The lieutenant governor of Nebraska is the highest-ranking executive official in the State of Nebraska after the governor. According to the Nebraska State Constitution, in the event a governor dies, becomes permanently incapacitated, resigns, or is removed from office, the lieutenant governor will become governor.[1]
Prior to the Constitution of 1875, Nebraska had no office of Lieutenant Governor. If the governor died, resigned, or was removed from office (as happened to Governor David Butler in 1871), then the Nebraska Secretary of State was appointed as Acting Governor until the vacancy would be filled by the next election.[2] The Constitution of 1875 created the office of Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska, leading to the first election of a lieutenant governor in Nebraska in the election of 1876.
Prior to 1962, both the governor and the lieutenant governor were elected to two-year terms, but in 1962, voters approved a constitutional amendment providing that the governor and lieutenant governor would be elected to four-year terms beginning in 1966. However, prior to 1974, the governor and the lieutenant governor ran independently and were elected on separate tickets in the general election, which is why sometimes Nebraska had a governor from one party but a lieutenant governor from another.[3] Starting in 1974, due to a constitutional amendment, the process was changed such that the governor and lieutenant governor candidates would secure their nominations independently in the primary elections in their respective parties, but then they ran together in the general election on one ticket from the same political party. Finally, by 2002, the constitution was again amended to allow gubernatorial candidates choose their nominee for lieutenant governor after winning their respective parties’ primary elections, which means that the lieutenant governor is no longer elected independently of the governor at any stage.[3]
By law, the lieutenant governor presides over the Nebraska Legislature, acts as governor when the governor is out of the state or is incapacitated, and performs other duties assigned to him or her by the governor. Nebraska’s lieutenant governor also serves as the director of homeland security for the state and as the chairman of the Governor’s Homeland Security Policy Group. Before 1971, the office of lieutenant governor was considered a part-time position except during the biennial legislative session. When the Legislature began meeting annually, the office of lieutenant governor became a full-time position.[3]
As the highest-ranking presiding officer of the Nebraska Legislature, the lieutenant governor is known officially as the president of the Legislature.[4] When presiding, the Lieutenant Governor may vote to break a tie in the Legislature on any matter[5] except when the vote is on the final passage of a bill.[6] The lieutenant governor, in the role of presiding officer, also signs all bills and resolutions passed by the Legislature.[7]
^On May 1, 1901, after serving only four months as Governor of Nebraska, Charles H. Dietrich resigned from being governor as he had been elected by the Nebraska Legislature to fill the vacant U.S. Senate term of Monroe L. Hayward, who had died. Thus, Ezra P. Savage became the Governor of Nebraska and the office of Lieutenant Governor was vacant until after the election of Edmund G. McGilton in 1902.
^ abAlthough Calvin F. Steele is not listed in recent editions of the Nebraska Blue Book as having served as Lieutenant Governor,[8] multiple sources from the time indicate that after the elevation of Ezra P. Savage to Governor, Steele was considered the acting Lieutenant Governor due to his position as president pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate based on a misinterpretation of Article V, Section 18, of the Nebraska Constitution. (Article V, Section 18, of the Nebraska constitution at the time provided that "If there be no lieutenant governor..., the president [pro tempore] of the senate shall act as governor until the vacancy is filled, or the disability removed...."[9] This would only take effect if the office of Governor of Nebraska was vacant and there was no Lieutenant Governor then in office to fill it. It should not have been applied to the case where only the office of lieutenant governor was vacant.) Thus, in the 1915 Nebraska Blue Book and the 1918 Nebraska Blue Book, Calvin F. Steele is listed as having served as Lieutenant Governor, even replacing any mention of Ezra P. Savage's brief stint as Lieutenant Governor.[10][11] Steele is also called the "former Lieutenant Governor" in a local newspaper account.[12] However, by 1920, Steele along with Morehead was not being included in the list of Lieutenant Governors of Nebraska in the Nebraska Blue Book[13] though some later editions of the Blue Book specifically noted in the list of Lieutenant Governors that Steele was the President pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate during the time that the lieutenant governor's office was vacant.[14]
^On May 2, 1911, Melville Hopewell died while in office, which left the office of Lieutenant Governor vacant until it was filled by the subsequent election of Samuel R. McKelvie.
