Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following is the planned order of succession for the governorships of the 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and the five organized territories of the United States, according to the constitutions (and supplemental laws, if any) of each.[1] Some states make a distinction whether the succeeding individual is acting as governor or becomes governor.
From 1980 to 1999, there were 13 successions of governorships. From 2000 to 2019 this number increased to 29.[2] The only instance since at least 1980 in which the second in line reached a state governorship was on January 8, 2002, when New Jersey Attorney General John Farmer Jr. acted as governor for 90 minutes between Donald DiFrancesco and John O. Bennett's terms in that capacity as president of the Senate following governor Christine Todd Whitman's resignation.[3] In 2019, Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico Wanda Vázquez Garced became governor when both the governor and secretary of state resigned in Telegramgate.
From 1945 to 2016, 39 of those who succeeded to the governorship ran for and won election to a full term.[4]
States
|
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming |
Alabama
Established by Article V, Section 127 of the Constitution of Alabama.[5]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Alabama | Kay Ivey (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Will Ainsworth (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Garlan Gudger (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Nathaniel Ledbetter (R) |
| 4 | Attorney General | Steve Marshall (R) |
| 5 | Auditor | Andrew Sorrell (R) |
| 6 | Secretary of State | Wes Allen (R) |
| 7 | Treasurer | Young Boozer (R) |
Alaska
Established by Article III, Section 10 of the Constitution of Alaska.[6]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Alaska | Mike Dunleavy (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Nancy Dahlstrom (R) |
Arizona
Established by Article V, Section 6 of the Constitution of Arizona.[7]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Arizona | Katie Hobbs (D) | |
| 1 | Secretary of State | Adrian Fontes (D) |
| 2 | Attorney General | Kris Mayes (D) |
| 3 | Treasurer | Kimberly Yee (R) |
| 4 | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Tom Horne (R) |
Arkansas
Established by Article VI, Section 5 of the Constitution of Arkansas as amended.[8]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Arkansas | Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Leslie Rutledge (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Bart Hester (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Brian S. Evans (R) |
California
Established by Article V, Section 10 of the Constitution of California[9] and Title 2, Division 3, Part 2, Chapter 1, Articles 5.5[10] and 6[11] of the California Government Code.
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of California | Gavin Newsom (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Eleni Kounalakis (D) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Monique Limón (D) |
| 3 | Speaker of the Assembly | Robert Rivas (D) |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Shirley Weber (D) |
| 5 | Attorney General | Rob Bonta (D) |
| 6 | Treasurer | Fiona Ma (D) |
| 7 | Controller | Malia Cohen (D) |
| 8 | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Tony Thurmond (NP/D)[a] |
| 9 | Insurance Commissioner | Ricardo Lara (D) |
| 10 | Chair of the Board of Equalization | Sally Lieber (D) |
| 11 | List of 4–7 people named by the governor (subject to confirmation by the Senate) in the case of war or enemy-caused disaster. | |
Colorado
Established by Article IV, Section 13(7) of the Constitution of Colorado.[12]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Colorado | Jared Polis (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Dianne Primavera (D) |
| 2 | President of the Senate[b] | James Coleman (D) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives[b] | Julie McCluskie (D) |
| 4 | Minority Leader of the Senate[b] | Cleave Simpson (R) |
| 5 | Minority Leader of the House[c] | Jarvis Caldwell (R) |
Connecticut
Established by Article IV, Sections 18–21 of the Constitution of Connecticut.[13]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Connecticut | Ned Lamont (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Susan Bysiewicz (D) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Martin Looney (D) |
