Vice Governor of Mato Grosso do Sul

Vice Governor of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul
Vice-governador do estado de Mato Grosso do Sul
Incumbent José Carlos Barbosa since 1 January 2023
Style	Mr. Vice Governor His/Her Excellency
Residence	He lives in his own residence
Seat	Mato Grosso do Sul
Appointer	Direct popular vote (two rounds if necessary)
Term length	Four years, renewable once consecutively
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Brazil
Inaugural holder	Ramez Tebet
Formation	1982
Deputy	Governor of Mato Grosso do Sul
Website	www.ms.gov.br

The vice governor of Mato Grosso do Sul (Portuguese: Vice-governador do Mato Grosso do Sul) is the second-highest position in the executive branch of the government of Mato Grosso do Sul, after the governor of Mato Grosso do Sul, and ranks first in the state's governmental succession.

It has the function of replacing the governor in case of travel abroad or impediments and to succeed him in case of resignation, death or removal from office by specific process. He must also give advice to the governor, if requested.^[1]

The term of office of the vice-governor of Mato Grosso do Sul is four years with the right to run for consecutive re-election, if chosen again by the governor. Upon taking office, he takes an oath to uphold and defend the federal and state constitutions, national and state laws, the integrity of the Union and the independence of the country. The Vice Governor is automatically elected along with the Governor every four years, with no votes being cast directly for him, being elected on a slate basis. This system was implemented to prevent the lieutenant governor from being from the governor's opposition party.^[2]

Despite the state being installed in 1979 with the inauguration of Harry Amorim Costa, the position of lieutenant governor was only made official with the first state elections in Brazil after more than two decades, in 1982. With his absence, the president of the Legislative Assembly was next in line of succession.