List of lieutenant governors of Colorado

Lieutenant Governor of Colorado
Official seal
since 8 January 2019
Government of Colorado
StyleThe Honorable
Term lengthFour years, renewable once
Inaugural holderLafayette Head
Formation1877
Salary$93,360 per year
Website[1]

The lieutenant governor of Colorado is the second-highest-ranking member of the executive department of the Government of Colorado, United States, below the governor of Colorado. The lieutenant governor of Colorado, who acts as governor of Colorado in the absence of the officeholder and succeeds to the governorship in case of vacancy, is elected on a partisan ticket.

After the 1966 general election, the Constitution of Colorado was amended to require the joint election of governor and lieutenant governor — candidates running as a ticket.[1] Prior to this amendment, the lieutenant governor candidate was elected separately from the governor during the same election—sometimes resulting in a governor and a lieutenant governor from different political parties.

The current lieutenant governor is Dianne Primavera, a Democrat, who took office 8 January 2019.

Lieutenant governors

[edit]
Lieutenant governors of the State of Colorado
No. Lieutenant Governor Term in office Party Election Governor[a]
1   Lafayette Head
(1825–1897) 		August 1, 1876
–
January 14, 1879
(did not run) 		Republican 1876   John Long Routt
2 Horace Tabor
(1830–1899) 		January 14, 1879
–
January 9, 1881
(did not run) 		Republican 1878 Frederick Walker Pitkin
— George B. Robinson
(d. 1880) 		Died before
taking office 		Republican 1880[b]
2 Horace Tabor
(1830–1899) 		January 9, 1881
–
January 9, 1883
(did not run) 		Republican
3 William H. Meyer
(1847–1923) 		January 9, 1883
–
January 13, 1885
(did not run) 		Republican 1882 James Benton Grant[c]
4 Peter W. Breene
(1846–1926) 		January 13, 1885
–
January 11, 1887
(did not run)[d] 		Republican 1884 Benjamin Harrison Eaton
5 Norman H. Meldrum
(1841–1920) 		January 11, 1887
–
January 8, 1889
(did not run) 		Democratic 1886 Alva Adams
6 William Grover Smith
(1857–1921) 		January 8, 1889
–
January 13, 1891
(did not run) 		Republican 1888 Job Adams Cooper
7 William Story
(1843–1921) 		January 13, 1891
–
January 10, 1893
(did not run) 		Republican 1890 John Long Routt
8 David H. Nichols
(1826–1900) 		January 10, 1893
–
January 8, 1895
(did not run) 		Populist 1892 Davis Hanson Waite
9 Jared L. Brush
(1835–1913) 		January 8, 1895
–
January 10, 1899
(did not run) 		Republican 1894 Albert McIntire
1896 Alva Adams[c]
10 Francis Patrick Carney
(1846–1902) 		January 10, 1899
–
January 8, 1901
(did not run) 		Populist 1898 Charles Spalding Thomas[c]
11 David C. Coates
(1868–1933) 		January 8, 1901
–
January 13, 1903
(did not run) 		Democratic 1900 James Bradley Orman
12 Warren A. Haggott
(1864–1958) 		January 13, 1903
–
January 10, 1905
(did not run) 		Republican 1902 James Hamilton Peabody
13 Arthur Cornforth
(1861–1938) 		January 10, 1905
–
March 17, 1905
(declared loser in election)[e] 		Democratic 1904[e] Alva Adams
14 Jesse Fuller McDonald
(1858–1942) 		March 17, 1905
–
March 17, 1905
(succeeded to governor)[e] 		Republican James Hamilton Peabody
(resigned March 17, 1905)
13 Arthur Cornforth
(1861–1938) 		March 17, 1905
–
July 5, 1905
(removed July 5, 1905) 		Democratic Succeeded from
president of
the Senate[e] 		Jesse Fuller McDonald[f]
15 Fred W. Parks
(1871–1941) 		July 5, 1905
–
January 8, 1907
(did not run) 		Republican Succeeded from
president of
the Senate[e]
16 Erastus Harper
(1854–1927) 		January 8, 1907
–
January 12, 1909
(did not run) 		Republican 1906 Henry Augustus Buchtel
17 Stephen R. Fitzgarrald
(1854–1926) 		January 12, 1909
–
January 14, 1913
(did not run) 		Democratic 1908 John F. Shafroth
1910
18 Benjamin F. Montgomery
(1834–1912) 		January 14, 1913
–
January 12, 1915
(did not run) 		Democratic 1912 Elias M. Ammons
19 Moses E. Lewis
(1854–1951) 		January 12, 1915
–
January 9, 1917
(lost election) 		Republican 1914 George Alfred Carlson
20 James Pulliam
