Lieutenant Governor of Missouri

Missouri Lieutenant Governor
General information
Office Type:	Partisan
Office website:	Official Link
Compensation:	$88,646
2023 FY Budget:	$23,713,736
Term limits:	None
Structure
Length of term:	4 years
Authority:	Missouri Constitution, Article IV, Section 10 the Executive Department
Selection Method:	Elected
Current Officeholder
Lieutenant Governor of Missouri Mike Kehoe Republican Party Assumed office: 2018
Elections
Next election:	November 7, 2028
Last election:	November 5, 2024
Other Missouri Executive Offices
Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Director • Insurance Director • Natural Resources Director • Labor Director • Public Service Commission

The Lieutenant Governor of Missouri is an elected constitutional officer, the second ranking officer of the executive branch and the first officer in line to succeed the Governor of Missouri. The lieutenant governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and has no specific term limit.

Current officeholder

See also: Current Lieutenant Governors

The 48th and current lieutenant governor is Mike Kehoe (R), who was appointed in 2018.

Authority

The Missouri Constitution addresses the office of the lieutenant governor in Article IV, the Executive Department.

Under Article IV, Section 10:

There shall be a lieutenant governor who shall have the same qualifications as the governor...

Qualifications

State Executives
Current Governors
Gubernatorial Elections
2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014
Current Lt. Governors
Lt. Governor Elections
2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014

A candidate for lieutenant governor must be:

• at least thirty years old
• a citizen of the United States for at least fifteen years
• a resident of Missouri for at least ten years

Elections

Missouri state government organizational chart

See also: Gubernatorial election cycles by state

See also: Election of lieutenant governors

Missouri elects lieutenant governors in the presidential elections (e.g. 2020, 2024, 2028, and 2032). Legally, the lieutenant gubernatorial inauguration is always set for the second Monday in the January following an election.

The lieutenant governor is elected separately and may be of a different party than the governor.

2024

See also: Missouri lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2024

General election

General election for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri

David Wasinger defeated Richard Brown, Ken Iverson, and Danielle Elliott in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		David Wasinger (R)	57.4	1,659,486
		Richard Brown (D)	38.5	1,112,922
		Ken Iverson (L)	2.1	61,278
		Danielle Elliott (G)	2.0	57,676

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	There were no incumbents in this race. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 2,891,362
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri

Richard Brown defeated Anastasia Syes in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri on August 6, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Richard Brown	64.9	232,454
		Anastasia Syes	35.1	125,619

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 358,073
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri on August 6, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		David Wasinger	31.4	207,087
		Lincoln Hough	30.2	199,579
		Holly Rehder	21.7	142,963
		Tim Baker	9.7	64,302
		Matthew Porter	4.3	28,347
		Paul Berry	2.7	17,575

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 659,853
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Philip Cotrone (R)
• Bob Onder (R)
• Dean Plocher (R)

Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri

Ken Iverson advanced from the Libertarian primary for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri on August 6, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ken Iverson	100.0	2,412

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,412
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2020

See also: Missouri lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2020

General election

General election for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri

Incumbent Mike Kehoe defeated Alissia Canady, Bill Slantz, Kelley Dragoo, and Jeremy Gundel in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mike Kehoe (R)	58.4	1,731,263
		Alissia Canady (D)	38.8	1,150,231
		Bill Slantz (L)	1.8	53,789
		Kelley Dragoo (G)	1.0	28,183
		Jeremy Gundel (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	26

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,963,492
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri

Alissia Canady defeated Gregory Upchurch in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Alissia Canady	73.5	371,802
		Gregory Upchurch	26.5	133,751

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 505,553
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri

Incumbent Mike Kehoe defeated Mike Carter, Aaron Wisdom, and Arnie Dienoff in the Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mike Kehoe	59.4	362,442
		Mike Carter	26.0	158,914
		Aaron Wisdom	8.7	52,810
		Arnie Dienoff	5.9	35,929

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 610,095
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Green primary election

Green primary for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri

Kelley Dragoo advanced from the Green primary for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kelley Dragoo	100.0	860

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 860
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri

Bill Slantz advanced from the Libertarian primary for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bill Slantz	100.0	4,103

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,103
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2016

See also: Missouri Lieutenant Gubernatorial election, 2016

The general election for lieutenant governor was held on November 8, 2016.

Mike Parson defeated Russ Carnahan, Steven Hedrick, Jennifer Leach, and Jake Wilburn in the Missouri lieutenant governor election.

