Line of succession a little blurry

WASILLA — What happens now that Gov. Sarah Palin has announced she would step down as governor?

According to the speech she gave Friday, Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will step in as governor, to be sworn in at the tail end of the governor’s annual picnic, scheduled for July 25 in Fairbanks.

But as to who succeeds Parnell, opinions differ. Palin said in her speech that Lt. General Craig Campbell, commander of the Alaska National Guard and a cabinet-level adviser to Palin on military and veterans affairs, would take the lieutenant governor’s spot.

Most who have researched the question seem to think, though, that it is Corrections Commissioner Joe Schmidt who is next in line. That line of succession is something that the governor decides, with the approval of the state Legislature.

“She had previously designated Schmidt. If she has switched it to Campbell that’s entirely possible,” said Borough Mayor Talis Colberg who was previously Palin’s attorney general and was himself once designated as the lieutenant governor’s replacement.

State Sen. Linda Menard said she believed Schmidt was next in line as well, saying that a vote in the Legislature last session designated Schmidt for the position.

“It did have to come before the Legislature and we did vote to confirm,” Menard said.

Whatever the case, it seems clear that Palin’s resignation will not trigger a special election, Colberg said. If, however, Parnell for some reason can’t serve as governor, then an election would be called.

Colberg knows this because when Palin ran for vice-president, Parnell was also running for U.S. Congress. Colberg researched the law to find out how long he would be governor if both candidates won.

“If the governor and the lieutenant governor quit today, Campbell would have the position of governor only until there was a special election,” Colberg said.