The lieutenant governor of Minnesota is a constitutional officer in the

executive branch The Executive, also referred as the Executive branch or Executive power, is the term commonly used to describe that part of government which enforces the law, and has overall responsibility for the governance of a State (polity), state. In poli ...

of the U.S. State of Minnesota. Fifty individuals have held the office of lieutenant governor since statehood. The incumbent is

Peggy Flanagan Peggy Flanagan (born September 22, 1979) is an American Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, Democratic political organizer, activist, and politician serving as the 50th lieutenant governor of Minnesota. Flanagan has been involved in various ...

, a DFLer and the first Native American elected to a statewide executive office in Minnesota's history.

Powers and duties

The lieutenant governor assists the

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

in carrying out the functions of the executive branch, as well as serving in the governor’s place in the event of his or her absence or disability. The governor, as prescribed by law, may file a written order with the secretary of state to delegate to the lieutenant governor any powers, duties, responsibilities, or functions otherwise performed by the governor. As a key member of the governor's cabinet, the lieutenant governor is consulted on all major policy and budgetary decisions. Moreover, the lieutenant governor is a statutory member of the Executive Council and chairs the Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board, among other responsibilities.

History

In 1886, elections were moved from odd years to even years. Beginning with the 1962 election, the term of the lieutenant governor increased from two to four years. Prior to the 1974 election, governors and lieutenant governors were elected on separate ballots, with the lieutenant governor having independent legislative authority as president of the

senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

. Since 1974, the lieutenant governor has been relieved of the duty to preside over the state senate and is elected on a joint ticket with the governor.

Marlene Johnson Marlene Johnson (born January 11, 1946) is an American politician and businesswoman who served as the 42nd lieutenant governor of Minnesota, the first woman to hold the office. She was elected as the running mate of Governor Rudy Perpich and s ...

, elected in 1982 as the running mate of

Rudy Perpich Rudolph George Perpich Sr. (June 27, 1928 September 21, 1995) was an American politician and the longest-serving governor of Minnesota, serving a total of just over 10 years. A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, he served as the 34t ...

, was the first female lieutenant governor of Minnesota. All eight of her successors in that office have also been women.

List

;Parties 1 Richardson was actually president pro tem of the

Minnesota Senate The Minnesota Senate is the upper house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. At 67 members, half as many as the Minnesota House of Representatives, it is the largest upper house of any U.S. state legislature. Floor sessions are h ...

; became acting lieutenant governor when lieutenant governor Hjalmar Petersen became governor on the death of

Floyd B. Olson Floyd Bjørnstjerne "Skipper" Olson (November 13, 1891 – August 22, 1936) was an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 22nd Governor of Minnesota from January 6, 1931, to August 22, 1936, dying in office of stomach cancer. Olson wa ...

, but Richardson was never sworn in. 2 Wright was president pro tem of the Minnesota Senate and assumed the office of lieutenant governor in 1954 after Lieutenant Governor Ancher Nelsen resigned to become administrator of the

Rural Electric Administration The United States Rural Utilities Service (RUS) administers programs that provide infrastructure or infrastructure improvements to rural communities. These include water and waste treatment, electric power, and telecommunications services. it is ...

. 3 As president of the Minnesota Senate, Olson assumed office of lieutenant governor when Rudy Perpich, then lieutenant governor, became governor on the resignation of

Wendell Anderson Wendell Richard "Wendy" Anderson (February 1, 1933 – July 17, 2016) was an American hockey player, politician, and the 33rd governor of Minnesota, serving from January 4, 1971, to December 29, 1976. In late 1976 he resigned as governor in ord ...

, who had appointed himself to the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

on resignation of

Walter Mondale Walter Frederick "Fritz" Mondale (January 5, 1928 – April 19, 2021) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 42nd vice president of the United States from 1977 to 1981 under President Jimmy Carter. A U.S. senator from Minnesota ...

who had been elected vice president. 4 As president of the Minnesota Senate, Fischbach became lieutenant governor following the resignation of Tina Smith. Smith was appointed by Governor

Mark Dayton Mark Brandt Dayton (born January 26, 1947) is an American politician who served as the 40th governor of Minnesota from 2011 to 2019. He was a United States Senator for Minnesota from 2001 to 2007, and the Minnesota State Auditor from 1991 to ...

to fill the United States Senate seat vacated by

Al Franken Alan Stuart Franken (born May 21, 1951) is an American comedian, politician, media personality, and author who served as a United States senator from Minnesota from 2009 to 2018. He gained fame as a writer and performer on the television comed ...

. Fischbach resigned from the state Senate and took the oath of office for lieutenant governor on May 25, 2018.

Note on Minnesota political parties names

Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) is the Minnesota affiliate of the U.S. Democratic Party. As of 2022, it controls four of Minnesota's eight U.S. House seats, both of its U.S. Senate seats, the Minnesota House of Repr ...

: On April 15, 1944, the

Minnesota Democratic Party The Minnesota Democratic Party was a political party in Minnesota that existed from the formation of Minnesota Territory in 1849 until 1944, when the party merged with the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party to form the modern Minnesota Democratic-Far ...

and the

Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party The Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party (FL) was a left-wing American political party in Minnesota between 1918 and 1944. Largely dominating Minnesota politics during the Great Depression, it was one of the most successful statewide third party movem ...

merged and created the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL). It is affiliated with the national

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

. *

Republican Party of Minnesota The Republican Party of Minnesota is the oldest active political party in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The Minnesota Republican Party’s platform is relatively moderate. The party’s main issues are economic growth, education, healthcare, civi ...

: From November 15, 1975, to September 23, 1995, the name of the state Republican party was the Independent Republican party (IR). The party has always been affiliated with the national Republican Party. *

Independence Party of Minnesota The Independence Party of Minnesota (often abbreviated IPM, MNIP or IP), formerly the Reform Party of Minnesota, is a political party in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was the party of former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura (1999–2003). ...

: The party was founded under this name in 1992. In 1995 the IPM affiliated with the national Reform Party and renamed itself the Reform Party of Minnesota. In 2000 the Reform Party of Minnesota disaffiliated with the national Reform party and returned to the name Independence party.

Living former lieutenant governors

, there are 10 former lieutenant governors of Minnesota, the oldest lieutenant governor being

Alec G. Olson Alec Gehard Olson (born September 11, 1930) is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, a former state senator, who served as the 40th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota. He was born in Mamre Township in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. ...

(served 1976–1979, born 1930). The most recent lieutenant governor to die was

Sandy Keith Alexander MacDonald "Sandy" Keith (November 22, 1928 – October 3, 2020) was an American politician and jurist who was the first person to hold office in each of the three branches of Minnesota state government, serving as state senator, th ...

(served 1963–1967, born 1928) on October 3, 2020. The most recently serving lieutenant governor to die was

(served 1971–1976) on September 21, 1995.

References

Minnesota Lieutenant Governors 1858-
Minnesota Legislative Reference Library.

{{Minnesota statewide elected officials

Lieutenant Governors A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

Lieut A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often s ...