Delaware
Established by Article III, Section 20 of the Constitution of Delaware.[14]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Delaware | Matt Meyer (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Kyle Evans Gay (D) |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez (D) |
| 3 | Attorney General | Kathy Jennings (D) |
| 4 | President pro tempore of the Senate | David Sokola (D) |
| 5 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Melissa Minor-Brown (D) |
Florida
Established by Article IV, Section 3 of the Constitution of Florida[15] and Florida Statute 14.055.[16]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Florida | Ron DeSantis (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Jay Collins (R) |
| 2 | Attorney General | James Uthmeier (R) |
| 3 | Chief Financial Officer | Blaise Ingoglia (R) |
| 4 | Commissioner of Agriculture | Wilton Simpson (R) |
Georgia
Established by Article V, Section 1, Paragraph V of the Constitution of Georgia.[17]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Georgia | Brian Kemp (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Burt Jones (R) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Jon Burns (R) |
Hawaii
Established by Article V, Section 4 of the Constitution of Hawaii[18] and Title 4 §26-2 of the Hawaii code.[19]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Hawaii | Josh Green (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Sylvia Luke (D) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Ron Kouchi (D) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Nadine Nakamura (D) |
| 4 | Attorney General | Anne E. Lopez[20] (D) |
| 5 | Director of Finance | Luis Salaveria[20] |
| 6 | Comptroller | Keith Regan[20] |
| 7 | Director of Taxation | Gary Suganuma[20] |
| 8 | Director of Human Resources Development | Brenna Hashimoto[20] |
Idaho
Established by Article IV, Sections 12–14 of the Constitution of Idaho.[21]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Idaho | Brad Little (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Scott Bedke (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Kelly Anthon (R) |
Illinois
Established by Article V, Section 6 of the Constitution of Illinois[22] and the Governor Succession Act[23]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Illinois | J. B. Pritzker (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Juliana Stratton (D) |
| 2 | Attorney General | Kwame Raoul (D) |
| 3 | Secretary of State | Alexi Giannoulias (D) |
| 4 | Comptroller | Susana Mendoza (D) |
| 5 | Treasurer | Mike Frerichs (D) |
| 6 | President of the Senate | Don Harmon (D) |
| 7 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Chris Welch (D) |
Indiana
Established by Article V, Section 10 of the Constitution of Indiana.[24]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Indiana | Mike Braun (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Micah Beckwith (R) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives[d] | Todd Huston (R) |
| 3 | President pro tempore of the Senate[d] | Rodric Bray (R) |
| 4 | Treasurer[d] | Daniel Elliott (R) |
| 5 | Auditor[d] | Elise Nieshalla (R) |
| 6 | Secretary of State[d] | Diego Morales (R) |
Iowa
Established by Article IV, Sections 17–19 of the Constitution of Iowa.[25]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Iowa | Kim Reynolds (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Chris Cournoyer (R) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Amy Sinclair (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Pat Grassley (R) |
Kansas
Established by KSA Statute 75–125[26] and the Emergency Interim Executive and Judicial Succession Act of 1994.[27]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Kansas | Laura Kelly (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | David Toland (D) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Ty Masterson (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Dan Hawkins (R) |
| Eligible to serve as emergency interim governor if 1–3 are vacant | ||
| 4 | Secretary of State | Scott Schwab (R) |
| 5 | Attorney General | Kris Kobach (R) |
Kentucky
Established by Sections 84,[28] 85[29] and 87[30] of the Kentucky Constitution.
