Political insiders have been speculating for months about an upcoming Arizona first: Who will be the state's lieutenant governor?
With the race for governor set as a battle between Democrat Katie Hobbs and Republican Andy Biggs
, that conjecture might crescendo. Hobbs and Biggs face a deadline to pick their No. 2s, one of whom will become the state's first lieutenant governor in Arizona's 114 years of statehood.Neither Biggs' nor Hobbs' campaign has so much as hinted publicly at who their candidate might pick to join the ticket, adding another mystery to the race to November.
Here's what you need to know about the state's first election for lieutenant governor.
How did Arizona create this new job?
Arizonans voted in favor of creating the job in 2022, passing what was called Proposition
131 by a 10 percentage point margin. A bipartisan blend of Arizona lawmakers sent the question to the ballot that year, when the third time proved the charm.
There have been several prior attempts to add the position and change the line of succession that was established in the Arizona Constitution, but voters rejected similar ballot measures in 1994 and 2010.
When do the candidates have to pick their lieutenant governor?
A law passed in 2022 before Arizonans passed the proposition to set a framework for how the lieutenant would run for office and the job's duties. The law signed by then-Gov. Doug Ducey says the gubernatorial nominees must choose the person who will appear with them on the ballot "not later than 60 days before the general election."
This year's general election is Nov. 3, meaning an early September deadline for Hobbs and Biggs to choose.
What is the lieutenant governor's job?
The lieutenant governor replaces the secretary of state as the person who succeeds the governor if the governor can't do the job for some reason. The elected secretary of state had been second in line to the governor since statehood in 1912.
The lieutenant governor will have a day job, too. The governor can appoint their lieutenant to lead the Department of Administration, to serve as their chief of staff, or to another position under the governor's authority, which opens the door to a range of positions when it comes to power and profile.
Why does Arizona need a lieutenant governor?
Supporters of the new position said consistency for voters was a reason to create the new position, even despite Arizona's history of tending to favor smaller government bureaucracy. Twice before, the old line of succession meant secretaries of state succeeded governors of the opposing political party.
After Republican Gov. Evan Mecham was impeached in 1988, Democratic Secretary of State Rose Mofford took over. And after Democrat Janet Napolitano left office in 2009 to join the Obama administration, Republican Secretary of State Jan Brewer became governor.
How many states have a lieutenant governor?
Arizona joins the majority of states, which have a lieutenant governor position. According to the Council of State Governments, just Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon and Wyoming do not have a lieutenant governor.
The effectiveness of those officeholders in other states have, at times, been publicly pilloried.
Alabama's lieutenant governor has "minimal power," but still nine candidates want the job this year, the Alabama Reflector reported in May.
California's lieutenant governor, a stepping-stone job previously held by current Gov. Gavin Newsom, is largely ceremonial and perceived by the public as "a job about nothing," according to the news organization CalMatters.
Reach reporter Stacey Barchenger at stacey.barchenger@arizonarepublic.com or 480-416-5669.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The next big decision in Arizona's governor race hasn't been made
