A bi-partisan measure floating around in the Oklahoma Legislature

[Joe Biden 2020]

There is a brand new bi-partisan measure proposed by Democratic Governor Brad Henry and birthed by Republican Representative Gary Banz (District 101 of the eastern OKC suburb of Midwest City) that would combine the races of Governor and Lt Governor under one ticket starting in 2010.  This measure is in its infancy stages and is already expected to go before the Oklahoma voters.  It would not take effect, of course, until the next State Office elections in 2010.

I personally like this measure as it would get more done within the state and would eliminate the expense of one race, the Lt Governor race.  It would raise the cost of the Governor's race, while eliminating the costs of the LG race.

I don't have any link for this, yet, as it was just announced on the Oklahoma City evening news at 5:00 on Monday, February 12, 2007 on our NBC affiliate.

My question to you is in two parts, 1) Does your state have two separate races for Governor and Lt Governor or are they combined?  If they are separate, would you support the combination of the two, why or why not?  If they are combined, would you support the separation of the races, why or why not?

[they don't love you like i love you]

They are combined in Minnesota, and I support abolishment of the Lt. Gov. position.

[minionofmidas]

I think the powers of the Lt.Gov. very much vary from state to state. I'm not aware of the Oklahoma particulars.
Where the Lt.Gov. is strong and something of a power base independent from the Gov., by all means he should be elected separately.
Where he's not, ... I don't really see the absolute need for the position in the first place.

[Adlai Stevenson]

I actually think it is a better idea to elect a Lieutenant Governor independently - the people have more choice and the division of power as a rule seems better for democracy. 

[Ban my account ffs!]

The only job of the Lt. Governor in Minnesota is to sit around and wait for the governor to die.  There is a call to abolish the position completely and hand the 2nd in line powers to the SoS.

I  think we should keep the Lt. Governor, because the Lt. Governor is constantly in contact with the governor knows the ins and outs of being governor a lot more than the SoS does.  Also, if the SoS becomes governor, then we have to have another election to elect a new SoS.

Current governor Tim Pawlenty did give Carol Molnau something to do:  She heads MnDOT.. and she's probably the worst person to do it, but at least it gives her something to do besides wait around and arm wrestle large men.

[jimrtex]

My question to you is in two parts, 1) Does your state have two separate races for Governor and Lt Governor or are they combined?  If they are separate, would you support the combination of the two, why or why not?  If they are combined, would you support the separation of the races, why or why not?

In Texas the Lt Governor is the presiding officer of the Senate more than the governor-in-waiting.  The Lt Governor is even paid as a senator when the legislature is in session.  Some of Lt Governor's authority over the Senate is the result of the senate rules.  If the candidates ran on the same ticket, the senate rules would likely be changed to limit the influence of the governor.  So the Lt Governor wouldn't have much to do and would be pretty much someone to make the gubernatorial ticket more attractive.

[7,052,770]

in MS, the lt. gov runs the state senate and in a lot of ways is more powerful than the governor.

[bullmoose88]

I would rather they be separated in PA. That way I could vote for Rendell and Jim Matthews rather than the freak Catherine Baker Knoll.

[Padfoot]

In Ohio it is one ticket.  Usually the governor appoints the Lt. Gov to head one or two of the state departments, task forces, ect.  I like voting on both at the same time because of the way in which most governors use the Lt. gov to help manage the state.  I don't think you would get that dynamic if they were voted on separately.