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 consecutively
Inaugural holderLafayette Head
Formation1877
SuccessionFirst
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

Lieutenant governors of the State of Colorado
No.Lieutenant GovernorTerm in officePartyElectionGovernor[a]
1 Lafayette Head
(1825–1897)		November 3, 1876
–
January 14, 1879
(did not run)		Republican1876 John Long Routt
2Horace Tabor
(1830–1899)		January 14, 1879
–
January 9, 1881
(did not run)		Republican1878Frederick Walker Pitkin
—George B. Robinson
(d. 1880)		Died before
taking office		Republican1880[b]
2Horace Tabor
(1830–1899)		January 9, 1881
–
January 9, 1883
(did not run)		Republican
3William H. Meyer
(1847–1923)		January 9, 1883
–
January 13, 1885
(did not run)		Republican1882James Benton Grant[c]
4Peter W. Breene
(1846–1926)		January 13, 1885
–
January 11, 1887
(did not run)[d]		Republican1884Benjamin Harrison Eaton
5Norman H. Meldrum
(1841–1920)		January 11, 1887
–
January 8, 1889
(did not run)		Republican1886Alva Adams[c]
6William Grover Smith
(1857–1921)		January 8, 1889
–
January 13, 1891
(did not run)		Republican1888Job Adams Cooper
7William Story
(1843–1921)		January 13, 1891
–
January 10, 1893
(did not run)		Republican1890John Long Routt
8David H. Nichols
(1826–1900)		January 10, 1893
–
January 8, 1895
(did not run)		Populist1892Davis Hanson Waite
9Jared L. Brush
(1835–1913)		January 8, 1895
–
January 10, 1899
(did not run)		Republican1894Albert McIntire
1896Alva Adams[c]
10Francis Patrick Carney
(1846–1902)		January 10, 1899
–
January 8, 1901
(did not run)		Populist1898Charles Spalding Thomas[c]
11David C. Coates
(1868–1933)		January 8, 1901
–
January 13, 1903
(did not run)		Democratic1900James Bradley Orman
12Warren A. Haggott
(1864–1958)		January 13, 1903
–
January 10, 1905
(did not run)		Republican1902James Hamilton Peabody
13Jesse Fuller McDonald
(1858–1942)		January 10, 1905
–
March 17, 1905
(succeeded to governor)[e]		Republican1904[e]Alva Adams
(declared loser March 17, 1905)[c]
James Hamilton Peabody
(resigned March 17, 1905)
14Arthur Cornforth
(1861–1938)		March 17, 1905
–
July 5, 1905
(resigned)		RepublicanSucceeded from
president of
the Senate[e]		Jesse Fuller McDonald
15Fred W. Parks
(1871–1941)		July 5, 1905
–
January 8, 1907
(did not run)		RepublicanSucceeded from
president of
the Senate[e]
16Erastus Harper
(1854–1927)		January 8, 1907
–
January 12, 1909
(did not run)		Republican1906Henry Augustus Buchtel
17Stephen R. Fitzgarrald
(1854–1926)		January 12, 1909
–
January 14, 1913
(did not run)		Democratic1908John F. Shafroth
1910
—Benjamin F. Montgomery
(1834–1912)		Died before
taking office		Democratic1912Elias M. Ammons
17Stephen R. Fitzgarrald
(1854–1926)		January 14, 1913
–
January 12, 1915
(did not run)		Democratic
18Moses E. Lewis
(1854–1951)		January 12, 1915
–
January 9, 1917
(lost election)		Republican1914George Alfred Carlson
19James Pulliam
(1863–1934)		January 9, 1917
–
January 14, 1919
(did not run)		Democratic1916Julius Caldeen Gunter
20George Stephan
(1862–1944)		January 14, 1919
–
January 11, 1921
(did not run)		Republican1918Oliver Henry Shoup
21Earl Cooley
(1880–1940)		January 11, 1921
–
January 9, 1923
(did not run)[f]		Republican1920
22Robert F. Rockwell
(1886–1950)		January 9, 1923
–
January 13, 1925
(did not run)[g]		Republican1922William Ellery Sweet[c]
23Sterling Byrd Lacy
(1882–1957)		January 13, 1925
–
January 11, 1927
(did not run)		Democratic1924Clarence Morley[h]
24George Milton Corlett
(1884–1955)		January 11, 1927
–
January 13, 1931
(did not run)		Republican1926Billy Adams[c]
1928
25Edwin C. Johnson
(1884–1970)		January 13, 1931
–
January 10, 1933
(elected governor)		Democratic1930
26Ray Herbert Talbot
(1896–1955)		January 10, 1933
–
January 1, 1937
(succeeded to governor)		Democratic1932Edwin C. Johnson
(resigned January 2, 1937)
1934
—Office vacant from January 1–12, 1937Office vacated
by succession to governor		Ray Herbert Talbot
27Frank Hayes
(1882–1948)		January 12, 1937
–
January 10, 1939
(lost election)		Democratic1936Teller Ammons
28John Charles Vivian
(1887–1964)		January 10, 1939
–
January 12, 1943
