Arizona Constitution Practice Test

Who presides over the Arizona Senate?

1. The Speaker of the House

2. The Lieutenant Governor

3. The Governor

4. The Chief Justice

The correct answer is: The Lieutenant Governor

In Arizona, the presiding officer of the Senate is the Lieutenant Governor. This position is unique because the Lieutenant Governor does not have a vote in the Senate unless there is a tie, and their primary role is to maintain order during sessions and manage debates. This aligns with the structural organization of the Arizona state government, where the Lieutenant Governor acts as a tie-breaking vote if necessary, similar to the role played by the Vice President in the U.S. Senate. The other roles mentioned in the options do not pertain to the presiding authority of the Senate: The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives, the Governor has executive powers and does not preside over legislative sessions, and the Chief Justice oversees the judicial branch, not the legislative one. Thus, the Lieutenant Governor’s specific responsibility to preside over Senate proceedings makes this answer the correct choice.