretary of State is first in succession, and in New Hampshire and Maine, the senate president is first in succession.  Of the few states to ever eliminate the office of lieutenant governor, each reinstated the office.