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Kentucky | Andy Beshear (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Jacqueline Coleman (D) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Robert Stivers (R) |
| 3 | Attorney General[e] | Russell Coleman (R) |
| 4 | Auditor of Public Accounts[e] | Allison Ball (R) |
Louisiana
Established by Article IV, Section 14 of the Constitution of Louisiana.[31]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Louisiana | Jeff Landry (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Billy Nungesser (R) |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Nancy Landry (R) |
| 3 | Attorney General | Liz Murrill (R) |
| 4 | Treasurer | John Fleming (R) |
| 5 | President of the Senate | Cameron Henry (R) |
| 6 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Phillip DeVillier (R) |
Maine
Established by Article V, Part 1, Section 14 of the Constitution of Maine.[32]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Maine | Janet Mills (D) | |
| 1 | President of the Senate | Mattie Daughtry (D) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Ryan Fecteau (D) |
| 3 | Secretary of State[e] | Shenna Bellows (D) |
Maryland
Established by Article II, Section 6 of the Constitution of Maryland.[33]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Maryland | Wes Moore (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Aruna Miller (D) |
| 2 | President of the Senate[d] | Bill Ferguson (D) |
Massachusetts
Established by Article LV of the Constitution of Massachusetts.[34]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Massachusetts | Maura Healey (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Kim Driscoll (D) |
| 2 | Secretary of the Commonwealth | William F. Galvin (D) |
| 3 | Attorney General | Andrea Campbell (D) |
| 4 | Treasurer and Receiver-General | Deb Goldberg (D) |
| 5 | Auditor | Diana DiZoglio (D) |
Michigan
Established by Article V, Section 26 of the Constitution of Michigan,[35] Section 10.2 of the Revised Statutes of 1846[36] and the Emergency Interim Executive Succession Act (PA 202 of 1959, Section 31.4)[37][38]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Michigan | Gretchen Whitmer (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Garlin Gilchrist (D) |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Jocelyn Benson (D) |
| 3 | Attorney General | Dana Nessel (D) |
| 4 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Jeremy Moss (D) |
| 5 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Matt Hall (R) |
| Eligible to serve as emergency interim governor if 1–5 are vacant | ||
| 6 | List of 5 people named by the governor[39] | State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks |
| 7 | Fmr. Lieutenant Governor John Cherry (D) | |
| 8 | Wayne County Exec. Warren Evans (D) | |
| 9 | Businessman Gary Torgow | |
| 10 | Fmr. U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D) | |
Minnesota
Established by Article V, Section 5 of the Minnesota Constitution[40] and Minnesota Statute 4.06.[41]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Minnesota | Tim Walz (DFL) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Peggy Flanagan (DFL) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Bobby Joe Champion (DFL) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Lisa Demuth (R) |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Steve Simon (DFL) |
| 5 | Auditor | Julie Blaha (DFL) |
| 6 | Attorney General | Keith Ellison (DFL) |
Mississippi
Established by Article V, Section 131 of the Constitution of Mississippi.[42]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Mississippi | Tate Reeves (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Delbert Hosemann (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Dean Kirby (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Jason White (R) |
Missouri
Established by Article IV, Section 11(a) of the Constitution of Missouri.[43]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Missouri | Mike Kehoe (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | David Wasinger (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Cindy O'Laughlin (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Jonathan Patterson (R) |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Denny Hoskins (R) |
| 5 | Auditor | Scott Fitzpatrick (R) |
| 6 | Treasurer | Vivek Malek (R) |
| 7 | Attorney General | Catherine Hanaway (R) |
Montana
Established by Article VI, Section 6 of the Constitution of Montana[44] and Montana Code 2-16-511 to 2-16-513.[45][46][47]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Montana | Greg Gianforte (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Kristen Juras (R) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Matt Regier (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Brandon Ler (R) |
| 4 | Most senior member of the Montana Legislature[f][g] | State Sen. Keith Regier (R) |
Nebraska
Established by Article IV, Section 16 of the Constitution of Nebraska[48] and Nebraska Revised Statutes 84-120[49] and 84-121.[50]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Nebraska | Jim Pillen (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Joe Kelly (R) |
| 2 | Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature | John Arch (NP/R)[h] |
| 3 | Chair of the Executive Board of the Legislative Council | Ben Hansen (NP/R)[i] |
| 4 | Chair of the Committee on Committees | Christy Armendariz (NP/R)[i] |
| 5 | Chair of the Judiciary Committee | Carolyn Bosn (NP/R)[i] |
| 6 | Chair of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee | Rita Sanders (NP/R)[i] |