(1863–1934) 		January 9, 1917
–
January 14, 1919
(did not run) 		Democratic 1916 Julius Caldeen Gunter
21 George Stephan
(1862–1944) 		January 14, 1919
–
January 11, 1921
(did not run) 		Republican 1918 Oliver Henry Shoup
22 Earl Cooley
(1880–1940) 		January 11, 1921
–
January 9, 1923
(did not run)[g] 		Republican 1920
23 Robert F. Rockwell
(1886–1950) 		January 9, 1923
–
January 13, 1925
(did not run)[h] 		Republican 1922 William Ellery Sweet[c]
24 Sterling Byrd Lacy
(1882–1957) 		January 13, 1925
–
January 11, 1927
(did not run) 		Democratic 1924 Clarence Morley[f]
25 George Milton Corlett
(1884–1955) 		January 11, 1927
–
January 13, 1931
(did not run) 		Republican 1926 Billy Adams[c]
1928
26 Edwin C. Johnson
(1884–1970) 		January 13, 1931
–
January 10, 1933
(elected governor) 		Democratic 1930
27 Ray Herbert Talbot
(1896–1955) 		January 10, 1933
–
January 1, 1937
(succeeded to governor) 		Democratic 1932 Edwin C. Johnson
(resigned January 2, 1937)
1934
— Vacant January 1, 1937
–
January 12, 1937 		Office vacated
by succession to governor 		Ray Herbert Talbot
28 Frank Hayes
(1882–1948) 		January 12, 1937
–
January 10, 1939
(lost election) 		Democratic 1936 Teller Ammons
29 John Charles Vivian
(1887–1964) 		January 10, 1939
–
January 12, 1943
(elected governor) 		Republican 1938 Ralph Lawrence Carr
1940
30 William Eugene Higby
(1884–1967) 		January 12, 1943
–
January 14, 1947
(did not run) 		Republican 1942 John Charles Vivian
1944
31 Homer L. Pearson
(1900–1985) 		January 14, 1947
–
January 11, 1949
(lost election) 		Democratic 1946 William Lee Knous
(resigned April 15, 1950)
32 Walter Walford Johnson
(1904–1987) 		January 11, 1949
–
April 15, 1950
(succeeded to governor) 		Democratic 1948
33 Charles P. Murphy
(1882–1953) 		April 15, 1950
–
January 9, 1951
(did not run) 		Republican Succeeded from
president of
the Senate 		Walter Walford Johnson
34 Gordon Allott
(1907–1989) 		January 9, 1951
–
January 11, 1955
(did not run)[i] 		Republican 1950 Daniel I. J. Thornton
1952
35 Stephen McNichols
(1914–1997) 		January 11, 1955
–
January 8, 1957
(elected governor) 		Democratic 1954 Edwin C. Johnson
36 Frank L. Hays
(1922–2003) 		January 8, 1957
–
January 13, 1959
(lost election) 		Republican 1956 Stephen McNichols
37 Robert Lee Knous
(1917–2000) 		January 13, 1959
–
January 10, 1967
(did not run)[j] 		Democratic 1958
1962 John Arthur Love[f]
(resigned July 16, 1973)
38 Mark Anthony Hogan
(1931–2017) 		January 10, 1967
–
January 12, 1971
(did not run)[k] 		Democratic 1966
39 John D. Vanderhoof
(1922–2013) 		January 12, 1971
–
July 16, 1973
(succeeded to governor) 		Republican 1970
40 Ted L. Strickland
(1932–2012) 		July 16, 1973
–
January 14, 1975
(lost election) 		Republican Succeeded from
president of
the Senate 		John D. Vanderhoof
41 George L. Brown
(1926–2006) 		January 14, 1975
–
January 10, 1979
(did not run) 		Democratic 1974 Richard Lamm
42 Nancy E. Dick
(b. 1930) 		January 10, 1979
–
January 13, 1987
(did not run) 		Democratic 1978
1982
43 Mike Callihan
(b. 1947) 		January 13, 1987
–
May 10, 1994
(resigned) 		Democratic 1986 Roy Romer
1990
— Vacant May 10, 1994
–
May 11, 1994 		Office vacated
by succession to governor
44 Samuel H. Cassidy
(b. 1950) 		May 11, 1994
–
January 3, 1995
(did not run) 		Democratic Appointed by
governor
45 Gail Schoettler
(b. 1943) 		January 3, 1995
–
January 12, 1999
(did not run)[l] 		Democratic 1994
46 Joe Rogers
(1964–2013) 		January 12, 1999
–
January 14, 2003
(did not run)[m] 		Republican 1998 Bill Owens
47 Jane E. Norton
(b. 1954) 		January 14, 2003
–
January 9, 2007
(did not run) 		Republican 2002
48 Barbara O'Brien
(b. 1950) 		January 9, 2007
–
January 11, 2011
(did not run) 		Democratic 2006 Bill Ritter
49 Joseph Garcia
(b. 1957) 		January 11, 2011
–
May 12, 2016
(resigned)[n] 		Democratic 2010 John Hickenlooper
2014
50 Donna Lynne
(b. 1953) 		May 12, 2016
–
January 8, 2019
(did not run)[o] 		Democratic Appointed by
governor
51 Dianne Primavera
(b. 1950) 		January 8, 2019
–
Incumbent[p] 		Democratic 2018 Jared Polis
2022

