# Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin

The lieutenant governor of Wisconsin is the first person in the line of succession of Wisconsin's executive branch, thus serving as governor in the event of the death, resignation, removal, impeachment, absence from the state, or incapacity due to illness of the governor of Wisconsin. Forty-one individuals have held the office of lieutenant governor since Wisconsin's admission to the Union in 1848, two of whom—Warren Knowles and Jack Olson—have served for non-consecutive terms. The first lieutenant governor was John Holmes, who took office on June 7, 1848. The current lieutenant governor is Sara Rodriguez, who took office on January 3, 2023.

## Succession to the governorship

Until 1979, the Wisconsin Constitution merely stated that in the event of the governor's death, resignation, removal from office, impeachment, absence from the state or incapacity due to illness, "the powers and duties of the office [of Governor of Wisconsin] shall devolve upon the lieutenant governor". Lieutenant governors who served as governor during this period are referred to as "acting governors". In 1979, the constitution was amended to make this more specific: in the event of the governor's death, resignation, or removal from office, the lieutenant governor becomes governor; in the event of the governor's impeachment, absence, or incapacity, the lieutenant governor becomes acting governor until the governor is again able to serve.

## Lieutenant gubernatorial elections and term of office

Under the original terms of the state constitution, the lieutenant governor was elected for a two-year term on a separate ticket from the governor; because of this, the governor and lieutenant governor of Wisconsin have not always been of the same party. After a 1967 amendment, however, the two have been nominated, and voted upon, as a single ticket. The 1967 amendment also increased the terms of both the governor and lieutenant governor to four years. There is no limit to the number of terms a lieutenant governor may hold.

### Vacancy

The original constitution made no provision for a vacancy in the office of the lieutenant governor; in the event of the lieutenant governor's death, resignation, or service as acting governor, the lieutenant governorship usually remained vacant until the end of the term. In 1938, following the resignation of lieutenant governor Henry Gunderson, Governor Philip La Follette appointed Herman Ekern lieutenant governor to fill the vacancy. This appointment was challenged in court, and ruled valid in the case State ex rel. Martin v. Ekern. In 1979 the constitution was amended to explicitly allow this: in the event of a vacancy in the office of the lieutenant governor, the governor nominates a candidate who becomes lieutenant governor for the remainder of the term upon his approval by the Wisconsin Assembly and Wisconsin State Senate.

### Removal

A lieutenant governor may be removed from office through an impeachment trial or a recall. They may also choose to resign from office. No lieutenant governor has ever been impeached; two have resigned. Rebecca Kleefisch is the only lieutenant governor in the history of any state to face recall election in 2012. She faced Democrat Mahlon Mitchell and won the election with a six percent majority.

## Lieutenant gubernatorial powers

If the governor appoints the lieutenant governor to a statutory board, committee or commission on which he is entitled membership as his representative, the lieutenant governor has all the authority in that position that would be granted the governor.
Originally, the lieutenant governor also presided over the state senate and cast a vote in the event of a tie; however, after an amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution in 1979, the senate chooses a senator to be presiding officer.

## List of lieutenant governors

Number of lieutenant governors of Wisconsin by party affiliation :
| Party | Lt. governors |
| Republican | 29 |
| Democratic | 16 |
| Progressive | 2 |
From 1836, until 1848, what is now Wisconsin was part of Wisconsin Territory. There was no position of "Territorial Lieutenant Governor"; however, the territory had a Secretary who was similar in that one of his functions was to assume the powers and duties of the territorial governor if he were unable to carry them out. For the secretaries from the territorial period, see the List of secretaries of Wisconsin Territory.
Wisconsin was admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848. Since then, it has had 41 lieutenant governors, two of whom have served non-consecutive terms.

