Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts

Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts is the second-highest constitutional officer in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, ranking directly below the Governor of Massachusetts. The officeholder, who is elected on a joint ticket with the governor every four years, serves as the president of the Massachusetts Senate and is first in the line of succession to the governorship. The current lieutenant governor is Kim Driscoll, a Democrat who was sworn in alongside Governor Maura Healey in January 2023, marking the first all-female executive leadership team in the state's history.

Role and responsibilities

The lieutenant governor's primary constitutional duty is to preside over the Massachusetts Senate, casting a vote only in the event of a tie, a power exercised historically during debates on significant legislation like the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Act. The officeholder also serves on the Governor's Council, a unique eight-member body that provides advice and consent on judicial nominations, pardons, and commutations. Statutorily, the lieutenant governor often chairs or serves on key state boards and commissions, such as the Massachusetts Seaport Economic Council and the Community Compact Cabinet, and may be tasked by the governor with leading specific policy initiatives, as seen with Timothy P. Murray's focus on municipal government relations. The role has evolved to include significant representation duties, with lieutenant governors frequently acting as the governor's surrogate at events across the New England region and advocating for the administration's agenda before the Massachusetts General Court.

History

The office was established by the Constitution of Massachusetts, which was drafted by John Adams and adopted in 1780; Thomas Cushing served as the first lieutenant governor under Governor John Hancock. For much of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the lieutenant governor was elected separately from the governor, leading to numerous instances of split-ticket leadership, such as when Republican John L. Bates served with Democratic Governor William L. Douglas. The modern joint-ticket system was adopted via a constitutional amendment in 1966. The office has been a springboard to the governorship for many, including Calvin Coolidge, who succeeded to the office upon the death of Samuel W. McCall, and later became President of the United States. Notable firsts include Evelyn Murphy, the first woman elected to the position in 1986, and Kerry Healey, who served as the first Republican lieutenant governor under a Democratic governor, Mitt Romney, in the early 2000s.

Election and succession

Candidates for lieutenant governor and governor run together in the general election after being nominated separately in the state primary, a process affirmed by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in *Bowe v. Secretary of the Commonwealth*. A vacancy in the lieutenant governorship, caused by death, resignation, or succession to the governorship, remains unfilled for the remainder of the term; the Massachusetts Senate elects its own president from among its members to perform the lieutenant governor's legislative duties. If the governorship becomes vacant, the lieutenant governor assumes the office with full powers, as occurred when Jane Swift became acting governor following the resignation of Paul Cellucci to become United States Ambassador to Canada. Further succession is detailed in the state constitution and statutes, proceeding to the secretary of the commonwealth, then the attorney general, and other constitutional officers.

List of lieutenant governors

Since 1780, over 70 individuals have held the office, with terms ranging from a few days to multiple four-year terms. The longest-serving lieutenant governor was William H. Haile, who served for a decade under Governor John H. Clifford and others in the mid-19th century. Several lieutenant governors have ascended to the governorship through succession, including Thomas L. Winthrop, John Davis Long, and more recently, Paul Cellucci. The list includes prominent figures like Samuel T. Armstrong, a former U.S. Representative, and Henry H. Childs, who later served as Mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts. In the modern era, lieutenant governors such as Karyn Polito have played highly visible roles in their administrations, focusing on areas like economic development and local government partnerships.

Office and staff

The lieutenant governor's office is headquartered within the Massachusetts State House on Beacon Hill in Boston, sharing the executive suite with the governor's office. The staff typically includes a chief of staff, communications director, policy advisors, and schedulers who coordinate the office's activities with other state agencies like the Executive Office of Administration and Finance and the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. The office's operating budget is appropriated by the Massachusetts House of Representatives as part of the annual state budget. While the lieutenant governor does not have an official residence, the office maintains a public-facing role through its website and public events, often held in conjunction with organizations like the Massachusetts Municipal Association and the New England Council.

Category:Lieutenant Governors of Massachusetts Category:Massachusetts state agencies