| 7 | Chair of the Appropriations Committee | Robert Clements (NP/R)[i] |
| 8 | Chair of the Revenue Committee | Brad von Gillern (NP/R)[i] |
| 9 | Chair of the Education Committee | Dave Murman (NP/R)[i] |
| 10 | Chair of the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee | Mike Jacobson (NP/R)[i] |
| 11 | Chair of the Natural Resources Committee | Tom Brandt (NP/R)[i] |
| 12 | Chair of the Agriculture Committee | Barry DeKay (NP/R)[i] |
| 13 | Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee | Brian Hardin (NP/R)[i] |
| 14 | Chair of the General Affairs Committee | Rick Holdcroft (NP/R)[i] |
| 15 | Chair of the Urban Affairs Committee | Terrell McKinney (NP/D)[j] |
| 16 | Chair of the Business and Labor Committee | Kathleen Kauth (NP/R)[i] |
| 17 | Chair of the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee | Mike Moser (NP/R)[i] |
Nevada
Established by Nevada Revised Statute 223.080.[51]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Nevada | Joe Lombardo (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Stavros Anthony (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Marilyn Dondero Loop (D) |
| 3 | Speaker of the Assembly | Steve Yeager (D) |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Cisco Aguilar (D) |
New Hampshire
Established by Part 2, Article 49 of the Constitution of New Hampshire.[52]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of New Hampshire | Kelly Ayotte (R) | |
| 1 | President of the Senate | Sharon Carson (R) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Sherman Packard (R) |
| 3 | Secretary of State | David Scanlan (R) |
| 4 | Treasurer[e] | Monica Mezzapelle |
New Jersey
Established by Article V, Section I, Paragraph 7 of the Constitution of New Jersey[53] and New Jersey Revised Statute 52:14A-4.[54]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of New Jersey | Mikie Sherrill (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Vacant |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Nicholas Scutari (D) |
| 3 | Speaker of the General Assembly | Craig Coughlin (D) |
| Eligible to serve as emergency interim governor if 1–3 are vacant | ||
| 4 | Attorney General | Jennifer Davenport |
| 5 | Commissioner of Transportation | Priya Jain (acting) |
New Mexico
Established by Article V, Section 7 of the Constitution of New Mexico[55]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of New Mexico | Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Howie Morales (D) |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Maggie Toulouse Oliver (D) |
| 3 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Mimi Stewart (D) |
| 4 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Javier Martínez (D) |
New York
Established by Article IV, Sections 5–6 of the New York Constitution[56] and Article 1-A, Section 5 of the Defense Emergency Act of 1951.[57]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of New York | Kathy Hochul (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Antonio Delgado (D) |
| 2 | Temporary President of the Senate | Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D) |
| 3 | Speaker of the Assembly | Carl Heastie (D) |
| Eligible to serve as emergency interim governor if 1–3 are vacant | ||
| 4 | Attorney General | Letitia James (D) |
| 5 | Comptroller | Thomas DiNapoli (D) |
| 6 | Commissioner of Transportation | Marie Therese Dominguez |
| 7 | Commissioner of Health | James V. McDonald |
| 8 | Commissioner of Economic Development | Hope Knight |
| 9 | Commissioner of Labor | Roberta Reardon |
| 10 | Chair of the Public Service Commission | Rory M. Christian |
| 11 | Secretary of State | Walter T. Mosley (D) |
North Carolina
Established by Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution of North Carolina[58] and G.S. Section 147.11.1.[59]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of North Carolina | Josh Stein (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Rachel Hunt (D) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Phil Berger (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Destin Hall (R) |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Elaine Marshall (D) |
| 5 | Auditor | Dave Boliek (R) |
| 6 | Treasurer | Brad Briner (R) |
| 7 | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Mo Green (D) |
| 8 | Attorney General | Jeff Jackson (D) |
| 9 | Commissioner of Agriculture | Steve Troxler (R) |
| 10 | Commissioner of Labor | Luke Farley (R) |
| 11 | Commissioner of Insurance | Mike Causey (R) |
North Dakota
Established by Article V, Section 11 of the Constitution of North Dakota.[60]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of North Dakota | Kelly Armstrong (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Michelle Strinden (R) |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Michael Howe (R) |
Ohio
Established by Article III, Section 15 of the Constitution of Ohio[61] and Title I, Chapter 161 of the Ohio Revised Code.[62]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Ohio | Mike DeWine (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Jim Tressel (R) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Rob McColley (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Matt Huffman (R) |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Frank LaRose (R) |
| 5 | Treasurer | Robert Sprague (R) |
| 6 | Auditor | Keith Faber (R) |
| 7 | Attorney General | Andy Wilson (R) |
Oklahoma
As provided by Article VI, Section 15 of the Constitution of Oklahoma[63] and the Oklahoma Emergency Interim Executive and Judicial Succession Act.
