Given Arizona’s history of turnover in the governor’s office, the state would benefit from having a lieutenant governor who runs on the same ticket, a state lawmaker says. Rep. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, has introduced two pieces of legislation to create the office, to require a party’s candidates for lieutenant governor and governor to run as a team and to put the lieutenant governor first in the line of succession. Some of the proposed changes would require approval by Arizona voters. Mesnard said having the governor and lieutenant governor run on the same ticket would be helpful for voters because it would mirror the way the president and vice president are elected. He said many voters don’t realize that the secretary of state is the next in line for the governor’s office.
“The voters wanted a particular vision in the governor’s office when they supported the governor and don’t intend that to change,” Mesnard said at a Feb. 9 House Elections Committee hearing. “I think many people don’t fully grasp that the secretary of state is the one who takes over”
Both pieces of legislation were awaiting votes by the full House that would send them to the Senate.
Full Article: Az lawmaker seeks to create office of lieutenant governor.