Lieutenant Governor of Missouri
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The Lieutenant Governor of Missouri is the second highest executive officer in the U.S. of Missouri. The current Lieutenant Governor is Peter Kinder. The Lieutenant Governor is the only statewide elected official that is part of both the Executive and Legislative branches in Missouri. The Lieutenant Governor is elected separately from the Governor, and each can be a member of different political parties. According to the Missouri Constitution the Lieutenant Governor must assume the powers of the Governor of Missouri when he (or she) is unable to serve.
The Lieutenant Governor is President of the Missouri Senate. The role of Lieutenant Governor as presiding officer was affirmed in the 1973 Missouri Supreme Court decision State vs. Cason. The Lieutenant Governor has the right to preside over the Senate, but is subject to the procedural rules of the Senate while doing so. As President of the Senate, the Lieutenant Governor can cast a vote in the case of a tie. The Constitution also gives the Lieutenant Governor the right to debate and vote on issues when the Senate sits as a Committee of the Whole.
In order to qualify for Lieutenant Governor one must be at least at least thirty years old, a citizen of the United States for at least fifteen years, and a resident of Missouri at least ten years before election. While the Governor and Treasurer are limited to two terms of office, the Lieutenant Governor has no such restriction. The Lieutenant Governor, like the Governor, holds office for a term of four years and is elected during each Presidential election year.
