Other than to succeed to the presidency upon the death or resignation of a president, a vice president's only constitutional duty is to preside over the Senate. Vice presidents cannot vote in the Senate, except to break a tie , nor may they formally address the Senate, except with the senators' permission.
Initially vice presidents appointed senators to standing committees, regulated access to the galleries and supervised the keeping of the Senate Journal, but these duties were later removed.
The modern role of president of the senate is rooted in the lieutenant governorships of the colonial era. During that period, lieutenant governors often presided over the governors' councils, which existed in each colony and functioned as the upper houses of government in colonies with a bicameral legislature.
After states gained their independence, the lieutenant governor often presided over the state senate. For example, New York 's constitution called for a lieutenant governor "who presides in the senate, and is the constitutional substitute for the Governor in casualties similar to those, which would authorise the vice president to exercise the authorities and discharge the duties of the president.
In the late 20th century and early 21st century, some states, such as Ohio and Rhode Island, removed the role of president of the senate from the duties of the lieutenant governor and instituted a process of selection through which the senate president is elected by the senators from among the members of the senate body.
At the federal level, the vice president of the United States serves as the president of the U. In this capacity, the vice president presides over the Senate sessions and casts tie-breaking votes when necessary.
At the state level, lieutenant governors or state senators serve as senate presidents. Specific duties and voting powers vary by state. The president of the senate is the principal leader of the Senate. Though specific duties of the position vary in senate chambers across the country, the president of the senate may assume any or all of the following duties: [11] [2] [12] [13] [14]. The president of the senate's voting powers vary by state. The president may vote according to one of the following scenarios:.
In cases where the lieutenant governor serves as the president of the senate, the position is most often elected by voters in the state every four years during the general election. In the remaining states, the president of the senate is a state senator elected by the members of the chamber.
Depending on the state, these leaders serve two-year or four-year terms. Lieutenant governors and state senators who serve as senate presidents are subject to any applicable term limits on elected offices in their respective states. Specific term limits on legislative leadership positions exist in Illinois and New York. In Illinois , a state senator can serve as president of the senate for a maximum of 10 years. In New York , the Senate president pro tempore is limited to an eight-year term.
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Share this page Follow Ballotpedia. What's on your ballot? Jump to: navigation , search. The president of the senate presides over legislative sessions and ensures that senators abide by procedural rules. The president of the senate is the primary leader of the senate. The Constitution instructs the Senate to choose a president pro tempore to preside over the Senate in the absence of the vice president.
The framers of the Constitution assumed that the vice president would preside over the Senate on a regular basis, so the Senate would only need to elect a president pro tempore to fill in as presiding officer for short periods of time. Although the Constitution does not specify who can serve as president pro tempore, the Senate has always elected one of its members to serve in this position.
Since the midth century, tradition has dictated that the senior member of the majority party serve as president pro tempore.
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