# Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas

The lieutenant governor of Arkansas is the second-highest constitutional and elected office in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The lieutenant governor is the first in the gubernatorial line of succession, serving as acting governor of Arkansas when the governor is out of state and assuming the governorship in cases of the governor's impeachment, removal from office, death or inability to discharge the office's duties. The lieutenant governor also serves as president of the Arkansas Senate, with a tie-breaking vote. The lieutenant governor is elected separately from the governor.
The position of Lieutenant governor was created by the Sixth Amendment to the Arkansas Constitution in 1914, but was not filled until 1927. The Amendment was approved by the electorate in 1914, with returns showing 45,567 in favor and 45,206 opposed. The Speaker of the House declared the measure lost because it had not received a majority of the highest total vote, which was 135,517. In 1925, it was discovered that the Initiative and Referendum of 1910 had amended this majority requirement so that only a majority of those voting on a specific question was required. So, in 1926, the 1914 initiative was declared to be valid and Harvey Parnell was elected Arkansas' first lieutenant governor.
Two recent incumbents, Winthrop Paul Rockefeller and Mike Huckabee, began their respective tenures in the midst of regular term periods, due to the elevation of their predecessors to the governorship. Jim Guy Tucker succeeded Bill Clinton as governor in December 1992, upon Clinton's resignation days before assuming his office as President of the United States, creating the need for a special election to fill the lieutenant governor's office. When Tucker was convicted of conspiracy and mail fraud charges in 1996, Huckabee succeeded him as governor, paving the way for the November 1996 special election of Rockefeller as lieutenant governor.
The current lieutenant governor is Leslie Rutledge, since January 10, 2023.

## History

The U.S. state of Arkansas had no office of lieutenant governor under its original constitution. Amidst the American Civil War in 1864, a new constitution was ratified and a pro-Union government was installed which included a lieutenant governor to be, like several other state officials, popularly elected to serve four-year terms. Calvin C. Bliss was the first person to hold the office. The position was preserved in the new constitution ratified by the state in 1868, but eliminated in the constitution of 1874.
In 1914, an amendment to the constitution to reestablish the office of lieutenant governor was subject to a popular referendum. While the item received more affirmative than negative votes, the Arkansas Supreme Court held that only a majority of the votes of all the citizens who had participated in that year's referendums could constitute a passing margin. In 1925, the court reversed its decision, ruling that the office be filled in the state elections occurring in 1926. Harvey Parnell was subsequently elected to the office. The lieutenant governor held office for a term of two years until 1986, when the term was expanded to four years. The constitution was amended in 1992 to provide for term limits. The first woman to hold the office, Leslie Rutledge, was sworn in on January 10, 2023.

## Powers, duties, and structure

The lieutenant governor is one of seven executive constitutional officers in the state of Arkansas. The main responsibilities of the lieutenant governor are to serve as the president of the Arkansas Senate and to succeed to the governorship should it become vacant. In the event of the governor's temporary absence from the state, the lieutenant governor exercises the powers of the governor. They are constitutionally restricted to serving a maximum of two terms.
They collect an annual salary of $48,105.

