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Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico

Elected official


Elected official

FieldValue
postLieutenant Governor of New Mexico
native_nameVicegobernador de Nuevo México
insigniaSeal of New Mexico.svg
insigniasize150px
insigniacaptionSeal of New Mexico
imageLt. Governor Presiding in the Senate (cropped).jpg
incumbentHowie Morales
incumbentsinceJanuary 1, 2019
firstEzequiel Cabeza De Baca
formation1912
termlengthFour years, renewable once consecutively
successionFirst
website[Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico](http://www.ltgov.state.nm.us/)

The lieutenant governor of New Mexico () is an elected constitutional officer in the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of New Mexico, ranking just below the governor. Thirty individuals have held the office of lieutenant governor since statehood, two of them serving non-consecutively. The incumbent is Howie Morales, a Democrat.

Election and term of office

The lieutenant governor is elected on a joint ticket with the governor for a four-year term. While the governor and lieutenant governor are elected on the same ticket in the general election, the candidates run separately during primary elections.

Prior to November 4, 2008, the New Mexico State Constitution did not provide for the nomination of a replacement for lieutenant governor after the governor's office was succeeded. Section 16 of Article V of the New Mexico State Constitution gives the governor the power to nominate a replacement for lieutenant governor upon confirmation of the nominee by a majority of the State Senate.

Powers and duties

The lieutenant governor is the first person in the gubernatorial line of succession by virtue of the New Mexico Constitution. Thus, the lieutenant governor serves as acting governor whenever the incumbent governor is absent from the state, incapacitated by reason of illness, or impeached by the House of Representatives and otherwise becomes governor in the event of the incumbent's death, resignation, or removal from office. Likewise, the lieutenant governor is ex officio president of the Senate. In this capacity as Senate president, the lieutenant governor has plenary authority to preserve decorum, to rule on points of order, and to certify all instruments of process coming before the Senate. The lieutenant governor may also cast tie-breaking votes, but only when the Senate is equally divided on a question.

Aside from these constitutional functions, the lieutenant governor performs several statutory functions. Foremost among them, the lieutenant governor serves as an ombudsperson for the whole of state government, investigating and attempting to resolve citizen complaints filed by New Mexicans in relation to their dealings with state agencies. The lieutenant governor is also a statutory member of the governor's Cabinet and of various state boards and commissions.

List of lieutenant governors of New Mexico

The office of lieutenant governor was created on January 6, 1912, the year New Mexico was admitted into the Union as the 48th state. Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca served as New Mexico's first lieutenant governor. Over the intervening years, New Mexico has had 27 individuals in the lieutenant governor's office, two of whom have served non-consecutive terms. The last lieutenant governor to succeed to the governorship was Tom Bolack, following the resignation of Edwin L. Mechem on November 30, 1962. Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca is the only lieutenant governor to be elected as governor in a later term.

