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Term length 4 years, renewable once Formation 1968 (office restored by constitutional revision) Website "Page on state's website" | ||
The Lieutenant Governor of Florida is a statewide elected office in the government of the U.S. state of Florida. According to the Florida Constitution, the lieutenant governor is elected to a four-year term congruent with that of the Governor of Florida, and succeeds to the office of Governor if it becomes vacant. The incumbent is Carlos López-Cantera who was appointed to the office by Gov. Rick Scott to succeed Jennifer Carroll, who resigned.
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History
The position of Lieutenant Governor has been used in Florida's government twice in the state's history. The first period spanned from 1865, after the American Civil War, through 1889. During this time, the lieutenant governor was elected independently of the Governor. In addition to being first in succession to the governor, the lieutenant governor was the ex officio president of the Florida Senate, and cast a vote in the case of a tie. William W. J. Kelly was the first person elected Lieutenant Governor after the position was created by the 1865 Constitution of Florida. The position was officially abolished by the post-Reconstruction Constitution of 1885, with the last Lieutenant Governor, Milton H. Mabry, serving out his term until 1889. After this point the office of President of the Senate was given to an elected member of the Senate, who also served as first in line of succession to the Governor.
The state constitution was again revised in 1968, and the office of Lieutenant Governor was recreated. In the modern period, the Lieutenant Governor is elected directly along with the Governor as his or her running mate. The Lieutenant Governor would serve as first in the line of succession, though the office of President of the Senate would remain with an elected Senator. The Lieutenant governor has a few prescribed duties, and otherwise assists the Governor with the duties of the executive branch. The first Lieutenant Governor in the modern period was Ray C. Osborne, who took office in 1969.
On January 14, 2014 Carlos López-Cantera, (Florida's first Hispanic lieutenant governor) was appointed by Governor Rick Scott and was sworn in on February 3, 2014.
List of lieutenant governors
No party Democratic Republican
Living former U.S. Lieutenant Governors of Florida
As of January 2017, there are seven former U.S. lieutenant governors of Florida who are currently living at this time, The oldest U.S. lieutenant governor of Florida being Wayne Mixson (served 1979–1987, born 1922). The most recent former U.S. lieutenant governor of Florida to die was J.H. Williams (served 1975–1979, born 1926), who died on December 16, 2016. The most recently serving lieutenant governor to die was Thomas Burton Adams Jr. (served 1971-1975, born 1917) on May 22, 2006.