## List of officeholders

Lieutenant governors of the State of Arkansas :
| No. | Lieutenant Governor | Lieutenant Governor | Lieutenant Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Governor |
| 1 | | | Calvin C. Bliss (1823–1891) | April 18, 1864 – July 2, 1868 (did not run) | Republican | 1864 | Isaac Murphy |
| 2 | | | James M. Johnson (1832–1913) | July 2, 1868 – March 14, 1871 (resigned) | Republican | 1868 | Powell Clayton (resigned March 17, 1871) |
| — | Office vacant from March 14, 1871 - January 6, 1873 | Office vacant from March 14, 1871 - January 6, 1873 | Office vacant from March 14, 1871 - January 6, 1873 | Office vacant from March 14, 1871 - January 6, 1873 | Office vacated by resignation | Office vacated by resignation | | Powell Clayton (resigned March 17, 1871) |
| — | Office vacant from March 14, 1871 - January 6, 1873 | Office vacant from March 14, 1871 - January 6, 1873 | Office vacant from March 14, 1871 - January 6, 1873 | Office vacant from March 14, 1871 - January 6, 1873 | Office vacated by resignation | Office vacated by resignation | Ozra Amander Hadley |
| 3 | | | Volney V. Smith (1841–1897) | January 6, 1873 – November 12, 1874 (office abolished) | Republican | 1872 | Elisha Baxter |
| Office did not exist from November 12, 1874, to January 11, 1927 |||||||||
| 4 | | | Harvey Parnell (1880–1936) | January 11, 1927 – March 14, 1928 (succeeded to governor) | Democratic | 1926 | John Ellis Martineau (resigned March 14, 1928) |
| — | Office vacant from March 4, 1928 - January 14, 1929 | Office vacant from March 4, 1928 - January 14, 1929 | Office vacant from March 4, 1928 - January 14, 1929 | Office vacant from March 4, 1928 - January 14, 1929 | Office vacated by succession to governor | Office vacated by succession to governor | Harvey Parnell |
| 5 | | | Lee Cazort (1887–1969) | January 14, 1929 – January 12, 1931 (did not run) | Democratic | 1928 | Harvey Parnell |
| 6 | | | Lawrence Elery Wilson (1884–1946) | January 12, 1931 – January 10, 1933 (lost nomination) | Democratic | 1930 | Harvey Parnell |
| 7 | | | Lee Cazort (1887–1969) | January 10, 1933 – January 12, 1937 (did not run) | Democratic | 1932 | Junius Marion Futrell |
| 7 | | | Lee Cazort (1887–1969) | January 10, 1933 – January 12, 1937 (did not run) | Democratic | 1934 | Junius Marion Futrell |
| 8 | | | Robert B. Bailey (1892–1957) | January 12, 1937 – January 12, 1943 (did not run) | Democratic | 1936 | Carl Edward Bailey |
| 8 | | | Robert B. Bailey (1892–1957) | January 12, 1937 – January 12, 1943 (did not run) | Democratic | 1938 | Carl Edward Bailey |
| 8 | | | Robert B. Bailey (1892–1957) | January 12, 1937 – January 12, 1943 (did not run) | Democratic | 1940 | Homer Martin Adkins |
| 9 | | | James L. Shaver (1902–1985) | January 12, 1943 – January 14, 1947 (did not run) | Democratic | 1942 | Homer Martin Adkins |
| 9 | | | James L. Shaver (1902–1985) | January 12, 1943 – January 14, 1947 (did not run) | Democratic | 1944 | Benjamin Travis Laney |
| 10 | | | Nathan Green Gordon (1916–2008) | January 14, 1947 – January 10, 1967 (did not run) | Democratic | 1946 | Benjamin Travis Laney |
| 10 | | | Nathan Green Gordon (1916–2008) | January 14, 1947 – January 10, 1967 (did not run) | Democratic | 1948 | Sid McMath |
| 10 | | | Nathan Green Gordon (1916–2008) | January 14, 1947 – January 10, 1967 (did not run) | Democratic | 1950 | Sid McMath |
| 10 | | | Nathan Green Gordon (1916–2008) | January 14, 1947 – January 10, 1967 (did not run) | Democratic | 1952 | Francis Cherry |
| 10 | | | Nathan Green Gordon (1916–2008) | January 14, 1947 – January 10, 1967 (did not run) | Democratic | 1954 | Orval Faubus |
| 10 | | | Nathan Green Gordon (1916–2008) | January 14, 1947 – January 10, 1967 (did not run) | Democratic | 1956 | Orval Faubus |
| 10 | | | Nathan Green Gordon (1916–2008) | January 14, 1947 – January 10, 1967 (did not run) | Democratic | 1958 | Orval Faubus |
| 10 | | | Nathan Green Gordon (1916–2008) | January 14, 1947 – January 10, 1967 (did not run) | Democratic | 1960 | Orval Faubus |
| 10 | | | Nathan Green Gordon (1916–2008) | January 14, 1947 – January 10, 1967 (did not run) | Democratic | 1962 | Orval Faubus |
| 10 | | | Nathan Green Gordon (1916–2008) | January 14, 1947 – January 10, 1967 (did not run) | Democratic | 1964 | Orval Faubus |
| 11 | | | Maurice Britt (1919–1995) | January 10, 1967 – January 12, 1971 (did not run) | Republican | 1966 | Winthrop Rockefeller |
| 11 | | | Maurice Britt (1919–1995) | January 10, 1967 – January 12, 1971 (did not run) | Republican | 1968 | Winthrop Rockefeller |
