{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/24.2-211.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/24.2-211.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/24.2-211.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/24.2-211.html"}],"law_id":63663,"edition_id":1,"section_id":63663,"structure_id":16112,"section_number":"24.2-211","catch_line":"Discharge of duties when office of Governor is vacant or Governor is disabled","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 24-150; 1960, c. 488; 1970, c. 462, \u00a7 24.1-82; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 165; 1993, c. 641.","full_text":"When the Governor-elect is disqualified, resigns, or dies following his election but prior to taking office, the Lieutenant Governor-elect shall succeed to the office of Governor for the full term. When the Governor-elect fails to assume office for any other reason, the Lieutenant Governor-elect shall serve as acting Governor.\n\t\tWhenever the Governor transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Lieutenant Governor as acting Governor.\n\t\tWhenever the Attorney General, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Delegates, or a majority of the total membership of the General Assembly, transmit to the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates their written declaration that the Governor is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Lieutenant Governor shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as acting Governor.\n\t\tThereafter, when the Governor transmits to the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Attorney General, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Delegates, or a majority of the total membership of the General Assembly, transmit within four days to the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates their written declaration that the Governor is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon the General Assembly shall decide the issue, convening within forty-eight hours for that purpose, if not already in session. If within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter declaration or, if the General Assembly is not in session, within twenty-one days after the General Assembly is required to convene, the General Assembly determines by three-fourths vote of the elected membership of each house of the General Assembly that the Governor is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Lieutenant Governor shall become Governor; otherwise, the Governor shall resume the powers and duties of his office.\n\t\tIn the case of the removal of the Governor from office or in the case of his disqualification, death or resignation, the Lieutenant Governor shall become Governor.\n\t\tIf a vacancy exists in the office of Lieutenant Governor when the Lieutenant Governor is to succeed to the office of Governor or to serve as acting Governor, the Attorney General, if he is eligible to serve as Governor, shall succeed to the office of Governor for the unexpired term or serve as acting Governor. If the Attorney General is ineligible to serve as Governor, the Speaker of the House of Delegates, if he is eligible to serve as Governor, shall succeed to the office of Governor. If a vacancy exists in the office of the Speaker of the House of Delegates or if the Speaker of the House of Delegates is ineligible to serve as Governor, the House of Delegates shall convene and fill the vacancy.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":231902,"text":"When the Governor-elect is disqualified, resigns, or dies following his election but prior to taking office, the Lieutenant Governor-elect shall succeed to the office of Governor for the full term. When the Governor-elect fails to assume office for any other reason, the Lieutenant Governor-elect shall serve as acting Governor.\n\t\tWhenever the Governor transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Lieutenant Governor as acting Governor.\n\t\tWhenever the Attorney General, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Delegates, or a majority of the total membership of the General Assembly, transmit to the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates their written declaration that the Governor is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Lieutenant Governor shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as acting Governor.\n\t\tThereafter, when the Governor transmits to the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Attorney General, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Delegates, or a majority of the total membership of the General Assembly, transmit within four days to the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates their written declaration that the Governor is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon the General Assembly shall decide the issue, convening within forty-eight hours for that purpose, if not already in session. If within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter declaration or, if the General Assembly is not in session, within twenty-one days after the General Assembly is required to convene, the General Assembly determines by three-fourths vote of the elected membership of each house of the General Assembly that the Governor is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Lieutenant Governor shall become Governor; otherwise, the Governor shall resume the powers and duties of his office.\n\t\tIn the case of the removal of the Governor from office or in the case of his disqualification, death or resignation, the Lieutenant Governor shall become Governor.\n\t\tIf a vacancy exists in the office of Lieutenant Governor when the Lieutenant Governor is to succeed to the office of Governor or to serve as acting Governor, the Attorney General, if he is eligible to serve as Governor, shall succeed to the office of Governor for the unexpired term or serve as acting Governor. If the Attorney General is ineligible to serve as Governor, the Speaker of the House of Delegates, if he is eligible to serve as Governor, shall succeed to the office of Governor. If a vacancy exists in the office of the Speaker of the House of Delegates or if the Speaker of the House of Delegates is ineligible to serve as Governor, the House of Delegates shall convene and fill the vacancy.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":16112,"edition_id":1,"name":"Statewide Offices: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14248,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:06:20","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:06:20","permalink":{"id":187491,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16112,"identifier":"3","token":"24.2\/2\/3","url":"\/24.2\/2\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14248,"edition_id":1,"name":"Federal, Commonwealth, and Local Officers","identifier":"2","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12937,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:26","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:26","permalink":{"id":187457,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14248,"identifier":"2","token":"24.2\/2","url":"\/24.2\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12937,"edition_id":1,"name":"Elections","identifier":"24.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","permalink":{"id":187149,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12937,"identifier":"24.2","token":"24.2","url":"\/24.