In an April 1971 televised appearance, Carter was asked if he was in favor of a requirement that candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Georgia would have to run on the same ticket. He replied, "I've never really thought we needed a lieutenant governor in Georgia. The lieutenant governor is part of the executive branch of government and I've always felt—ever since I was in the state Senate—that the executive branches should be separate". In July 1971, during an appearance in Columbus, Georgia, Carter announced his plans to create a Georgia Human Rights Council that would work toward solving issues in the state ahead of any potential violence.