| 12 | | | Bob C. Riley (1924–1994) | January 12, 1971 – January 3, 1975 (succeeded to governor) | Democratic | 1970 | Dale Bumpers (resigned January 3, 1975) |
| 12 | | | Bob C. Riley (1924–1994) | January 12, 1971 – January 3, 1975 (succeeded to governor) | Democratic | 1972 | Dale Bumpers (resigned January 3, 1975) |
| — | Office vacant from January 3 - 14, 1975 | Office vacant from January 3 - 14, 1975 | Office vacant from January 3 - 14, 1975 | Office vacant from January 3 - 14, 1975 | Office vacated by succession to governor | Office vacated by succession to governor | Bob C. Riley |
| 13 | | | Joe Purcell (1923–1987) | January 14, 1975 – January 3, 1979 (succeeded to governor) | Democratic | 1974 | David Pryor (resigned January 3, 1979) |
| 13 | | | Joe Purcell (1923–1987) | January 14, 1975 – January 3, 1979 (succeeded to governor) | Democratic | 1976 | David Pryor (resigned January 3, 1979) |
| — | Office vacant from January 3 - 9, 1979 | Office vacant from January 3 - 9, 1979 | Office vacant from January 3 - 9, 1979 | Office vacant from January 3 - 9, 1979 | Office vacated by succession to governor | Office vacated by succession to governor | Joe Purcell |
| 13 | | | Joe Purcell (1923–1987) | January 9, 1979 – January 19, 1981 (did not run) | Democratic | 1978 | Bill Clinton |
| 14 | | | Winston Bryant (b. 1938) | January 19, 1981 – January 15, 1991 (did not run) | Democratic | 1980 | Frank D. White |
| 14 | | | Winston Bryant (b. 1938) | January 19, 1981 – January 15, 1991 (did not run) | Democratic | 1982 | Bill Clinton (resigned December 12, 1992) |
| 14 | | | Winston Bryant (b. 1938) | January 19, 1981 – January 15, 1991 (did not run) | Democratic | 1984 | Bill Clinton (resigned December 12, 1992) |
| 14 | | | Winston Bryant (b. 1938) | January 19, 1981 – January 15, 1991 (did not run) | Democratic | 1986 | Bill Clinton (resigned December 12, 1992) |
| 15 | | | Jim Guy Tucker (1943–2025) | January 15, 1991 – December 12, 1992 (succeeded to governor) | Democratic | 1990 | Bill Clinton (resigned December 12, 1992) |
| — | Office vacant from December 12, 1992 - November 19, 1993 | Office vacant from December 12, 1992 - November 19, 1993 | Office vacant from December 12, 1992 - November 19, 1993 | Office vacant from December 12, 1992 - November 19, 1993 | Office vacated by succession to governor | Office vacated by succession to governor | Jim Guy Tucker (resigned July 15, 1996) |
| 16 | | | Mike Huckabee (b. 1955) | November 20, 1993 – July 15, 1996 (succeeded to governor) | Republican | 1993 (special) | Jim Guy Tucker (resigned July 15, 1996) |
| 16 | | | Mike Huckabee (b. 1955) | November 20, 1993 – July 15, 1996 (succeeded to governor) | Republican | 1994 | Jim Guy Tucker (resigned July 15, 1996) |
| — | Office vacant from July 15 - November 19, 1996 | Office vacant from July 15 - November 19, 1996 | Office vacant from July 15 - November 19, 1996 | Office vacant from July 15 - November 19, 1996 | Office vacated by succession to governor | Office vacated by succession to governor | Mike Huckabee |
| 17 | | | Winthrop Paul Rockefeller (1948–2006) | November 19, 1996 – July 16, 2006 (died in office) | Republican | 1996 (special) | Mike Huckabee |
| 17 | | | Winthrop Paul Rockefeller (1948–2006) | November 19, 1996 – July 16, 2006 (died in office) | Republican | 1998 | Mike Huckabee |
| 17 | | | Winthrop Paul Rockefeller (1948–2006) | November 19, 1996 – July 16, 2006 (died in office) | Republican | 2002 | Mike Huckabee |
| — | Office vacant from July 16, 2006 - January 9, 2007 | Office vacant from July 16, 2006 - January 9, 2007 | Office vacant from July 16, 2006 - January 9, 2007 | Office vacant from July 16, 2006 - January 9, 2007 | Office vacated by death | Office vacated by death | | Mike Huckabee |
| 18 | | | Bill Halter (b. 1960) | January 9, 2007 – January 11, 2011 (did not run) | Democratic | 2006 | Mike Beebe |
| 19 | | | Mark Darr (b. 1973) | January 11, 2011 – February 1, 2014 (resigned) | Republican | 2010 | Mike Beebe |
| — | Office vacant from February 1, 2014 - January 13, 2015 | Office vacant from February 1, 2014 - January 13, 2015 | Office vacant from February 1, 2014 - January 13, 2015 | Office vacant from February 1, 2014 - January 13, 2015 | Office vacated by resignation | Office vacated by resignation | | Mike Beebe |
| 20 | | | Tim Griffin (b. 1968) | January 13, 2015 – January 10, 2023 (term-limited) | Republican | 2014 | Asa Hutchinson |
| 20 | | | Tim Griffin (b. 1968) | January 13, 2015 – January 10, 2023 (term-limited) | Republican | 2018 | Asa Hutchinson |
| 21 | | | Leslie Rutledge (b. 1976) | January 10, 2023 – Incumbent | Republican | 2022 | Sarah Huckabee Sanders |