Lieutenant Governor of Florida

The lieutenant governor of Florida is a constitutional statewide elected office in the executive branch of the state government of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the second highest-ranking official in the state government.  

The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four-year term. Official duties of the lieutenant governor are under the current Florida Constitution are to serve as the acting governor in the absence of the governor from the state or to become the governor in the event of the governor's death, resignation or impeachment.

 Eligibility & requirements 
Section 5 of the state's constitution states for a person to serve as lieutenant governor must:

 be at least thirty years old.
 be a permanent resident in Florida for at least seven years.

 Election process and terms 
The lieutenant governor is elected by the people through the popular election to a four-year term, along with the gubernatorial candidate or the incumbent governor of Florida as their running mate. The gubernatorial candidate or incumbent governor must have the majority of the popular vote in order to win the election.

Under Section 5 of the state's constitution forbids anyone from being elected lieutenant governor more than twice.

 Inauguration 
The lieutenant governor-elect, or incumbent lieutenant governor immediately began their four-year team on inauguration day every four years in the month of January, along with the incumbent governor and governor-elect.

 Gubernatorial line of succession 
If the governor dies, reigns, or is impeached, the lieutenant governor ranks first in the succession will assume the gubernatorial office and duties.

List of lieutenant governors
Parties

{| class="wikitable unsortable"
!  !! Name !! Image !! Took office !! Left office !! Party!! Governor!! Notes
|- 
|1
| William W. J. Kelly
| 100px
| December 20, 1865
| July 4, 1868
| Republican
| David S. Walker
|
|- 
| 2
| William Henry Gleason
| 100px
| July 7, 1868
| December 14, 1868
| Republican
| rowspan=3 | Harrison Reed
|
|- 
| 3
| Edmund C. Weeks
| 100px
| January 24, 1870
| December 27, 1870
| Republican
|
|- 
| 4
| Samuel T. Day
| 100px
| January 3, 1871
| June 3, 1872
| Republican
| 
|- 
| 5
| Marcellus Stearns
| 100px
| January 7, 1873
| March 18, 1874
| Republican
| Ossian B. Hart
| Became governor upon the death of O. B. Hart
|- 
| 6
| Noble A. Hull
| 100px
| January 2, 1877
| March 3, 1879
| Democratic
| George Franklin Drew
| Resigned to become a U.S. Representative
|- 
| 7
| Livingston W. Bethel
| 100px
| January 4, 1881
| January 7, 1885
| Democratic
| William D. Bloxham
|
|- 
| 8
| Milton H. Mabry
| 100px
| January 7, 1885
| January 8, 1889
| Democratic
| Edward A. Perry
|
|-
! colspan=8 | The position of Lieutenant Governor of Florida was abolished in 1889 in the Constitution of 1885. It was reestablished in 1969 following a constitutional amendment in 1968.
|- 
| 9
| Ray C. Osborne
| 100px
| January 7, 1969
| January 5, 1971
| Republican
| Claude R. Kirk, Jr.
|
|- 
| 10
| Tom Adams
| 100px
| January 5, 1971
| January 7, 1975
| Democratic
| rowspan=2 | Reubin O'Donovan Askew
|
|- 
| 11
| Jim Williams
| 100px
| January 7, 1975
| January 2, 1979
| Democratic
|
|- 
| 12
| Wayne Mixson
| 100px
| January 2, 1979
| January 3, 1987
| Democratic
| Bob Graham
| Became governor upon the resignation of Bob Graham
|- 
| 13
| Bobby Brantley
| 100px
| January 6, 1987
| January 8, 1991
| Republican
| Bob Martinez
|
|- 
| 14
| Buddy MacKay
| 100px
| January 8, 1991
| December 12, 1998
| Democratic
| Lawton Chiles
| Became governor upon the death of Lawton Chiles
|- 
| 15
| Frank Brogan
| 100px
| January 5, 1999
| March 3, 2003
| Republican  Jeb Bush
| Resigned to become President of Florida Atlantic University
|- 
| 16
| Toni Jennings
| 100px
| March 3, 2003
| January 2, 2007
| Republican
| Appointed to replace Brogan
|- 
| 17
| Jeff Kottkamp
| 100px
| January 2, 2007
| January 4, 2011
| Republican
| Charlie Crist
| 
|- 
| 18
| Jennifer Carroll
| 100px
| January 4, 2011
| March 12, 2013
| Republican  Rick Scott
| Resigned
|- 
| 19
| Carlos Lopez-Cantera
| 100px
| February 3, 2014
| January 7, 2019
| Republican
| Appointed to replace Carroll
|- 
| 20
| Jeanette Nuñez 
| 100px
| January 8, 2019
| February 16, 2025
| Republican
| rowspan=2| Ron DeSantis 
| Resigned to become President of Florida International University
|- 
| 21
| Jay Collins
| 100px
| August 12, 2025
| Incumbent
| Republican
| Appointed to replace Nuñez
|}

 List of living former lieutenant governors 
Bobby Brantley
Buddy MacKay
Frank Brogan
Toni Jennings
Jeff Kottkamp
Jennifer Carroll
Carlos Lopez-Cantera
Jeanette Nuñez

References