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":81136,"structure_id":16112,"section_number":"24.2-210","catch_line":"Election and term of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General","url":"\/24.2-210\/","token":"24.2\/2\/3\/24.2-210","metadata":false},{"id":63663,"structure_id":16112,"section_number":"24.2-211","catch_line":"Discharge of duties when office of Governor is vacant or Governor is disabled","url":"\/24.2-211\/","token":"24.2\/2\/3\/24.2-211","metadata":false},{"id":65387,"structure_id":16112,"section_number":"24.2-212","catch_line":"Discharge of duties when office of Lieutenant Governor vacant","url":"\/24.2-212\/","token":"24.2\/2\/3\/24.2-212","metadata":false},{"id":83862,"structure_id":16112,"section_number":"24.2-213","catch_line":"Filling vacancy in office of Attorney General","url":"\/24.2-213\/","token":"24.2\/2\/3\/24.2-213","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":81136,"structure_id":16112,"section_number":"24.2-210","catch_line":"Election and term of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General","url":"\/24.2-210\/","token":"24.2\/2\/3\/24.2-210","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":65387,"structure_id":16112,"section_number":"24.2-212","catch_line":"Discharge of duties when office of Lieutenant Governor vacant","url":"\/24.2-212\/","token":"24.2\/2\/3\/24.2-212","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/24.2-211\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 488; in 1970, chapter 462; in 1993, chapter 641.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":187497,"object_type":"law","relational_id":63663,"identifier":"24.2-211","token":"24.2\/2\/3\/24.2-211","url":"\/24.2-211\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/24.2-211\/","token":"24.2\/2\/3\/24.2-211","dublin_core":{"Title":"Discharge of duties when office of Governor is vacant or Governor is disabled","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 24.2-211","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

When the Governor-elect is disqualified, resigns, or dies following his election<\/span> but prior to taking office, the Lieutenant Governor-elect shall succeed to the office of Governor for the full term. When the Governor-elect fails to assume office for any other reason, the Lieutenant Governor-elect shall serve as acting Governor.\n\t\tWhenever the Governor transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Lieutenant Governor as acting Governor.\n\t\tWhenever the Attorney General<\/span>, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Delegates, or a majority of the total membership of the General Assembly, transmit to the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates their written declaration that the Governor is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Lieutenant Governor shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as acting Governor.\n\t\tThereafter, when the Governor transmits to the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Attorney General<\/span>, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Delegates, or a majority of the total membership of the General Assembly, transmit within four days to the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates their written declaration that the Governor is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon the General Assembly shall decide the issue<\/span>, convening within forty-eight hours for that purpose, if not already in session. If within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter declaration or, if the General Assembly is not in session, within twenty-one days after the General Assembly is required to convene, the General Assembly determines by three-fourths vote of the elected membership of each house of the General Assembly that the Governor is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Lieutenant Governor shall become Governor; otherwise, the Governor shall resume the powers and duties of his office.\n\t\tIn the case of the removal of the Governor from office or in the case of his disqualification, death or resignation, the Lieutenant Governor shall become Governor.\n\t\tIf a vacancy exists in the office of Lieutenant Governor when the Lieutenant Governor is to succeed to the office of Governor or to serve as acting Governor, the Attorney General<\/span>, if he is eligible to serve as Governor, shall succeed to the office of Governor for the unexpired term or serve as acting Governor. If the Attorney General<\/span> is ineligible to serve as Governor, the Speaker of the House of Delegates, if he is eligible to serve as Governor, shall succeed to the office of Governor. If a vacancy exists in the office of the Speaker of the House of Delegates or if the Speaker of the House of Delegates is ineligible to serve as Governor, the House of Delegates shall convene and fill the vacancy.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDISCHARGE OF DUTIES WHEN OFFICE OF GOVERNOR IS VACANT OR GOVERNOR IS DISABLED\n(\u00a7 24.2-211)\n\nWhen the Governor-elect is disqualified, resigns, or dies following his election\nbut prior to taking office, the Lieutenant Governor-elect shall succeed to the\noffice of Governor for the full term. When the Governor-elect fails to assume\noffice for any other reason, the Lieutenant Governor-elect shall serve as acting\nGovernor.\n\t\tWhenever the Governor transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and\nthe Speaker of the House of Delegates his written declaration that he is unable\nto discharge the powers and duties of his office and until he transmits to them\na written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be\ndischarged by the Lieutenant Governor as acting Governor.\n\t\tWhenever the Attorney General, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and\nthe Speaker of the House of Delegates, or a majority of the total membership of\nthe General Assembly, transmit to the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the\nHouse of Delegates their written declaration that the Governor is unable to\ndischarge the powers and duties of his office, the Lieutenant Governor shall\nimmediately assume the powers and duties of the office as acting Governor.\n\t\tThereafter, when the Governor transmits to the Clerk of the Senate and the\nClerk of the House of Delegates his written declaration that no inability\nexists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Attorney\nGeneral, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House\nof Delegates, or a majority of the total membership of the General Assembly,\ntransmit within four days to the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House\nof Delegates their written declaration that the Governor is unable to discharge\nthe powers and duties of his office. Thereupon the General Assembly shall decide\nthe issue, convening within forty-eight hours for that purpose, if not already\nin session. If within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter declaration\nor, if the General Assembly is not in session, within twenty-one days after the\nGeneral Assembly is required to convene, the General Assembly determines by\nthree-fourths vote of the elected membership of each house of the General\nAssembly that the Governor is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his\noffice, the Lieutenant Governor shall become Governor; otherwise, the Governor\nshall resume the powers and duties of his office.\n\t\tIn the case of the removal of the Governor from office or in the case of his\ndisqualification, death or resignation, the Lieutenant Governor shall become\nGovernor.\n\t\tIf a vacancy exists in the office of Lieutenant Governor when the Lieutenant\nGovernor is to succeed to the office of Governor or to serve as acting Governor,\nthe Attorney General, if he is eligible to serve as Governor, shall succeed to\nthe office of Governor for the unexpired term or serve as acting Governor. If\nthe Attorney General is ineligible to serve as Governor, the Speaker of the\nHouse of Delegates, if he is eligible to serve as Governor, shall succeed to the\noffice of Governor. If a vacancy exists in the office of the Speaker of the\nHouse of Delegates or if the Speaker of the House of Delegates is ineligible to\nserve as Governor, the House of Delegates shall convene and fill the vacancy.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 24-150; 1960, c. 488; 1970, c. 462, \u00a7 24.1-82; 1971, Ex.\nSess., c. 165; 1993, c. 641.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}