Missouri Lieutenant Governor, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Mike Parson	55.18%	1,262,751
	Democratic	Russ Carnahan	39.99%	915,221
	Libertarian	Steven Hedrick	2.48%	56,804
	Green	Jennifer Leach	2.33%	53,273
	Write-in	Jake Wilburn	0.02%	405
Total Votes				2,288,454
Source: Missouri Secretary of State

2012

See also: Missouri lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2012

Incumbent Peter Kinder won re-election on November 6, 2012.

• 2012 General Election for Missouri Lieutenant Governor

Lieutenant Governor of Missouri General Election, 2012
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Peter Kinder Incumbent	49.3%	1,319,747
	Democratic	Susan Montee	45.5%	1,219,457
	Libertarian	Matthew Copple	2.8%	75,169
	Constitution	Cynthia Davis	2.4%	63,594
Total Votes				2,677,967
Election results via Missouri Secretary of State

Full history

To view the electoral history dating back to 2000 for the office of Missouri Lieutenant Governor, click [show] to expand the section.

2008 On November 4, 2008, Peter Kinder won re-election to the office of Missouri Lieutenant Governor. He defeated Sam Page, Teddy Fleck, and James C. Rensing in the general election. Missouri Lieutenant Governor, 2008 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican Peter Kinder Incumbent 49.9% 1,403,706      Democrat Sam Page 47.3% 1,331,177      Libertarian Teddy Fleck 1.8% 49,862      Constitution James Rensing 1% 29,153 Total Votes 2,813,898 Election results via Missouri Office of Secretary of State . 2004 On November 2, 2004, Peter Kinder won election to the office of Missouri Lieutenant Governor. He defeated Rebecca McDowell Cook, Mike Ferguson, and Bruce Hillis in the general election. Missouri Lieutenant Governor, 2004 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican Peter Kinder 48.9% 1,300,109      Democrat Rebecca McDowell Cook 48.4% 1,286,295      Libertarian Mike Ferguson 2% 53,770      Constitution Bruce Hillis 0.6% 15,935 Total Votes 2,656,109 Election results via Missouri Office of Secretary of State . 2000 On November 7, 2000, Joe Maxwell won election to the office of Missouri Lieutenant Governor. He defeated Wendell Bailey, Phillip W. Horras, Bob Wells, George D. Weber, Patricia A. Griffard, Ben Kjelshus, and Steven L. Reed in the general election. Missouri Lieutenant Governor, 2000 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democrat Joe Maxwell 52.1% 1,201,959      Republican Wendell Bailey 44% 1,014,446      Libertarian Phillip W. Horras 0.9% 20,354      Natural Law Patricia A. Griffard 0.8% 18,244      Reform George D. Weber 0.8% 17,859      Green Ben Kjelshus 0.7% 16,783      Constitution Bob Wells 0.7% 15,681      Write In Steven L. Reed 0% 16 Total Votes 2,305,342 Election results via Missouri Office of Secretary of State .

Vacancies

No specific vacancy procedure exists for filling the office of lieutenant governor.

Under Article IV, Section 4 of the state constitution, the governor has the power to fill vacancies in elected offices "unless otherwise provided by law." Section 105.030 of the Missouri Revised Statutes addresses the governor's power to fill vacancies and specifically exempts the lieutenant governor's office from the governor's vacancy-filling powers.

A proposal explicitly granting the governor the power to fill a lieutenant gubernatorial vacancy was rejected by the state House on May 17, 2018.

In state history, there have been three lieutenant governors who were appointed to the seat following a vacancy; Mike Kehoe (R) in 2018, Joe Maxwell (D) in 2000, and William Morris (D) in 1969. Kehoe was appointed the position after then-Lieutenant Governor Mike Parson (R) was elevated to the governorship following the resignation of Eric Greitens (R). Both Maxwell and Morris had been elected as lieutenant governor for an upcoming term and were appointed to the seat following the election to fill the vacancy before their scheduled inauguration. Morris was not recognized by the then-state Senate President and did not carry out the duties of the office until the beginning of his regularly scheduled term.

Duties

The lieutenant governor is the first person in the order of succession of Missouri's executive branch, serving as governor in the event of the death, resignation, removal, impeachment, absence from the state, or incapacity due to illness of the governor.

The lieutenant governor serves as President of the Missouri State Senate and can cast tie-breaking votes. The Constitution also gives the lieutenant governor the right to debate and vote on issues when the Senate sits as a committee of the whole.

Divisions

Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for information that describes the divisions (if any exist) of a state executive office. That information for the Lieutenant Governor of Missouri has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.

State budget

See also: Missouri state budget and finances

The budget for the Lieutenant Governor's Office for Fiscal Year 2023 was $23,713,736.

