Archives of Maryland Historical List Lieutenant Governors

Lt. Governor, 1865-1868.  Elected by Voters for a Four-year Term under the Constitution of 1864

Lt. Governors, 1971- .  Elected by Voters for a Four-year Term under Constitution of 1867 as Amended in 1970

The office of lieutenant governor was created by the Constitution of 1864 (Article 2, section 6). The lieutenant governor served as president of the Senate, and acted as governor in case of the death, resignation, removal from the state, or other disqualification of the governor. The only incumbent of that office under the Constitution of 1864 was elected on November 8, 1864, and took the oath of office on January 11, 1865. He served until January 8, 1868, although the term as specified by the constitution was for four years. The Constitution of 1867 contained a special provision that the governor could serve out the full term for which he had been elected, which expired on the second Wednesday of January 1869. This Provision did not apply to the other officers who had been elected in 1864.

The Constitution of 1867 did not provide for a lieutenant governor. The office was reestablished by a constitutional amendment ratified on November 3, 1970 (Acts of 1970, ch. 532).

Source: Edward C. Papenfuse, et al., The Archives of Maryland, new series, An Historical List of Public Officials of Maryland, Vol. I. (Annapolis, MD: Maryland State Archives, 1990).