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Oklahoma | Kevin Stitt (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma | Matt Pinnell (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Lonnie Paxton (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Kyle Hilbert (R) |
| Eligible to serve as emergency interim governor if 1–3 are vacant | ||
| 4 | State Auditor and Inspector | Cindy Byrd (R) |
| 5 | Attorney General | Gentner Drummond (R) |
| 6 | State Treasurer | Todd Russ (R) |
| 7 | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Lindel Fields (R) |
| 8 | Labor Commissioner | Leslie Osborn (R) |
| 9 | Corporation Commissioner (by length of tenure) | Todd Hiett (R) |
| 10 | Kim David (R) | |
| 11 | Brian Bingman (R) | |
Oregon
Established by Article V, Section 8a of the Constitution of Oregon[64]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Oregon | Tina Kotek (D) | |
| 1 | Secretary of State | Tobias Read (D) |
| 2 | Treasurer | Elizabeth Steiner (D) |
| 3 | President of the Senate | Rob Wagner (D) |
| 4 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Julie Fahey (D) |
Pennsylvania
Established by Article IV, Sections 13–14 of the Pennsylvania Constitution[65][66]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Pennsylvania | Josh Shapiro (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Austin Davis (D) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Kim Ward (R) |
Rhode Island
Established by Article IX, Sections 9–10 of the Constitution of Rhode Island[67]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Rhode Island | Dan McKee (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Sabina Matos (D) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Joe Shekarchi (D) |
South Carolina
Established by Article IV, Sections 6 and 7 of the South Carolina Constitution[68] and South Carolina Code of Laws sections 1-3-120,[69] 1-3-130[70] and 1-9-30.[71]
| # | Position | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of South Carolina | Henry McMaster (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Pamela Evette (R) |
| 2 | President of the South Carolina Senate | Thomas C. Alexander (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Murrell Smith (R) |
| Eligible to serve as emergency interim governor if 1–3 are vacant | ||
| 4 | Secretary of State | Mark Hammond (R) |
| 5 | Treasurer | Curtis Loftis (R) |
| 6 | Attorney General | Alan Wilson (R) |
South Dakota
Established by Article IV, Section 6 of the Constitution of South Dakota.[72]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of South Dakota | Larry Rhoden (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Tony Venhuizen (R) |
Tennessee
Established by Article III, Section 12 of the Constitution of Tennessee[73] and Acts 1941, Chapter 99 §1.[74]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Tennessee | Bill Lee (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Senate | Randy McNally (R) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Cameron Sexton (R) |
| 3 | Secretary of State | Tre Hargett (R) |
| 4 | Comptroller of the Treasury | Jason Mumpower (R) |
Texas
Established by Article IV, Sections 3a and 16–18 of the Constitution of Texas[75] and Chapter 401.023 of Title 4 the Texas Gov't Code.[76]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Texas | Greg Abbott (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Dan Patrick (R) |
| 2 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Charles Perry (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Dustin Burrows (R) |
| 4 | Attorney General | Ken Paxton (R) |
| Chief Justices of the Texas Courts of Appeals, in numerical order | ||
| 5 | 1st Court of Appeals (Houston) | Terry Adams (R) |
| 6 | 2nd Court of Appeals (Fort Worth) | Bonnie Sudderth (R) |
| 7 | 3rd Court of Appeals (Austin) | Darlene Byrne (D) |