Compensation

See also: Comparison of lieutenant gubernatorial salaries

The lieutenant governor's pay is set by law and cannot be increased or reduced during their term. Section 3, Article XIII of the Missouri Constitution created a Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials, which sets the compensation of elected government officials. The 21-member commission meets every two years, and is not to be comprised of employees of the state or any of its institutions nor immediate family members of any person ineligible to serve on the council.

Article IV, Section 21 of the Missouri Constitution addresses compensation of executive officials:

The officers named in this article shall receive for their services salaries fixed by law, which shall not be increased or diminished during their terms.

2022

In 2022, the officer's salary was $88,646, according to the Council of State Governments.

2021

In 2021, the lieutenant governor received a salary of $86,484, according to the Council of State Governments.

2020

In 2020, the lieutenant governor received a salary of $86,484 according to the Council of State Governments.

2019

In 2019, the lieutenant governor received a salary of $86,484 according to the Council of State Governments.

2018

In 2018, the lieutenant governor received a salary of $86,484 according to the Council of State Governments.

2017

In 2017, the lieutenant governor received a salary of $86,484 according to the Council of State Governments.

2016

In 2016, the lieutenant governor received a salary of $86,484 according to the Council of State Governments.

2015

In 2015, the lieutenant governor received a salary of $86,484 according to the Council of State Governments.

2014

In 2014, the lieutenant governor earned a salary of $86,484 according to the Council of State Governments.

2013

In 2013, the lieutenant governor's salary remained at $86,484.

2010

In 2010, the lieutenant governor was paid $86,484 a year, the 25th highest lieutenant gubernatorial salary in America.

Historical officeholders

Since 1820, Missouri has had 48 lieutenant governors. Of those 48, 34 have been Democrats, 11 Republicans, 2 Liberals and 1 Union.

Number	Name	Took office	Left office	Party
1	William Henry Ashley	1820	1824	Democratic
2	Benjamin Harrison Reeves	1824	1828	Democratic
3	Daniel Dunklin	1828	1832	Democratic
4	Lilburn W. Boggs	1832	1836	Democratic
5	Franklin Cannon	1836	1840	Democratic
6	Meredith Miles Marmaduke	1840	1844	Democratic
7	James Young	1844	1848	Democratic
8	Thomas Lawson Price	1848	1852	Democratic
9	Wilson Brown	1853	1857	Democratic
10	Hancock Lee Jackson	1857	1861	Democratic
11	Thomas Caute Reynolds	1860	1861	Democratic
12	William Willard Preble Hall	1861	1864	Union
13	George Smith	1865	1869	Republican
14	Edwin Obed Standard	1869	1871	Republican
15	Joseph Jackson Gravelly	1871	1873	Liberal
16	Charles Phillip Johnson	1873	1875	Liberal
17	Norman J. Colman	1875	1877	Democratic
18	Henry Clay Brockmeyer	1877	1881	Democratic
19	Robert Alexander Campbell	1881	1885	Democratic
20	Albert Pickett Morehouse	1885	1889	Democratic
21	Stephen Hugh Claycomb	1889	1893	Democratic
22	John Baptiste O’Meara	1893	1897	Democratic
23	August Henry Bolte	1897	1901	Democratic
24	John Adams Lee	1901	1903	Democratic
25	Thomas Lewis Rubey	1903	1904	Democratic
26	John C. McKinley	1905	1909	Republican
27	Jacob Friedrich Gmelich	1909	1913	Republican
28	William Rock Painter	1913	1917	Democratic
29	Wallace Crossley	1917	1921	Democratic
30	Hiram Lloyd	1921	1925	Republican
31	Phillip Allen Bennett	1925	1929	Republican
32	Edward Henry Winter	1929	1933	Republican
33	Frank Gaines Harris	1933	1945	Democratic
34	Walter Naylor Davis	1945	1949	Democratic
35	James T. Blair Jr.	1949	1957	Democratic
36	Edward V. Long	1957	1961	Democratic
37	Hilary A. Bush	1961	1965	Democratic
38	Thomas F. Eagleton	1965	1969	Democratic
39	William S. Morris	1969	1973	Democratic
40	William C. Phelps	1973	1981	Republican
41	Kenneth J. Rothman	1981	1985	Democratic
42	Harriett Woods	1985	1989	Democratic
43	Mel Carnahan	1989	1993	Democratic
44	Roger B. Wilson	1993	2000	Democratic
45	Joe Maxwell	2000	2005	Democratic
46	Peter Kinder	2005	2017	Republican
47	Mike Parson	2017	2018	Republican
48	Mike Kehoe	2018	Present	Republican

Recent news

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Lieutenant Governor of Missouri News Feed

Contact information

State Capitol Building
Room 224
Jefferson City MO 65101
Phone: (573) 751-4727
Fax: (573) 751-9422

External links

• Lieutenant Governor of Missouri