The Lieutenant Governor of Illinois is the secondary chief executive of the State of Illinois and the various agencies and departments over which the lieutenant governor has specific jurisdiction. The lieutenant governor is directly elected on a gubernatorial ticket, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state. According to the state constitution, the lieutenant governor is the president or speaker of the upper house of the Illinois General Assembly, the Illinois Senate. When the Governor of Illinois becomes unable to discharge the duties of that office, the lieutenant governor becomes acting governor. Historically, the lieutenant governor has been from either the Democratic Party or Republican Party.
Qualifications
The Lieutenant Governor of Illinois serves four-year terms. Inauguration takes place on the first Monday in January following a gubernatorial election. A lieutenant governor is:
- required to be at least thirty-five years old,
- required to be a United States citizen for fourteen consecutive years previous to election,
- required to have have been a resident of Illinois for ten consecutive years previous to election,
- barred from other professions or paid positions during the term.
Lieutenant Governors
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