^Although John H. Morehead is not listed in recent editions of the Nebraska Blue Book as having served as Lieutenant Governor,[8] multiple sources from the time indicate that after the death of Melville R. Hopewell, Morehead was considered the acting Lieutenant Governor due to his position as president pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate based on a misinterpretation of Article V, Section 18, of the Nebraska Constitution.[15][16] (See the note under Calvin F. Steele.[b]) Thus, in the 1915 Nebraska Blue Book and the 1918 Nebraska Blue Book, John H. Morehead is listed as having served as Lieutenant Governor.[10][11] It is also said in a local newspaper account from the time that Morehead "became acting Lieutenant Governor of the state"[17] and other newspaper accounts from the time referred to him as the "lieutenant governor" or "acting lieutenant governor."[18][19] However, as soon as 1920, he was not being included in the list of Lieutenant Governors of Nebraska in the Nebraska Blue Book[13] though some later editions of the Blue Book specifically noted in the list of Lieutenant Governors that Morehead was the President pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate during the time that the lieutenant governor's office was vacant.[14]
^Walter H. Jurgensen was removed from office in June 1938 after being convicted in March 1938 of embezzling $549 in a stock transaction between a co-defendant and a railroad station agent in September 1934. Jurgensen contested the conviction and sought renomination for a fourth term as lieutenant governor, but he was declared ineligible to participate in the primary.
^Nate M. Parsons was elected in a special election to fill out the remainder of the term of Walter H. Jurgensen, who was removed from office. He served in office from Nov. 8, 1938, to Jan. 5, 1939.
^On Sept. 24, 1955, Charles J. Warner died while in office, which left the office of Lieutenant Governor vacant until it was filled by the subsequent election of Dwight W. Burney.
^On Sept. 9, 1960, Governor Ralph G. Brooks died in office, which caused Dwight W. Burney to become the Governor of Nebraska. He served out the remaining four months of Brooks' term and was subsequently reelected to the office of Lieutenant Governor in 1960.
^Maxine B. Moul resigned in 1993 to become the director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.
^Kim M. Robak was appointed by Governor Ben Nelson on Oct. 6, 1993, to complete the term of Maxine B. Moul, who had resigned. She was subsequently elected to the office in 1994.
^Dave Heineman was appointed by Governor Mike Johanns on Oct. 1, 2001, to complete the term of David Maurstad, who had resigned. He was subsequently elected to the office in 2002.
^Rick Sheehy was appointed by Governor Dave Heineman on Jan. 24, 2005, to finish his own term since he had become Governor. Rick Sheehy was subsequently elected to the office in 2006.
^Rick Sheehy resigned on Feb. 2, 2013, with a two-sentence resignation letter, after it was reported that he had been using his state-issued cell phone for years to make 2,000 late-night telephone calls to four different women who were not his wife.
^Lavon Heidemann was appointed by Governor Dave Heineman on Feb. 13, 2013, to finish the term of Rick Sheehy, who had resigned.
^Lavon Heidemann resigned on Sept. 9, 2014, after his sister obtained a restraining order against him, alleging that he had physically assaulted her in the course of a dispute over the care of their elderly mother. Heidemann had been chosen by then-candidate for Governor Pete Ricketts as his running mate for Lieutenant Governor, but he withdrew from the Ricketts ticket in light of his resignation.
^John E. Nelson was appointed by Governor Dave Heineman on Sept. 29, 2014, to finish the term of Lavon Heidemann, who had resigned.
^"Glossary of Legislative Terms". Nebraska Legislature. Retrieved November 20, 2022. President of the Legislature - the lieutenant governor. While senators address whoever is in the chair as Mr. or Madame President, the lieutenant governor alone holds that official title.
^"Nebraska State Constitution Article III-10". Nebraska Legislature.
^"Nebraska State Constitution Article III-13". Nebraska Legislature.
^"Nebraska State Constitution Article III-14". Nebraska Legislature.
^ ab"2020-21 Nebraska Blue Book" (PDF), Nebraska Legislature, p. 415
^"Gov. John Henry Morehead", National Governors Association
^Nancy Capace (January 1, 1999). Encyclopedia of Nebraska. Somerset Publishers, Inc. p. 106. ISBN9780403098347.
^"John H. Morehead: Democratic Candidate for Nomination for Governor of Nebraska", Red Cloud Chief, April 4, 1912
^"Hon. John H. Morehead", Plattsmouth Journal, March 28, 1912
^"Political Advertisement: John H. Morehead", The Daily Nebraskan, April 19, 1912
External links
March 09, 2023
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The lieutenant governor of Nebraska is the highest ranking executive official in the State of Nebraska after the governor According to the Nebraska State Constitution in the event a governor dies becomes permanently incapacitated resigns or is removed from office the lieutenant governor will become governor 1 Lieutenant Governor of NebraskaIncumbentJoe Kellysince January 5 2023TypeLieutenant governorTerm lengthFour yearsFormation1877First holderOthman A AbbottWebsitehttps ltgov nebraska govPrior to the Constitution of 1875 Nebraska had no office of Lieutenant Governor If the governor died resigned or was removed from office as happened to Governor David Butler in 1871 then the Nebraska Secretary of State was appointed as Acting Governor until the vacancy would be filled by the next election 2 The Constitution of 1875 created the office of Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska leading to the first election of a lieutenant governor in Nebraska in the election of 1876 Prior to 1962 both the governor and the lieutenant governor were elected to two year terms but in 1962 voters approved a constitutional amendment providing that the governor and lieutenant governor would be elected to four year terms beginning in 1966 However prior to 1974 the governor and the lieutenant governor ran independently and were elected on separate tickets in the general election which is why sometimes Nebraska had a governor from one party but a lieutenant governor from another 3 Starting in 1974 due to a constitutional amendment the process was changed such that the governor and lieutenant governor candidates would secure their nominations independently in the primary elections in their respective parties but then they ran together in the general election on one ticket from the same political party Finally by 2002 the constitution was again amended to allow gubernatorial candidates choose their nominee for lieutenant governor after winning their respective parties primary elections which means that the lieutenant governor is no longer elected independently of the governor at any stage 3 By law the lieutenant governor presides over the Nebraska Legislature acts as governor when the governor is out of the state or is incapacitated and performs other duties assigned to him or her by the governor Nebraska s lieutenant governor also serves as the director of homeland security for the state and as the chairman of the Governor s Homeland Security Policy Group Before 1971 the office of lieutenant governor was considered a part time position except during the biennial legislative session When the Legislature began meeting annually the office of lieutenant governor became a full time position 3 As the highest ranking presiding officer of the Nebraska Legislature the lieutenant governor is known officially as the president of the Legislature 4 When presiding the Lieutenant Governor may vote to break a tie in the Legislature on any matter 5 except when the vote is on the final passage of a bill 6 The lieutenant governor in the role of presiding officer also signs all bills and resolutions passed by the Legislature 7 Contents 1 List 2 Notes 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksList EditParties Republican 32 1 Acting Democratic 9 1 Acting Fusion Democratic Populist 2 Image Lieutenant Governor Term Governor s Served Under Party1 Othman A Abbott 1877 1879 Silas Garber Republican2 Edmund C Carns 1879 1883 Albinus Nance3 Alfred W Agee 1883 1885 James W Dawes4 Hibbard H Shedd 1885 1889 James W DawesJohn Milton Thayer5 George D Meiklejohn 1889 1891 John Milton Thayer6 Thomas J Majors 1891 1895 John Milton ThayerJames E BoydLorenzo Crounse7 Robert E Moore 1895 1897 Silas A Holcomb Fusion Democratic Populist 8 James E Harris 1897 18999 Edward A Gilbert 1899 1901 William A Poynter Republican10 Ezra P Savage a 1901 Charles H Dietrich Calvin F Steele Acting b 1901 1903 Ezra P Savage11 Edmund G McGilton 1903 1907 John H Mickey12 Melville R Hopewell c 1907 1911 George L SheldonAshton C ShallenbergerChester H Aldrich John H Morehead Acting d 1911 1913 Chester H Aldrich Democratic13 Samuel R McKelvie 1913 1915 John H Morehead Republican14 James Pearson 1915 1917 John H Morehead Democratic15 Edgar Howard 