Lieutenant Governor of Florida
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The position of lieutenant governor of Florida was created in the 1968 Florida state constitution (See Article IV, Section 2). The lieutenant governor is elected on the same party ticket as the gubernatorial candidate. Although gubernatorial candidates are not required to have a running mate for the primaries, the state constitution requires a 'joint candidacy' for the general election. Statewide elections for governor, lieutenant governor and the state cabinet take place every four years (even years but not divisible by four — in order to prevent presidential elections from overshadowing state elections).
To be eligible for election as lieutenant governor, a candidate must be at least 30 years old and a state resident for seven years.
Once elected, the lieutenant governor is first in the line of succession, serving upon vacancy in the office of governor. Prior to 1968, the president of the state senate was first in the line of succession.
According to the state constitution, the conditions for succession include impeachment or incapacity of the sitting governor. Incapacity is determined by state supreme court after recommendation by three cabinet members or otherwise certified by the governor with the state custodian of records (Secretary of State).
Wayne Mixson and Buddy MacKay are two lieutenant governors who assumed the office of governor. Mixson become governor briefly when Bob Graham resigned to assume his elected seat in the U.S. Senate. MacKay completed the unfinished term of outgoing Governor Lawton Chiles when Chiles died in office.
| # | Name | Took Office | Left Office | Party | Governor(s) Served With |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ray C. Osborn | 1969 | 1971 | Republican | Claude R. Kirk, Jr. |
| 2 | Thomas Burton Adams, Jr. | 1971 | 1975 | Democrat | Reubin O'Donovan Askew |
| 3 | J.H. Williams | 1975 | 1979 | Democrat | |
| 4 | Wayne Mixson | 1979 | 1987 | Democrat | Bob Graham |
| 5 | Bobby Brantley | 1987 | 1991 | Republican | Bob Martinez |
| 6 | Buddy MacKay | 1991 | 1998 | Democrat | Lawton Chiles |
| 7 | Frank Brogan | 1999 | 2003 | Republican | Jeb Bush |
| 8 | Toni Jennings | 2003 | 2007 | Republican | |
| 9 | Jeff Kottkamp | 2007 | Republican | Charlie Crist |
