Line of Presidential Succession

With the presidential election fast approaching, it might be helpful to remind us what the line of succession is in the event of presidential resignation, impeachment or –– God forbid –– tragedy. Although the vice president’s role as immediate successor was established by the 25th Amendment, the full line of succession is defined in the Presidential Succession Act of 1947.

In order to succeed to the presidency, the next person in line must be constitutionally eligible. For example, anyone who is not not a naturally-born citizen cannot become president. That person would be skipped and then the next officeholder would become President. On the list of current office holders, secretaries of Commerce and Labor (Carlos Gutierrez and Elaine Chao) are not eligible.

Here are the first eight in the line of succession by title, with the name of the current officeholder from Wikipedia:

1. Vice President and President of the Senate: Dick Cheney
2. Speaker of the House of Representatives: Nancy Pelosi
3. President Pro Tempore of the Senate: Robert Byrd
4. Secretary of State: Condoleezza Rice
5. Secretary of the Treasury: Henry Paulson (pictured)
6. Secretary of Defense: Robert Gates
7. Attorney General: Michael Mukasey
8. Secretary of the Interior: Dirk Kempthorne

For the rest of the succession (it goes up to 18!), see the Presidential Line of Succession at the U.S. Constitution Online.