1917 1919 Keith Neville16 Pelham A Barrows 1919 1923 Samuel R McKelvie Republican17 Fred G Johnson 1923 1925 Charles W Bryan18 George A Williams 1925 1931 Adam McMullenArthur J Weaver19 Theodore W Metcalfe 1931 1933 Charles W Bryan20 Walter H Jurgensen e 1933 1938 Charles W Bryan DemocraticRobert Leroy Cochran21 Nate M Parsons f 1938 1939 Robert Leroy Cochran22 William E Johnson 1939 1943 Robert Leroy Cochran RepublicanDwight Griswold23 Roy W Johnson 1943 1947 Dwight Griswold24 Robert B Crosby 1947 1949 Val Peterson25 Charles J Warner g 1949 1955 Val PetersonRobert B CrosbyVictor E Anderson26 Dwight W Burney 1957 1965 Victor E AndersonRalph G BrooksBecame Governor h Frank B Morrison27 Philip C Sorensen 1965 1967 Frank B Morrison Democratic28 John E Everroad 1967 1971 Norbert T Tiemann Republican29 Frank Marsh 1971 1975 J James Exon30 Gerald T Whelan 1975 1979 Democratic31 Roland A Luedtke 1979 1983 Charles Thone Republican32 Donald F McGinley 1983 1987 J Robert Kerrey Democratic33 William E Nichol 1987 1991 Kay A Orr Republican34 Maxine B Moul i 1991 1993 Ben Nelson Democratic35 Kim M Robak j 1993 199936 David Maurstad k 1999 2001 Mike Johanns Republican37 Dave Heineman l 2001 2005 m 38 Rick Sheehy n 2005 2013 o Dave Heineman39 Lavon Heidemann p 2013 2014 q 40 John E Nelson r 2014 201541 Mike Foley 2015 2023 Pete Ricketts42 Joe Kelly 2023 present Jim PillenNotes Edit On May 1 1901 after serving only four months as Governor of Nebraska Charles H Dietrich resigned from being governor as he had been elected by the Nebraska Legislature to fill the vacant U S Senate term of Monroe L Hayward who had died Thus Ezra P Savage became the Governor of Nebraska and the office of Lieutenant Governor was vacant until after the election of Edmund G McGilton in 1902 a b Although Calvin F Steele is not listed in recent editions of the Nebraska Blue Book as having served as Lieutenant Governor 8 multiple sources from the time indicate that after the elevation of Ezra P Savage to Governor Steele was considered the acting Lieutenant Governor due to his position as president pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate based on a misinterpretation of Article V Section 18 of the Nebraska Constitution Article V Section 18 of the Nebraska constitution at the time provided that If there be no lieutenant governor the president pro tempore of the senate shall act as governor until the vacancy is filled or the disability removed 9 This would only take effect if the office of Governor of Nebraska was vacant and there was no Lieutenant Governor then in office to fill it It should not have been applied to the case where only the office of lieutenant governor was vacant Thus in the 1915 Nebraska Blue Book and the 1918 Nebraska Blue Book Calvin F Steele is listed as having served as Lieutenant Governor even replacing any mention of Ezra P Savage s brief stint as Lieutenant Governor 10 11 Steele is also called the former Lieutenant Governor in a local newspaper account 12 However by 1920 Steele along with Morehead was not being included in the list of Lieutenant Governors of Nebraska in the Nebraska Blue Book 13 though some later editions of the Blue Book specifically noted in the list of Lieutenant Governors that Steele was the President pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate during the time that the lieutenant governor s office was vacant 14 On May 2 1911 Melville Hopewell died while in office which left the office of Lieutenant Governor vacant until it was filled by the subsequent election of Samuel R McKelvie Although John H Morehead is not listed in recent editions of the Nebraska Blue Book as having served as Lieutenant Governor 8 multiple sources from the time indicate that after the death of Melville R Hopewell Morehead was considered the acting Lieutenant Governor due to his position as president pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate based on a misinterpretation of Article V Section 18 of the Nebraska Constitution 15 16 See the note under Calvin F Steele b Thus in the 1915 Nebraska Blue Book and the 1918 Nebraska Blue Book John H Morehead is listed as having served as Lieutenant Governor 10 11 It is also said in a local newspaper account from the time that Morehead became acting Lieutenant Governor of the state 17 and other newspaper accounts from the time referred to him as the lieutenant governor or acting lieutenant governor 18 19 However as soon as 1920 he was not being included in the list of Lieutenant Governors of Nebraska in the Nebraska Blue Book 13 though some later editions of the Blue