What does the vice president actually do?

The vice president presides over and certifies the official count of the Electoral College. This means that the VP is responsible for opening the envelopes containing the counts from the Electoral College. This becomes even more tense when the vice president is in the race, as has been the case in many elections.

6 / 31 Fotos

Five VPs had to announce their presidential defeats to the Senate -

First, in 1860, VP Breckinridge declared Lincoln the winner. Then, in 1960, Nixon had to announce JFK as the winner. In 1968, VP Hubert Humphrey announced Nixon’s victory. In 2000, it was Al Gore's turn to declare Bush the winner. And in 2025, Kamala Harris certified Donald Trump's win.

7 / 31 Fotos

Four VPs announced their presidential wins to the Senate -

Only four VPs ran for president and won. These were John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Van Buren, and George H.W. Bush.

8 / 31 Fotos

The VP presides over (most) impeachment trials of federal officers -

While most of us are familiar with the term applied to presidents, any federal officer, including the VP, can be impeached. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides in the case of presidents, but all others are the responsibility of the VP.

9 / 31 Fotos

The VP acts as an advisor to the president -

How much a VP is involved in an administration and its policies depends on the relationship between them and the president. Many have become the person the president relied on most for advice and counsel.

10 / 31 Fotos

The VP stands in for the president abroad -

While this is not always the case, many VPs have done so in the past and continue to do so. The VP often travels abroad and represents the US in an official capacity.

11 / 31 Fotos

The VP hasn’t always had an official residence -

It wasn’t until 1974 that the vice president was given an official residence at Number One Observatory Circle. The first VP to live there was Walter Mondale.

12 / 31 Fotos

The first vice president didn’t earn a lot of money -

Back in 1789, Vice President John Adams earned US$5,000. Sure, this was a respectable amount back then, but not quite the $284,600 the VP was earning in 2024.

13 / 31 Fotos

Theodore Roosevelt had mixed views about the role -

In 1896, Theodore Roosevelt said that the vice president should be given more power and a seat in the Cabinet, but he didn’t give it to his own VP, Charles W. Fairbanks.

14 / 31 Fotos

Vice presidents only started to attend Cabinet meetings in 1913 -

President Woodrow Wilson was the first to invite his vice president, Thomas Marshall, to attend Cabinet meetings.

15 / 31 Fotos

Cities named after vice presidents -

Dallas, Texas takes its name from VP George Dallas, who served under President James K. Polk from 1845 to 1849.

16 / 31 Fotos

Cities named after vice presidents -

The same goes for Fairbanks, Alaska, which was named after Charles Fairbanks, who was the vice president during the Theodore Roosevelt administration from 1905-1909.

17 / 31 Fotos

The origins of the term "veep" -

The term “veep” was coined by Stephen M. Truitt. Truitt was the grandson of Vice President Alben W. Barkley, who served under Harry S. Truman from 1949 to 1953.

18 / 31 Fotos

There is no term limit for VPs -

Vice presidents can, in theory, hold their jobs for life. While presidents have a limit of two terms in office, there is no term limit for vice presidents.

19 / 31 Fotos

One vice president fled to Cuba -

President James Buchanan's VP, John Breckinridge, fled to Cuba after being charged with treason. Breckinridge returned to the US after years in exile when President Andrew Johnson granted him amnesty.

20 / 31 Fotos

Treason -

John Breckinridge isn't the only VP in history who was charged with treason. Aaron Burr was also charged with treason after trying to form his own nation!

21 / 31 Fotos

Veeps autograph their desks -

The vice presidential desk contains the signature of every vice president since the 1940s. A list of names of all the VPs who used the desk is found inside the top drawer.

22 / 31 Fotos

VP Andrew Johnson was drunk during Lincoln's second inauguration -

One senator wrote at the time that “the Inauguration went off very well except that the Vice President Elect was too drunk to perform his duties & disgraced himself & the Senate by making a drunken foolish speech.”

23 / 31 Fotos

First pitch -

In 1968, Hubert Humphrey was the first VP (out of eight) to throw out the first pitch at the opening of the baseball season. The tradition was revived by Joe Biden in 2009.

24 / 31 Fotos

Three vice presidents share the same birthday -

Vice Presidents Charles Dawes, Lyndon Johnson, and Hannibal Hamlin, were all born on August 27.

25 / 31 Fotos

President James Madison buried two VPs -

Two vice presidents died under President Madison’s administration. The first one was George Clinton, who died in 1812, and then Elbridge Gerry, who died not long after one year on the job.

26 / 31 Fotos

Gay veep? -

William R. King, who served as vice president in 1852 under James Buchanan, was rumored to be gay. There are even suggestions that he was romantically involved with the president.

27 / 31 Fotos

Marriage -

Vice President Alben Barkley was 72 when he tied the knot with 38-year-old Jane Hadley. Barkley was the first VP to get married while in office.

28 / 31 Fotos

The vice president has a theme song -

The tune ‘Hail, Columbia’ announces the arrival of the vice president during public appearances.

29 / 31 Fotos

Three VPs are Nobel Peace Prize laureates -

Vice presidential Nobel Peace Prize winners include Charles Dawes for his role in reducing tensions between Germany and France after WWI, Teddy Roosevelt for his role in ending the Russo-Japanese war, and Al Gore for his work on global warming.

Sources: (Ranker) (Time) (Politico) (The Atlantic)

30 / 31 Fotos

Getty Images

0 / 31 Fotos

The vice president succeeds the president -

Getty Images

1 / 31 Fotos

The VP presides over the Senate -

One of the duties of the VP is to act as the president of the Senate. They oversee votes in the chamber and are responsible for casting the deciding vote in case of a tie.