| 8 | 4th Court of Appeals (San Antonio) | Rebeca Martinez (D) |
| 9 | 5th Court of Appeals (Dallas) | J.J. Koch (R) |
| 10 | 6th Court of Appeals (Texarkana) | Scott E. Stevens (R) |
| 11 | 7th Court of Appeals (Amarillo) | Brian Quinn (R) |
| 12 | 8th Court of Appeals (El Paso) | Maria Salas-Mendoza (D) |
| 13 | 9th Court of Appeals (Beaumont) | Scott Golemon (R) |
| 14 | 10th Court of Appeals (Waco) | Matt Johnson (R) |
| 15 | 11th Court of Appeals (Eastland) | John M. Bailey (R) |
| 16 | 12th Court of Appeals (Tyler) | Jim Worthen (R) |
| 17 | 13th Court of Appeals (Corpus Christi) | Jaime E. Tijerina (R) |
| 18 | 14th Court of Appeals (Houston) | Tracy Christopher (R) |
| 19 | 15th Court of Appeals (Austin) | Scott Brister (R) |
Utah
Established by Article VII, Section 11 of the Constitution of Utah[77] and the Emergency Interim Succession Act (C53-2a-803).[78]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Utah | Spencer Cox (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Deidre Henderson (R) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Stuart Adams (R) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Mike Schultz (R) |
| Eligible to serve as emergency interim governor if 1–3 are vacant | ||
| 4 | Attorney General | Derek Brown (R) |
| 5 | Treasurer | Marlo Oaks (R) |
| 6 | Auditor | Tina Cannon (R) |
Vermont
Established by Chapter II, Section 20 of the Constitution of Vermont,[79] 3 VSA §1[80] and 20 VSA §183.[81]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Vermont | Phil Scott (R) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | John Rodgers (R) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Jill Krowinski (D) |
| 3 | President pro tempore of the Senate | Philip Baruth (D/VPP) |
| 4 | Secretary of State | Sarah Copeland-Hanzas (D) |
| 5 | Treasurer | Mike Pieciak (D) |
Virginia
Established by Article V, Section 16 of the Constitution of Virginia.[82]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Virginia | Abigail Spanberger (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Ghazala Hashmi (D) |
| 2 | Attorney General | Jay Jones (D) |
| 3 | Speaker of the House of Delegates | Don Scott (D) |
| 4 | House of Delegates convenes to fill the vacancy | |
Washington
Established by Article III, Section 10 of the Constitution of Washington.[83]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Washington | Bob Ferguson (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Denny Heck (D) |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Steve Hobbs (D) |
| 3 | Treasurer | Mike Pellicciotti (D) |
| 4 | Auditor | Pat McCarthy (D) |
| 5 | Attorney General | Nick Brown (D) |
| 6 | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Chris Reykdal (NP/D)[k] |
| 7 | Commissioner of Public Lands | Dave Upthegrove (D) |
West Virginia
Established by §6A-1-4a of the West Virginia Code.[84]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of West Virginia | Patrick Morrisey (R) | |
| 1 | President of the Senate | Randy Smith (R) |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Delegates | Roger Hanshaw (R) |
| 3 | Attorney General | JB McCuskey (R) |
| 4 | State Auditor | Mark Hunt (R) |
| 5 | Ex-Governors in inverse order of service[l] | Jim Justice (R) |
| 6 | Earl Ray Tomblin (D) | |
| 7 | Joe Manchin (I) | |
| 8 | Bob Wise (D) | |
| 9 | Gaston Caperton (D) | |
| 10 | Jay Rockefeller (D) |
Wisconsin
Established by Article V, Sections 7 and 8 of the Constitution of Wisconsin.[85]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Wisconsin | Tony Evers (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Sara Rodriguez (D) |
| 2 | Secretary of State | Sarah Godlewski (D) |
Wyoming
Established by Article IV, Section 6 of the Wyoming Constitution.[86]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Wyoming | Mark Gordon (R) | |
| 1 | Secretary of State | Chuck Gray (R) |
Federal district
Washington, D.C.