Book specifically noted in the list of Lieutenant Governors that Morehead was the President pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate during the time that the lieutenant governor s office was vacant 14 Walter H Jurgensen was removed from office in June 1938 after being convicted in March 1938 of embezzling 549 in a stock transaction between a co defendant and a railroad station agent in September 1934 Jurgensen contested the conviction and sought renomination for a fourth term as lieutenant governor but he was declared ineligible to participate in the primary Nate M Parsons was elected in a special election to fill out the remainder of the term of Walter H Jurgensen who was removed from office He served in office from Nov 8 1938 to Jan 5 1939 On Sept 24 1955 Charles J Warner died while in office which left the office of Lieutenant Governor vacant until it was filled by the subsequent election of Dwight W Burney On Sept 9 1960 Governor Ralph G Brooks died in office which caused Dwight W Burney to become the Governor of Nebraska He served out the remaining four months of Brooks term and was subsequently reelected to the office of Lieutenant Governor in 1960 Maxine B Moul resigned in 1993 to become the director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development Kim M Robak was appointed by Governor Ben Nelson on Oct 6 1993 to complete the term of Maxine B Moul who had resigned She was subsequently elected to the office in 1994 David Maurstad resigned in 2001 to become the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Region VIII Dave Heineman was appointed by Governor Mike Johanns on Oct 1 2001 to complete the term of David Maurstad who had resigned He was subsequently elected to the office in 2002 Dave Heineman became the governor on January 20 2005 following Governor Mike Johanns s resignation to become United States Secretary of Agriculture in President George W Bush s administration Rick Sheehy was appointed by Governor Dave Heineman on Jan 24 2005 to finish his own term since he had become Governor Rick Sheehy was subsequently elected to the office in 2006 Rick Sheehy resigned on Feb 2 2013 with a two sentence resignation letter after it was reported that he had been using his state issued cell phone for years to make 2 000 late night telephone calls to four different women who were not his wife Lavon Heidemann was appointed by Governor Dave Heineman on Feb 13 2013 to finish the term of Rick Sheehy who had resigned Lavon Heidemann resigned on Sept 9 2014 after his sister obtained a restraining order against him alleging that he had physically assaulted her in the course of a dispute over the care of their elderly mother Heidemann had been chosen by then candidate for Governor Pete Ricketts as his running mate for Lieutenant Governor but he withdrew from the Ricketts ticket in light of his resignation John E Nelson was appointed by Governor Dave Heineman on Sept 29 2014 to finish the term of Lavon Heidemann who had resigned See also EditList of governors of NebraskaReferences Edit Nebraska State Constitution Article IV 16 Nebraska Legislature Nebraska Constitution of 1866 Article III Section 16 a b c Nebraska Blue Book PDF p 413 Glossary of Legislative Terms Nebraska Legislature Retrieved November 20 2022 President of the Legislature the lieutenant governor While senators address whoever is in the chair as Mr or Madame President the lieutenant governor alone holds that official title Nebraska State Constitution Article III 10 Nebraska Legislature Nebraska State Constitution Article III 13 Nebraska Legislature Nebraska State Constitution Article III 14 Nebraska Legislature a b 2020 21 Nebraska Blue Book PDF Nebraska Legislature p 415 1915 Nebraska Blue Book PDF p 168 a b 1915 Nebraska Blue Book PDF p 11 a b 1918 Nebraska Blue Book PDF p 11 Federal Court Petit Jury Ex Lieutenant Governor Steele and Several Prominent Men on the Panel Omaha Daily Bee May 31 1906 a b 1920 Nebraska Blue Book PDF p 22 a b 1956 Nebraska Blue Book PDF p 115 Gov John Henry Morehead National Governors Association Nancy Capace January 1 1999 Encyclopedia of Nebraska Somerset Publishers Inc p 106 ISBN 9780403098347 John H Morehead Democratic Candidate for Nomination for Governor of Nebraska Red Cloud Chief April 4 1912 Hon John H Morehead Plattsmouth Journal March 28 1912 Political Advertisement John H Morehead The Daily Nebraskan April 19 1912External links EditNebraska Blue Book PDF Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska amp oldid 1137307311, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
