# Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota *Constitutional office in the executive branch of Minnesota* The lieutenant governor of [[Minnesota]] holds a constitutional office within the state's executive branch.[^1] The encyclopedia article's October 2026 revision records that fifty people had served in the post since statehood.[^1] It names [[Peggy Flanagan]], a member of the DFL, as the officeholder at that date and the first Native American elected to any statewide executive office in Minnesota.[^1] The office's term, its method of election and its relation to the [[Minnesota Senate]] have each changed. The term became four years from the 1962 election.[^3] From 1974 the lieutenant governor stopped presiding over the Senate and began running jointly with the [[Governor of Minnesota]].[^3] Several vacancies have been filled by succession. On two occasions a lieutenant governor moved up to the governorship, and on another a sitting lieutenant governor resigned after appointment to the [[United States Senate]].[^4] ## Powers and duties The lieutenant governor helps the governor run the executive branch and acts in the governor's stead when the governor is absent or disabled.[^2] Where law provides, the governor may file a written order with the secretary of state that transfers to the lieutenant governor any power, duty, responsibility or function the governor would otherwise exercise.[^2] The source describes the lieutenant governor as a key cabinet member who is consulted on all major policy and budget decisions.[^2] The office holds a statutory seat on the Executive Council.[^2] Its holder presides over three bodies: the Advisory Committee on Capitol Area Security, the Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board and the State Capitol Preservation Commission.[^2] ## History Minnesota shifted its elections from odd- to even-numbered years in 1886.[^3] The lieutenant governor served a two-year term until the 1962 election, when the term became four years.[^3] Until the 1974 election, voters chose the governor and lieutenant governor on separate ballots.[^3] During that period the lieutenant governor exercised independent legislative authority as president of the senate.[^3] From 1974 onward, the office no longer presides over the state senate, and the two candidates for governor and lieutenant governor appear together on a single ticket.[^3] [[Marlene Johnson]] won in 1982 on a ticket with [[Rudy Perpich]] and became the first woman to serve as Minnesota's lieutenant governor.[^3] As of the source revision, each of the nine people who followed her in the office has also been a woman.[^3] ## List The notes to the article's list of officeholders record four transitions outside the regular election cycle.[^4] When [[Floyd B. Olson]] died, Lieutenant Governor [[Hjalmar Petersen]] became governor. Richardson, the Senate's president pro tem, then became acting lieutenant governor but never took the oath.[^4] In 1954 Wright, also president pro tem of the Senate, took over the lieutenant governorship after [[Ancher Nelsen]] resigned to head the Rural Electric Administration.[^4] Later, Perpich moved up from lieutenant governor to governor when Wendell Anderson resigned, and Olson, then president of the Senate, succeeded to the lieutenant governorship.[^4] According to the source, Anderson had arranged with Perpich to be appointed to the U.S. Senate seat left open when [[Walter Mondale]] resigned after being elected vice president.[^4] [[Tina Smith]] resigned as lieutenant governor after Governor [[Mark Dayton]] appointed her to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Al Franken. Fischbach, as Senate president, then succeeded to the office.[^4] Fischbach gave up the state Senate seat and was sworn in as lieutenant governor on May 25, 2018.[^4] ## Note on Minnesota political party names The [[Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party]] (DFL) was created on April 15, 1944, when the Minnesota Democratic Party merged with the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party.[^5] The DFL is affiliated with the [[Democratic Party (United States)]].[^5] The [[Republican Party of Minnesota]] used the name Independent Republican (IR) between November 15, 1975, and September 23, 1995.[^5] Throughout that period and since, it has been affiliated with the [[Republican Party (United States)]].[^5] The Independence Party of Minnesota was founded under that name in 1992.[^5] It joined the national Reform Party in 1995 as the Reform Party of Minnesota.[^5] In 2000 it left the national party and reverted to its earlier name.[^5] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - As of the October 2026 source revision, the officeholder was Peggy Flanagan (DFL), recorded as the first Native American elected to a statewide executive office in Minnesota.[^1] - Marlene Johnson, elected in 1982 as Rudy Perpich's running mate, was the first woman in the office.[^3] ### What - The lieutenant governor holds a statutory seat on the Executive Council.[^2] - The office chairs the Advisory Committee on Capitol Area Security, the Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board and the State Capitol Preservation Commission.[^2] ### When - 1886: state elections moved from odd- to even-numbered years.[^3] - April 15, 1944: the Democratic and Farmer–Labor parties merged to form the DFL.[^5] - 1962: the term became four years, starting with that year's election.[^3] - 1974: the lieutenant governor ceased presiding over the senate, and the office began to be elected on a joint ticket with the governor.[^3] - November 15, 1975 – September 23, 1995: the state Republican party used the name Independent Republican.[^5] - May 25, 2018: Fischbach was sworn in as lieutenant governor.[^4] ### Why - The record shows when the joint ticket took effect (1974). It does not establish why the change was made.[^3] ### How - The governor may delegate powers to the lieutenant governor by a written order filed with the secretary of state.[^2] ### How many - Fifty people had held the office since statehood, as of the October 2026 source revision.[^1] - As of the same revision, all nine of Marlene Johnson's successors were women.[^3] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lieutenant governor of Minnesota* (lead section; revision 1374229309, retrieved 2026-10-27) — establishes the office as a constitutional executive office, the count of fifty officeholders since statehood, and Peggy Flanagan as incumbent and first Native American elected to statewide executive office. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_governor_of_Minnesota [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lieutenant governor of Minnesota* (section "Powers and duties"; revision 1374229309, retrieved 2026-10-27) — establishes the office's assisting and acting roles, delegation by written order, cabinet role, Executive Council membership and chairing of three bodies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_governor_of_Minnesota [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lieutenant governor of Minnesota* (section "History"; revision 1374229309, retrieved 2026-10-27) — establishes the 1886 election shift, the four-year term from 1962, the 1974 joint ticket and end of senate presidency, and Marlene Johnson as first female lieutenant governor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_governor_of_Minnesota [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lieutenant governor of Minnesota* (section "List", notes 1–4; revision 1374229309, retrieved 2026-10-27) — establishes the succession of Richardson, Wright, Olson and Fischbach, including Fischbach's oath on May 25, 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_governor_of_Minnesota [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lieutenant governor of Minnesota* (section "Note on Minnesota political parties names"; revision 1374229309, retrieved 2026-10-27) — establishes the 1944 DFL merger, the Independent Republican name period, and the Independence/Reform Party name changes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_governor_of_Minnesota