Lieutenant Governor of Virginia

The lieutenant governor of Virginia is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the U.S. state of Virginia. It is the second highest-ranking official in the state government. The lieutenant governor ranks first in the gubernatorial line of succession and is also the officer of the legislative branch, president of the Virginia Senate and the presiding officer of the Virginia Senate.

Ghazala Hashmi is the 43rd and current lieutenant governor of Virginia, in office since January 2026.

 Eligibility & requirements 
Section 13 of the state's constitution states for a person to serve as lieutenant governor must:

 be at least thirty years old.
 be a United States citizen
 be a registered voter and resident of Virginia for at least five years.

 Election process and terms 
The lieutenant governor is elected by the people through the popular election to a four-year term on a separate ticket. The candidate must have the majority of the popular vote in order to win the election.

Under Section 13 of the state's constitution, the lieutenant governor doesn't have term limits unlike the governor, who is prevented from elected consecutively.

 Constitutional roles and duties 

 President of the Virginia Senate 
Article V, gives the lieutenant governor the title president of the Senate, authorizing the lieutenant governor to preside over the Senate. This position also has the authority to cast a tie-breaking vote.

The lieutenant governor also serves as a member of several other state boards, commissions and councils, including the:

• Board of Trustees of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and the Center for Rural Virginia

• Board of Directors of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Virginia Tourism Authority

• Virginia Military Advisory Council

• Commonwealth Preparedness Council and the Council on Virginia's Future

Living former lieutenant governors
Lt. GovernorLt. Gubernatorial termDate of birth (and age)Chuck Robb1978–1982Douglas Wilder1986–1990Don Beyer1990–1998Tim Kaine2002–2006Bill Bolling2006–2014Ralph Northam2014–2018Justin Fairfax2018–2022Winsome Earle-Sears2022–2026

 References 

Other websites
Lieutenant Governor of Virginia's website
List of past Lieutenant Governors