List of lieutenant governors of Colorado

List of lieutenant governors of the U.S. State of Colorado

Lieutenant Governor of Colorado

Official seal

Incumbent
Dianne Primavera
since 8 January 2019

Government of Colorado
Style| The Honorable
Term length| Four years, renewable once
Inaugural holder| Lafayette Head
Formation| 1877
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

* "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. 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[edit]

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## External links[edit]

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Lieutenant governors of Colorado

* Head
* Tabor
* Meyer
* Breene
* Meldrum
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* Story
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* Haggott
* Cornforth
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* Primavera

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Lieutenant governors in the United States

Vice President of the United States: ▌Kamala Harris (D)

▌Ainsworth (R)

▌Dahlstrom (R)

▌Fontes (D)1

▌Rutledge (R)

▌Kounalakis (D)

▌Primavera (D)

▌Bysiewicz (D)

▌Hall-Long (D)

▌Nuñez (R)

▌Jones (R)

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▌A. Miller (D)

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▌Anthony (R)

▌Bradley (R)2

▌Way (D)

▌Morales (D)

▌Delgado (D)

▌Robinson (R)

▌T. Miller (R)

▌Husted (R)

▌Pinnell (R)

▌Read (D)4

▌Davis (D)

▌Matos (D)

▌Evette (R)

▌Rhoden (R)

▌McNally (R)2

▌Patrick (R)

▌Henderson (R)

▌Zuckerman (P)

▌Sears (R)

▌Heck (D)

▌Blair (R)2

▌Rodriguez (D)

▌Gray (R)1

Federal districts:

▌Mendelson (D)3

Territories:

▌Ale (D)

▌Tenorio (D)

▌Apatang (I)

▌Marrero (PNP)1

▌Roach (D)

Italics indicate next-in-line of succession for states and territories without a directly elected lieutenant governor or whose lieutenant governor office is vacant:

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Political party affiliation

* ▌Republican: 27 (27 states)
* ▌Democratic: 26 (22 states, 3 territories, 1 district)
* ▌New Progressive: 1 (1 territory)
* ▌Independent: 1 (1 territory)
* ▌Vermont Progressive: 1

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Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon, Wyoming, and Puerto Rico do not have lieutenant governors.

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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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