### Parties

Democratic (16)  Whig (0)  Republican (27)  Progressive (2)
| # | Image | Lt. Governor | Party | Took office | Left office | Governor | Term(s) |
| 1 | | John E. Holmes | Democratic | June 7, 1848 | January 7, 1850 | Nelson Dewey | 1 |
| 2 | | Samuel W. Beall | Democratic | January 7, 1850 | January 5, 1852 | Nelson Dewey | 1 |
| 3 | | Timothy Burns | Democratic | January 5, 1852 | September 21, 1853 | Leonard Farwell | 1⁄2 |
| vacant | vacant | vacant | vacant | September 21, 1853 | January 2, 1854 | Leonard Farwell | 1⁄2 |
| 4 | | James T. Lewis | Democratic | January 2, 1854 | January 7, 1856 | William Barstow | 1 |
| 5 | | Arthur MacArthur Sr. | Democratic | January 7, 1856 | March 21, 1856 | William Barstow | 1⁄3 |
| 5 | | MacArthur acting as governor | MacArthur acting as governor | March 21, 1856 | March 25, 1856 | Arthur MacArthur Sr. | 1⁄3 |
| 5 | | Arthur MacArthur Sr. | Democratic | March 25, 1856 | January 4, 1858 | Coles Bashford | 1⁄3 |
| 6 | | Erasmus D. Campbell | Democratic | January 4, 1858 | January 2, 1860 | Alexander Randall | 1 |
| 7 | | Butler G. Noble | Republican | January 2, 1860 | January 6, 1862 | Alexander Randall | 1 |
| 8 | | Edward Salomon | Republican | January 6, 1862 | April 19, 1862 | Louis Harvey | 1⁄2 |
| 8 | | Salomon acting as governor | Salomon acting as governor | April 19, 1862 | January 4, 1864 | Edward Salomon | 1⁄2 |
| vacant | vacant | vacant | vacant | January 4, 1864 | by January 13, 1864 | James Lewis | 1⁄2 |
| 9 | | Wyman Spooner | Republican | by January 13, 1864 | January 3, 1870 | James Lewis | 21⁄2 |
| 9 | | Wyman Spooner | Republican | by January 13, 1864 | January 3, 1870 | Lucius Fairchild | 21⁄2 |
| 10 | | Thaddeus C. Pound | Republican | January 3, 1870 | January 1, 1872 | Lucius Fairchild | 1 |
| 11 | | Milton H. Pettit | Republican | January 1, 1872 | March 23, 1873 | Cadwallader Washburn | 1⁄2 |
| vacant | vacant | vacant | vacant | March 23, 1873 | January 5, 1874 | Cadwallader Washburn | 1⁄2 |
| 12 | | Charles D. Parker | Democratic | January 5, 1874 | January 7, 1878 | William Taylor | 2 |
| 12 | | Charles D. Parker | Democratic | January 5, 1874 | January 7, 1878 | Harrison Ludington | 2 |
| 13 | | James M. Bingham | Republican | January 7, 1878 | January 2, 1882 | William Smith | 2 |
| 14 | | Sam S. Fifield | Republican | January 2, 1882 | January 3, 1887 | Jeremiah Rusk | 2 |
| 15 | | George W. Ryland | Republican | January 3, 1887 | January 5, 1891 | Jeremiah Rusk | 2 |
| 15 | | George W. Ryland | Republican | January 3, 1887 | January 5, 1891 | William Hoard | 2 |
| 16 | | Charles Jonas | Democratic | January 5, 1891 | April 4, 1894 | George Peck | 11⁄2 |
| vacant | vacant | vacant | vacant | April 4, 1894 | January 7, 1895 | George Peck | 1⁄2 |
| 17 | | Emil Baensch | Republican | January 7, 1895 | January 2, 1899 | William Upham | 2 |
| 17 | | Emil Baensch | Republican | January 7, 1895 | January 2, 1899 | Edward Scofield | 2 |
| 18 | | Jesse Stone | Republican | January 2, 1899 | May 11, 1902 | Edward Scofield | 11⁄2 |
| 18 | | Jesse Stone | Republican | January 2, 1899 | May 11, 1902 | Robert La Follette Sr. | 11⁄2 |
| vacant | vacant | vacant | vacant | May 11, 1902 | January 5, 1903 | Robert La Follette Sr. | 1⁄2 |
| 19 | | James O. Davidson | Republican | January 5, 1903 | January 1, 1906 | Robert La Follette Sr. | 11⁄2 |
| 19 | | Davidson acting as governor | Davidson acting as governor | January 1, 1906 | January 7, 1907 | James Davidson | 1⁄2 |
| 20 | | William D. Connor | Republican | January 7, 1907 | January 4, 1909 | James Davidson | 1 |
| 21 | | John Strange | Republican | January 4, 1909 | January 2, 1911 | James Davidson | 1 |
