State Sen. Tony Rand, who represents Bladen County and part of Cumberland, has introduced a bill to change the way the lieutenant governor is chosen in the state.

Rand, a Democrat, and Sen. Phil Berger, a Republican from Rockingham, presented SB 382 earlier this month. The bill would call for gubernatorial candidates to nominate a candidate for lieutenant governor, in much the same manner as the President and Vice President of the United States.

Currently, the state's second highest executive is chosen at the voting polls.

Rand said the move would help streamline the process.

"When the people of this state elect a governor," Rand said, "it should be because they approve of his or her agenda and priorities, and want to see those fulfilled. If he doesn't have someone he can work with, that can't be done."

Rand, who ran for lieutenant governor in 1988, said the process would save money for both the political parties and the candidates, allowing more effort to be placed on the issues.

Rand said he had worked with Republicans and Democrats serving in each office, and it was sometimes difficult to get the two parties to work together.

He pointed out that Sen. Phil Berger, a Republican, is working with him to push the bill.

"This would benefit whichever party was in the governor's office," he said. "We sponsored it together because this is a not a partisan issue. It's about trying to get the system to work a little better."

The bill has been moved to the legislature's Ways and Means Committee, along with another bill Rand introduced that could change the role of the lieutenant governor and eliminate the post of secretary of state.

Rand said the other bill would save money and give the lieutenant governor a more active role in state government.

Currently, the Lt. Governor presides over the state senate, and fills in if the governor dies in office or is incapacitated. The secretary of state oversees business practices in the state, among other duties. Their duties are defined by the state constitution.

"Other states have had some good experience with this," Rand said. "And if we could save $600,000-that's ten or fifteen good teachers, at least. It's not a whole lot of money in a $16 billion budget, but why spend if you can save?"

If approved by the full legislature and the governor, the amendments would be presented to voters in a statewide referendum in November 2006, and apply to the 2008 elections.

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