Getty Images

2 / 31 Fotos

The vice president can remove the president from office -

Getty Images

3 / 31 Fotos

The VP sits on the National Security Council -

The vice president sits among those who advise the president on matters of national security.

Getty Images

4 / 31 Fotos

The VP is on the board of The Smithsonian -

From museums to the National Zoo, The Smithsonian is one of the greatest institutions of America. The VP joins other important personalities four times a year as an ex officio member.

Getty Images

5 / 31 Fotos

The VP is responsible for the official count of the US Electoral College -

Getty Images

6 / 31 Fotos

Five VPs had to announce their presidential defeats to the Senate -

Getty Images

7 / 31 Fotos

Four VPs announced their presidential wins to the Senate -

Only four VPs ran for president and won. These were John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Van Buren, and George H.W. Bush.

Getty Images

8 / 31 Fotos

The VP presides over (most) impeachment trials of federal officers -

Getty Images

9 / 31 Fotos

The VP acts as an advisor to the president -

Getty Images

10 / 31 Fotos

The VP stands in for the president abroad -

While this is not always the case, many VPs have done so in the past and continue to do so. The VP often travels abroad and represents the US in an official capacity.

Getty Images

11 / 31 Fotos

The VP hasn’t always had an official residence -

It wasn’t until 1974 that the vice president was given an official residence at Number One Observatory Circle. The first VP to live there was Walter Mondale.

Getty Images

12 / 31 Fotos

The first vice president didn’t earn a lot of money -

Back in 1789, Vice President John Adams earned US$5,000. Sure, this was a respectable amount back then, but not quite the $284,600 the VP was earning in 2024.

Getty Images

13 / 31 Fotos

Theodore Roosevelt had mixed views about the role -

In 1896, Theodore Roosevelt said that the vice president should be given more power and a seat in the Cabinet, but he didn’t give it to his own VP, Charles W. Fairbanks.

Getty Images

14 / 31 Fotos

Vice presidents only started to attend Cabinet meetings in 1913 -

President Woodrow Wilson was the first to invite his vice president, Thomas Marshall, to attend Cabinet meetings.

Getty Images

15 / 31 Fotos

Cities named after vice presidents -

Dallas, Texas takes its name from VP George Dallas, who served under President James K. Polk from 1845 to 1849.

Getty Images

16 / 31 Fotos

Cities named after vice presidents -

The same goes for Fairbanks, Alaska, which was named after Charles Fairbanks, who was the vice president during the Theodore Roosevelt administration from 1905-1909.

Getty Images

17 / 31 Fotos

The origins of the term "veep" -

The term “veep” was coined by Stephen M. Truitt. Truitt was the grandson of Vice President Alben W. Barkley, who served under Harry S. Truman from 1949 to 1953.

Getty Images

18 / 31 Fotos

There is no term limit for VPs -

Vice presidents can, in theory, hold their jobs for life. While presidents have a limit of two terms in office, there is no term limit for vice presidents.

Getty Images

19 / 31 Fotos

One vice president fled to Cuba -

Getty Images

20 / 31 Fotos

Treason -

John Breckinridge isn't the only VP in history who was charged with treason. Aaron Burr was also charged with treason after trying to form his own nation!

Getty Images

21 / 31 Fotos

Veeps autograph their desks -

The vice presidential desk contains the signature of every vice president since the 1940s. A list of names of all the VPs who used the desk is found inside the top drawer.

Getty Images

22 / 31 Fotos

VP Andrew Johnson was drunk during Lincoln's second inauguration -

Getty Images

23 / 31 Fotos

First pitch -

In 1968, Hubert Humphrey was the first VP (out of eight) to throw out the first pitch at the opening of the baseball season. The tradition was revived by Joe Biden in 2009.

Getty Images

24 / 31 Fotos

Three vice presidents share the same birthday -

Vice Presidents Charles Dawes, Lyndon Johnson, and Hannibal Hamlin, were all born on August 27.

Getty Images

25 / 31 Fotos

President James Madison buried two VPs -

Two vice presidents died under President Madison’s administration. The first one was George Clinton, who died in 1812, and then Elbridge Gerry, who died not long after one year on the job.

Getty Images

26 / 31 Fotos

Gay veep? -

William R. King, who served as vice president in 1852 under James Buchanan, was rumored to be gay. There are even suggestions that he was romantically involved with the president.

Getty Images

27 / 31 Fotos

Marriage -

Vice President Alben Barkley was 72 when he tied the knot with 38-year-old Jane Hadley. Barkley was the first VP to get married while in office.

Getty Images

28 / 31 Fotos

The vice president has a theme song -

The tune ‘Hail, Columbia’ announces the arrival of the vice president during public appearances.

Getty Images

29 / 31 Fotos

Three VPs are Nobel Peace Prize laureates -

Sources: (Ranker) (Time) (Politico) (The Atlantic)

Getty Images

30 / 31 Fotos

What does the vice president actually do?

And other facts about the vice presidency

17 hours ago | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Us politics

It's safe to say that most of us have an idea of what the role of the President of the United States entails. But how much do we know about the vice president's work, really? You probably know that the VP is the person who steps in if something happens to the president (i.e. resignation or death), but what does the job actually involve day-to-day?

In this gallery, you'll learn what the vice president actually does, as well as some interesting facts about the vice presidency. Click through to get started.