New Jersey did not have a Lieutenant Governor until 2009, when the law was changed to create the office, and also to provide that candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor run as a team in the general election.
However, unlike other states that require candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor to run as a team in November, New Jersey does not require gubernatorial candidates to have a running mate. In the November 2017 election, two of the seven gubernatorial candidates did not have a Lieutenant Governor partner, but the state still allowed these gubernatorial candidates to be on the November ballot. The two gubernatorial candidates without a running mate were the Constitution Party nominee, Matthew Riccardi; and independent candidate Gina Genovese, whose ballot label was “Reduce Property Taxes.” Genovese had intended Derel Stroud to be her running mate, but he did not file the needed petition.
Texas has separate races for the two offices as well, though Lite Guv has been a constitutional office from the 1876 constitution.
Anybody who’s familiar with the state here knows how ConservaDem Lite Guv Bob Bullock “made” Shrub Bush.
Whether the Gov./Lt. Gov team is named by the candidate for Governor or not doesn’t matter, because we want multiple candidates (the more the better), competing to be the best team players.
The 7th California Parliament has been attracting multiple candidates, we do not limit our choices to one, and that way we continually build the team across party lines (and independents).
Jeffrey Drobman, PHD (Democrat) Former Candidate for CA Secretary of State (6/3/2014):
“That to preserve the unity, the team should always mention the names of all ten candidates who are working together for the good of the ALL and to mention only the top ranked names for the five State offices, would not be in the interest of unity”.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_Governor_of_New_Jersey
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http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/lawsconstitution/constitution.asp
Sentences below split for easier reading.
1947 NJ Const
Art. V, Sec. 1
4. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor shall be elected conjointly and for concurrent terms by the legally qualified voters of this State, and the manner of election shall require each voter to cast a single vote for both offices.
The candidate of each political party for election to the office of Lieutenant Governor shall be selected by the candidate of that party nominated for election to the office of Governor.
The selection of the candidate for election to the office of Lieutenant Governor shall be made within 30 days following the nomination of the candidate for election to the office of Governor.
A person shall not seek election to both offices simultaneously.
The joint candidates receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected; but if two or more joint candidacies shall be equal and greatest in votes, one set of joint candidates shall be elected by the vote of a majority of all the members of both houses in joint meeting at the regular legislative session next following the election for Governor and Lieutenant Governor by the people.
Contested elections for the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor shall be determined in such manner as may be provided by law.
[Article V, Section I, paragraph 4 amended effective January 17, 2006.]
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Article V, Section IV
2. Each principal department shall be under the supervision of the Governor.
The head of each principal department shall be a single executive unless otherwise provided by law.
Such single executives shall be nominated and appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor during the Governor’s term of office and until the appointment and qualification of their successors, except as herein otherwise provided with respect to the Secretary of State and the Attorney General.
The Governor may appoint the Lieutenant Governor to serve as the head of a principal department, without the advice and consent of the Senate, and to serve at the pleasure of the Governor during the Governor’s term of office.
[Article V, Section IV, paragraph 2 amended effective January 17, 2006.]
Texas is not similar to New Jersey. In Texas voters vote separately for Governor and Lieutenant Governor. But in New Jersey, the voters must choose one team. It is impossible for New Jersey voters to elect a Republican Governor and a Democratic Lieutenant Governor.
Kim Guadagno was elected lieutenant governor in 2009. The Constitution was changed in 2006, with effect from the next general election (in 2009).
The New Jersey Constitution has a Christie-sized helping of gobbledy-gook regarding succession to governor and lieutenant governor. It is not clear what would happen if a Lieutenant Governor did not qualify for office. One possibility is that there would be a temporary succession for six months after which the Governor would appoint a Lieutenant Governor. Or possibly, the Governor could appoint the Lieutenant Governor upon taking office.
It is not at all clear what happened to Derel Stroud. It is possible that there was some application he needed to file. “petition” suggests that he had to gather signatures, etc. The constitution only requires the gubernatorial candidate to “select” a running mate. In an interview before the election, Gina Genovese said that she had selected Stroud, and then he had withdrawn. She said that if she were elected she would appoint a Lieutenant Governor and that there would be plenty of qualified applicants.
It looks like nobody cared (she received 0.57% of the vote).
I’m sure what you meant is Texas is Like a Whole Other Country
Except for the size of Texas, Texas doesn’t seem all that different from its neighbor states, by culture or politics.
Perhaps the 1836-1845 Independent Nation-State status of Texas has some ongoing mental effects in Texas ???
IE — 1836 Battle of San Jacinto for Texans = 1781 Battle of Yorktown for most USA folks.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_San_Jacinto
See also the 1777-1791 Vermont Republic — seceded from NY State — USA State 14 in 1791.
PR and AppV