The 30 Percent Solution

Historian David M. Kennedy (with an assist from graduate student Sarah Anzia) details "The Vice Presidency - By the Numbers". Below, we summarize a few of the numerical facts they unearthed:

• Number of persons who have served as vice president: 46
• Number of vice presidents who became president due to departure by death or resignation of originally elected president: 9
• Percentage of vice presidents who became president due to departure by death or resignation of originally elected president: 19.6
• Average number of months served by vice president who assumed office on death or departure of the president: 35
• Number of vice presidents who later became president: 14
• Percentage of vice presidents who later became president: 30.4