#ImageLt. GovernorTook officeLeft officePartyGovernor(s) served withYears in office
1[[File:Ezequiel cabeza debaca.png60px]]Ezequiel Cabeza De BacaJanuary 6, 1912January 1, 1917DemocraticWilliam C. McDonald5Since the first state election was in an odd-numbered year (1911), the term lasted five years.
2[[File:Washington Ellsworth Lindsey.JPG60px]]Washington E. LindseyJanuary 1, 1917February 18, 1917RepublicanEzequiel Cabeza De Baca1 Succeeded Governor Ca. de Baca on February 18, 1917 after the Governor's death.
*Office vacant from* *February 18, 1917 – January 1, 1919*Washington E. Lindsey
3Benjamin F. PankeyJanuary 1, 1919January 1, 1921RepublicanOctaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo2
4William DuckworthJanuary 1, 1921January 1, 1923RepublicanMerritt C. Mechem2
5José A. BacaJanuary 1, 1923May 1924DemocraticJames F. Hinkle1 Died in office in May 1924.
*Office vacant from* *May , 1924 – January 1, 1925*James F. Hinkle
6Edward G. SargentJanuary 1, 1925January 1, 1929RepublicanArthur T. Hannett4
Richard C. Dillon
7Hugh B. WoodwardJanuary 1, 1929July 1929RepublicanRichard C. DillonResigned in July 1929 to accept a U.S. Attorneyship.
*Office vacant from* *July , 1929 – January 1, 1931*Richard C. Dillon
8[[File:Andrew Hockenhull.jpg60px]]Andrew W. HockenhullJanuary 1, 1931September 25, 1933DemocraticArthur Seligman2 Succeeded Governor Seligman on September 25, 1933 after the Governor's death.
*Office vacant from* *September 25, 1933 – January 1, 1935*Andrew W. Hockenhull
9Louis Cabeza de BacaJanuary 1, 1935January 1, 1937DemocraticClyde Tingley2
10Hiram M. DowJanuary 1, 1937January 1, 1939DemocraticClyde Tingley2
11James Murray, Sr.January 1, 1939January 1, 1941DemocraticJohn E. Miles2
12[[File:Ceferino Quintana.jpg60px]]Ceferino QuintanaJanuary 1, 1941January 1, 1943DemocraticJohn E. Miles2
13James B. JonesJanuary 1, 1943January 1, 1947DemocraticJohn J. Dempsey4
14[[File:Joseph M Montoya 1975.png60px]]Joseph MontoyaJanuary 1, 1947January 1, 1951DemocraticThomas J. Mabry4
15Tibo J. ChávezJanuary 1, 1951January 1, 1955DemocraticEdwin L. Mechem4
16[[File:Joseph M Montoya 1975.png60px]]Joseph MontoyaJanuary 1, 1955April 1957DemocraticJohn F. Simms2 Resigned in April 1957 to serve as U.S. Representative.
Edwin L. Mechem
*Office vacant from* *April , 1957 – January 1, 1959*Edwin L. Mechem
17Ed V. MeadJanuary 1, 1959January 1, 1961DemocraticJohn Burroughs2
18[[File:Tom Bolack (New Mexico Governor).jpg60px]]Tom BolackJanuary 1, 1961November 30, 1962DemocraticEdwin L. Mechem1 Succeeded Governor Mechem on November 30, 1962 after the Governor's resignation.
*Office vacant from* *November 30, 1962 – January 1, 1963*Tom Bolack
19[[File:Mack Easley.jpg60px]]Mack EasleyJanuary 1, 1963January 1, 1967DemocraticJack M. Campbell4
20Lee FrancisJanuary 1, 1967January 1, 1971RepublicanDavid Cargo4
21[[File:Roberto Mondragon.png60px]]Roberto MondragónJanuary 1, 1971January 1, 1975DemocraticBruce King4
22Robert E. FergusonJanuary 1, 1975January 1, 1979DemocraticJerry Apodaca4
23[[File:Roberto Mondragon.png60px]]Roberto MondragónJanuary 1, 1979January 1, 1983DemocraticBruce King4
24Mike RunnelsJanuary 1, 1983January 1, 1987DemocraticToney Anaya4
25Jack L. StahlJanuary 1, 1987January 1, 1991RepublicanGarrey Carruthers4
26[[File:Casey Luna 1986 3x4.jpg60px]]Casey LunaJanuary 1, 1991January 1, 1995DemocraticBruce King4
27Walter D. BradleyJanuary 1, 1995January 1, 2003RepublicanGary Johnson8
28[[File:Diane Denish.jpg60px]]Diane DenishJanuary 1, 2003January 1, 2011DemocraticBill Richardson8First female Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico.
29[[File:NMLtGovJohnSanchez crop (cropped).jpg60px]]John SanchezJanuary 1, 2011January 1, 2019RepublicanSusana Martinez8
30[[File:Howie Morales.jpg60px]]Howie MoralesJanuary 1, 2019*Incumbent*DemocraticMichelle Lujan Grisham1

Notes

Footnotes

References

References

  1. New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State. "Article V, Section 1, Constitution of the State of New Mexico". New Mexico Compilation Commission.
  2. New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State. "Article V, Section 16, Constitution of the State of New Mexico". New Mexico Compilation Commission.
  3. New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State. "Article V, Section 7, Constitution of the State of New Mexico". New Mexico Compilation Commission.
  4. New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State. "Article IV, Section 8 and Article V, Section 8, Constitution of the State of New Mexico". New Mexico Compilation Commission.
  5. "Rules 4-1 to 4-6, New Mexico Senate". New Mexico Legislature.
  6. "8-3-1 New Mexico Statutes Annotated". New Mexico Compilation Commission.
  7. "9-1-3 New Mexico Statutes Annotated". New Mexico Compilation Commission.
  8. "Duties of the Lt. Governor". New Mexico Office of the Lieutenant Governor.
  9. State of New Mexico. (July 2012). "2012 Centennial Blue Book". Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State.
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