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What’s at stake in this race
The lieutenant governor is next in line to the governor in case of an absence or vacancy, but much of the job is ceremonial. They stand in when the governor leaves California, serve as president of the state Senate with the ability to break a tie vote and sit on California’s higher education boards. The office has a budget of nearly $3 million.
What does the lieutenant governor do?
Think of the lieutenant governor as the state version of the U.S. vice president. As laid out in the California Constitution, the lieutenant governor serves as second in command, ready to take on the role as acting governor if there’s a vacancy, or if the governor is impeached, absent from the state, or if a disability prevents them from carrying out their duties.
Lieutenant governors are also President of the Senate and cast a vote when there is a tie, though this is a rare occurrence that hasn’t happened since 1996.
The lieutenant governor position is often considered “a ceremonial role” or hidden position. When current Gov. Gavin Newsom served as Gov. Jerry Brown’s lieutenant governor, he struggled to make serious moves. When Brown left the country in April 2013 for a work trip, Newsom stepped in. His first official move? Declaring the artichoke as the state vegetable. According to the L.A. Times, Newsom chafed at the limitations, so much so that when a child asked him what a Lt. Gov. does, he replied: “I ask myself that every day.”
All kidding aside, the lieutenant governor is a voting member of the boards that govern the University of California, California State University and California Community College systems, and that’s a huge responsibility. They vote on crucial issues such as tuition increases, affordable student housing, and how the state can uphold diversity and inclusion efforts in higher education.
The lieutenant governor is also a member of the State Lands Commission and serves as the panel's chair every three years. The State Lands Commission handles the leasing of state-owned lands, including offshore drilling.
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The point: while the lieutenant governor does do a fair amount of ceremonial tasks, like designating state vegetables, they also affect policy in some key areas. An effective lieutenant governor will see the position as more than a bully pulpit.
The candidates
Fiona Ma
Party: Democratic
State treasurer
Ma is a longtime state official, having served in top elected roles at various executive agencies. Since 2019, she has been state treasurer, the state’s top asset manager and financier, where she oversees the world’s fourth-largest economy. She previously was on the Board of Equalization from 2014 to 2018 and was a San Francisco supervisor. A former assemblymember, Ma served four terms in the state Legislature and was second-in-line in Assembly leadership during her final term.
Key endorsements
- California Labor Federation
- State Building and Construction Trades Council
- AFSCME
More voter resources:
Gloria Romero
Party: Republican
Former state senator
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Romero, a former longtime Democratic lawmaker who served nearly 12 years in the state Legislature, became a registered Republican in 2024 after years of expressing discontent with the Democratic Party. She differs with Democrats on school choice, COVID-19 policies and gender identity. From 2005 to 2008, Romero was Senate majority leader, the first woman to serve in that role. Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, a political ally, asked her to be “on the ticket” with him.
Key endorsements
More voter resources:
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LAist's Brianna Lee contributed to this report. Background information about the lieutenant governor's job was first published in our 2022 voter guide.
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