(elected governor)		Republican1938Ralph Lawrence Carr
1940
29William Eugene Higby
(1884–1967)		January 12, 1943
–
January 14, 1947
(did not run)		Republican1942John Charles Vivian
1944
30Homer L. Pearson
(1900–1985)		January 14, 1947
–
January 11, 1949
(lost election)		Republican1946William Lee Knous[c]
(resigned April 15, 1950)
31Walter Walford Johnson
(1904–1987)		January 11, 1949
–
April 15, 1950
(succeeded to governor)		Democratic1948
32Charles P. Murphy
(1882–1953)		April 15, 1950
–
January 9, 1951
(did not run)		RepublicanSucceeded from
president of
the Senate		Walter Walford Johnson
33Gordon Allott
(1907–1989)		January 9, 1951
–
January 11, 1955
(did not run)[i]		Republican1950Daniel I. J. Thornton
1952
34Stephen McNichols
(1914–1997)		January 11, 1955
–
January 8, 1957
(elected governor)		Democratic1954Edwin C. Johnson
35Frank L. Hays
(1922–2003)		January 8, 1957
–
January 13, 1959
(lost election)		Republican1956Stephen McNichols
36Robert Lee Knous
(1917–2000)		January 13, 1959
–
January 10, 1967
(did not run)[j]		Democratic1958
1962John Arthur Love[h]
(resigned July 16, 1973)
37Mark Anthony Hogan
(1931–2017)		January 10, 1967
–
January 12, 1971
(did not run)[k]		Democratic1966
38John D. Vanderhoof
(1922–2013)		January 12, 1971
–
July 16, 1973
(succeeded to governor)		Republican1970
39Ted L. Strickland
(1932–2012)		July 16, 1973
–
January 14, 1975
(lost election)		RepublicanSucceeded from
president of
the Senate		John D. Vanderhoof
40George L. Brown
(1926–2006)		January 14, 1975
–
January 10, 1979
(did not run)		Democratic1974Richard Lamm
41Nancy E. Dick
(b. 1930)		January 10, 1979
–
January 13, 1987
(did not run)		Democratic1978
1982
42Mike Callihan
(b. 1947)		January 13, 1987
–
May 10, 1994
(resigned)		Democratic1986Roy Romer
1990
—Office vacant from May 10–11, 1994Office vacated
by succession to governor
43Samuel H. Cassidy
(b. 1950)		May 11, 1994
–
January 3, 1995
(did not run)		DemocraticAppointed by
governor
44Gail Schoettler
(b. 1943)		January 3, 1995
–
January 12, 1999
(did not run)[l]		Democratic1994
45Joe Rogers
(1964–2013)		January 12, 1999
–
January 14, 2003
(did not run)[m]		Republican1998Bill Owens
46Jane E. Norton
(b. 1954)		January 14, 2003
–
January 9, 2007
(did not run)		Republican2002
47Barbara O'Brien
(b. 1950)		January 9, 2007
–
January 11, 2011
(did not run)		Democratic2006Bill Ritter
48Joseph Garcia
(b. 1957)		January 11, 2011
–
May 12, 2016
(resigned)[n]		Democratic2010John Hickenlooper
2014
49Donna Lynne
(b. 1953)		May 12, 2016
–
January 8, 2019
(did not run)[o]		DemocraticAppointed by
governor
50Dianne Primavera
(b. 1950)		January 8, 2019
–
Incumbent[p]		Democratic2018Jared Polis
2022

Notes

  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 f g h Represented the Democratic Party.
  4. ^ Breene instead ran successfully for Colorado State Treasurer.
  5. ^ a b c d The 1904 gubernatorial election was rife with fraud and controversy. Alva Adams 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. ^ Cooley instead ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for governor.
  7. ^ Rockwell instead ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for governor.
  8. ^ a b Represented the Republican Party
  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

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 September 12, 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
Constitutions
  • "Constitution of the State of Colorado, as amended, annotated". Michie's Legal Resources. 1876. Archived from the original on May 5, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2008.
  • "Constitution of the State of Colorado" (PDF). Colorado State Archives. 1876. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 6, 2003. Retrieved October 22, 2008.
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

  • State of Colorado website
    • Office of the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Colorado
      • Biographies of the Lieutenant Governors of the State of Colorado from the Colorado State Archives


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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