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
  2. ^ Robinson was elected in the 1880 election, but died before taking office; the sitting lieutenant governor, Tabor, claimed the office and held it for the term.
  3. ^ a b c d e Represented the Democratic Party.
  4. ^ Breene instead ran successfully for Colorado State Treasurer.
  5. ^ a b c d e The 1904 gubernatorial election was rife with fraud and controversy. Adams and Cornforth won election, but soon after Adams took office the Republican legislature declared Peabody to be the actual winner, on the condition that Peabody immediately tender his resignation, postdated to the next day. Peabody's lieutenant governor, McDonald, then succeeded to the governorship. Cornforth, as president pro tempore of the senate, acted as lieutenant governor until the Colorado Supreme Court declared that Parks, who had been elected president pro tempore of the senate on April 3, 1905, was the rightful acting lieutenant governor.[2]
  6. ^ a b c Represented the Republican Party
  7. ^ Cooley instead ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for governor.
  8. ^ Rockwell instead ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for governor.
  9. ^ Allott instead ran successfully for the United States Senate.
  10. ^ Knous instead ran unsuccessfully for governor.
  11. ^ Hogan instead ran unsuccessfully for governor.
  12. ^ Schoettler instead ran unsuccessfully for governor.
  13. ^ Rogers instead ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the United States House of Representatives.
  14. ^ Garcia resigned to be President of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.
  15. ^ Lynne instead ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for governor.
  16. ^ Primavera's second term began on January 10, 2023, and will expire on January 12, 2027; she will be term-limited.

References

[edit]
General
  • Mauer, Mike; Otto, Molly; Roesch, Gay (2013). "Presidents and Speakers of the Colorado General Assembly" (PDF). Colorado Legislative Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-12. Retrieved 2015-08-15.
Constitutions
Specific
  1. ^ Oesterle, Dale A.; Collins, Richard B. (2011). The Colorado State Constitution. Oxford University Press. p. 102. ISBN 9780199778843.
  2. ^ "Cornforth is Deposed, Parks Lieutenant Governor". New Castle, Colorado: New Castle Nonpareil. July 8, 1905. Retrieved November 28, 2018.

See also

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38°59′50″N 105°32′52″W / 38.9972°N 105.5478°W / 38.9972; -105.5478 (State of Colorado)

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