| 22 | | Thomas Morris | Republican | January 2, 1911 | January 4, 1915 | Francis McGovern | 2 |
| 23 | | Edward F. Dithmar | Republican | January 4, 1915 | January 3, 1921 | Emanuel Philipp | 3 |
| 24 | | George F. Comings | Republican | January 3, 1921 | January 5, 1925 | John Blaine | 2 |
| 25 | | Henry A. Huber | Republican | January 5, 1925 | January 2, 1933 | John Blaine | 4 |
| 25 | | Henry A. Huber | Republican | January 5, 1925 | January 2, 1933 | Fred R. Zimmerman | 4 |
| 25 | | Henry A. Huber | Republican | January 5, 1925 | January 2, 1933 | Walter Kohler Sr. | 4 |
| 25 | | Henry A. Huber | Republican | January 5, 1925 | January 2, 1933 | Philip La Follette | 4 |
| 26 | | Thomas J. O'Malley | Democratic | January 2, 1933 | May 27, 1936 | Albert Schmedeman | 11⁄2 |
| 26 | | Thomas J. O'Malley | Democratic | January 2, 1933 | May 27, 1936 | Philip La Follette | 11⁄2 |
| vacant | vacant | vacant | vacant | May 27, 1936 | January 4, 1937 | Philip La Follette | 1⁄2 |
| 27 | | Henry A. Gunderson | Progressive | January 4, 1937 | October 16, 1937 | Philip La Follette | 1⁄3 |
| vacant | vacant | vacant | vacant | October 16, 1937 | May 16, 1938 | Philip La Follette | 1⁄3 |
| 28 | | Herman L. Ekern | Progressive | May 16, 1938 | January 2, 1939 | Philip La Follette | 1⁄3 |
| 29 | | Walter S. Goodland | Republican | January 2, 1939 | January 4, 1943 | Julius Heil | 2 |
| 29 | | Goodland acting as governor | Goodland acting as governor | January 4, 1943 | January 1, 1945 | Walter Goodland | 1 |
| 30 | | Oscar Rennebohm | Republican | January 1, 1945 | March 12, 1947 | Walter Goodland | 11⁄2 |
| 30 | | Rennebohm acting as governor | Rennebohm acting as governor | March 12, 1947 | January 3, 1949 | Oscar Rennebohm | 1⁄2 |
| 31 | | George M. Smith | Republican | January 3, 1949 | January 3, 1955 | Oscar Rennebohm | 3 |
| 31 | | George M. Smith | Republican | January 3, 1949 | January 3, 1955 | Walter Kohler Jr. | 3 |
| 32 | | Warren P. Knowles | Republican | January 3, 1955 | January 5, 1959 | Walter Kohler Jr. | 2 |
| 32 | | Warren P. Knowles | Republican | January 3, 1955 | January 5, 1959 | Vernon Thomson | 2 |
| 33 | | Philleo Nash | Democratic | January 5, 1959 | January 2, 1961 | Gaylord Nelson | 1 |
| 34 | | Warren P. Knowles | Republican | January 2, 1961 | January 7, 1963 | Gaylord Nelson | 1 |
| 35 | | Jack B. Olson | Republican | January 7, 1963 | January 4, 1965 | John Reynolds | 1 |
| 36 | | Patrick J. Lucey | Democratic | January 4, 1965 | January 2, 1967 | Warren Knowles | 1 |
| 37 | | Jack B. Olson | Republican | January 2, 1967 | January 4, 1971 | Warren Knowles | 2 |
| 38 | | Martin J. Schreiber | Democratic | January 4, 1971 | July 6, 1977 | Patrick Lucey | 11⁄2 |
| 38 | | Schreiber acting as governor | Schreiber acting as governor | July 6, 1977 | January 3, 1979 | Martin Schreiber | 1⁄2 |
| 39 | | Russell A. Olson | Republican | January 3, 1979 | January 3, 1983 | Lee Dreyfus | 1 |
| 40 | | James Flynn | Democratic | January 3, 1983 | January 5, 1987 | Anthony Earl | 1 |
| 41 | | Scott McCallum | Republican | January 5, 1987 | February 1, 2001 | Tommy Thompson | 31⁄3 |
| vacant | vacant | vacant | vacant | February 1, 2001 | May 9, 2001 | Scott McCallum | 1⁄3 |
| 42 | | Margaret A. Farrow | Republican | May 9, 2001 | January 6, 2003 | Scott McCallum | 1⁄3 |
| 43 | | Barbara Lawton | Democratic | January 6, 2003 | January 3, 2011 | Jim Doyle | 2 |
| 44 | | Rebecca Kleefisch | Republican | January 3, 2011 | January 7, 2019 | Scott Walker | 2 |
| 45 | | Mandela Barnes | Democratic | January 7, 2019 | January 3, 2023 | Tony Evers | 1 |
| 46 | | Sara Rodriguez | Democratic | January 3, 2023 | Incumbent | Tony Evers | 1 |