This election, Hoosier voters will have a question on their ballot asking if they would like to amend the Indiana Constitution to revise the list of elected state officials who could succeed the governor.
According to an analysis from the National Lieutenant Governors Association, even with a rise in conversations and strategies to develop reliable succession plans, states continue to overlook known issues and inconsistencies in their current succession laws.
That's why I proposed an amendment to revise Article 5, Section 10, which describes the process of succession if the sitting governor resigned, died or became incapacitated. Currently, the constitution provides a list of elected officials who would discharge the powers and duties of the governor. Sixth on that list is the state superintendent of public instruction, but since the position was switched from elected to appointed in 2021, I believe the state’s top education official should no longer be in line to assume the governor’s office.
A "yes" vote supports removing the superintendent of public instruction from the gubernatorial line of succession. A "no" vote opposes removing the superintendent of public instruction from the gubernatorial line of succession, which would maintain the current law providing that the superintendent is last in the line of gubernatorial succession.
The governor oversees the executive branch and managing critical state functions. By removing the state superintendent from the succession plan, we’re updating our laws to reflect current government structure and ensuring that we have a functional, accountable line of succession appointed by the people of Indiana.
If I or my office can be of any assistance, visit my website at in.gov/h33 or call 317-232-9600.
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State Rep. J.D. Prescott (R-Union City) represents House District 33,
which includes all of Blackford and Randolph counties,
and portions of Delaware, Henry and Jay counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