Established by Title IV, Section 421(c)(2) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act.[87]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Mayor of Washington, D.C. | Muriel Bowser (D) | |
| 1 | Chair of the D.C. Council | Phil Mendelson (D) |
Organized territories
American Samoa
Established by Article IV, Section 4 Constitution of American Samoa[88] and Section 4.0106 of the American Samoa Codes Annotated.[89]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of American Samoa | Pula Nikolao Pula[m] | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Pulu Ae Ae[m] |
| 2 | Speaker of the House of Representatives | Savali Talavou Ale[m] |
Guam
Established by Subchapter 1, Section 1422(b) of the Guam Organic Act of 1950.[90]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Guam | Lou Leon Guerrero (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Josh Tenorio (D) |
| 2 | Speaker of the Legislature | Frank Blas (R) |
Northern Mariana Islands
Established by Article III, Section 7 of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Constitution.[91]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands | David Apatang (I) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Dennis Mendiola (R) |
| 2 | President of the Senate | Karl King-Nabors (R) |
Puerto Rico
Established by Article IV, Section 8 of the Constitution of Puerto Rico[92] and Law No. 7 of 2005[93]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of Puerto Rico | Jenniffer González-Colón (PNP/R) | |
| 1 | Secretary of State | Rosachely Rivera (PNP/D) |
| 2 | Secretary of Justice | Lourdes Gómez Torres |
| 3 | Secretary of Treasury | Ángel Pantoja Rodríguez |
| 4 | Secretary of Education | Eliezer Ramos Parés (PNP) |
| 5 | Secretary of Labor and Human Resources | María del Pilar Vélez Casanova |
| 6 | Secretary of Transportation and Public Works | Ángel Cruz Nolasco |
| 7 | Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce | Sebastián Negrón Reichard (PNP) |
| 8 | Secretary of Health | Víctor Ramos Otero |
U.S. Virgin Islands
Established by Subsection IV §1595(b, e) of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands[94] and the Executive Succession Act of 1972[95]
| # | Office | Current officeholder |
|---|---|---|
| Governor of the United States Virgin Islands | Albert Bryan (D) | |
| 1 | Lieutenant Governor | Tregenza Roach (D) |
| 2 | President of the Legislature | Milton E. Potter (D) |
| 3 | Vice President of the Legislature | Kenny Gittens (D) |
| 4 | Commissioner of Finance | Kevin McCurdy |
| 5 | Attorney General | Gordon Rhea |
| 6 | Director of the Office of Management and Budget | Julio Rhymer Sr. |
| 7 | Commissioner of Education | Dionne Wells-Hedrington |
| 8 | Commissioner of Public Works | Rueben Jennings (Acting) |
| 9 | Commissioner of Sports, Parks and Recreation | Vincent Roberts |
| 10 | Police Commissioner | Mario Brooks |
Notes
- The office is officially nonpartisan, but Superintendent Thurmond identifies with the Democratic Party.
- Must be the same party as the outgoing governor. If the current officeholder is not a member of the same party, skip to the next on the list.
- If the minority leader of the House is not a member of the same party as the outgoing governor, succession goes back to the president of the Senate.
- Only eligible to serve until a new governor is elected by the General Assembly.
- Only eligible to serve until a new president of the Senate is elected.
- "Senior" is defined as the member of the legislature who has served "for the longest continuous period of time", with age being the tiebreaker (in favor of the older/oldest person) if multiple people qualify. Sen. Regier served for eight years in the state House of Representatives from 2009-2017 and went directly to the state Senate, serving until the present.
- Only eligible to serve until a new governor is elected by a joint session of the Legislature.
- The Nebraska Legislature is officially nonpartisan, but Speaker Arch identifies with the Republican Party.
- The Nebraska Legislature is officially nonpartisan, but this senator identifies with the Republican Party.
- The Nebraska Legislature is officially nonpartisan, but this senator identifies with the Democratic Party.
- The office is officially nonpartisan, but Superintendent Reykdal identifies with the Democratic Party.
- Must still reside in the state to be eligible.
- Elections in American Samoa are officially nonpartisan, but Gov. Pula and Lt. Gov. Ae, and Speaker Ale identify with the Republican Party.