§1422b Vacancy in office of Governor or Lieutenant Governor

Summary

If the Governor is only temporarily sick or away, the Lieutenant Governor must do the Governor’s job. If the Governor dies, resigns, is recalled, is permanently disabled, or for any other reason the office is vacant (including a Governor-elect who cannot serve), the Lieutenant Governor or Lieutenant Governor-elect becomes Governor for the rest of the term and must serve until a successor is duly elected and qualified at the next regular election for Governor. If the Lieutenant Governor is temporarily unable to serve or is acting as Governor, the Speaker of the Guam Legislature acts as Lieutenant Governor. If the Lieutenant Governor dies, resigns, is permanently disabled, or has become Governor, the Governor appoints a new Lieutenant Governor with the legislature’s approval to serve the rest of the term and until a successor is duly elected and qualified at the next regular election for Lieutenant Governor. If both offices are temporarily vacant, Guam law names who acts as Governor. If both offices are permanently vacant, Guam law tells how to fill the Governor for the rest of the term. No extra pay is given to someone just acting as Governor or Lieutenant Governor unless they become the actual officeholder under these rules.