Reply to What happens if the Virginia governor and lieutenant governor both resign?

Forum Index » Metropolitan DC Local Politics

Reply to "What happens if the Virginia governor and lieutenant governor both resign?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=jsteele][quote=Anonymous][quote=jsteele]They probably wouldn't resign simultaneously. If the Governor resigned first, the Lt. Governor would become governor and could appoint a new Lt. Governor, who would then become governor upon the new Governor's/old Lt. Governor's resignation. If the Lt. Governor resigned first, the current Governor would appoint a new Lt. Governor who would become governor when the governor resigned.
[/quote]

Jeff, with apologies, not quite.  Code of VA 24.2-211 et seq provide that, if the Gov resigns, dies or is removed, the LtGov moves up.  But if there is a vacancy in the LtGov position then the President pro tempore of the Senate of VA becomes LtGov -and- also keeps his/her State Senate seat and right to vote in the Senate. The statute is extremely specific.  Only if there is a vacancy in both Gov and LtGov can, in some circumstances, the Atty Gen automaticallybstep up to become Gov.  [/quote]

I agree that appears to be what the code says, but I wonder if there is more to the story. This article quotes Larry Sabato, who seems to be the authority on Virginia politics, saying that Fairfax could appoint his successor if he became governor:

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/2/4/18210493/ralph-northam-resign-yearbook-kkk-blackface-justin-fairfax
[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics