Lieutenant Governor of Michigan

Lieutenant Governor of the State of Michigan
Incumbent
Brian Calley
since January 1, 2011
Appointer Popularly Elected With the Governor
Term length 4 Years
Inaugural holder Edward Mundy
Formation January 26, 1837
Website michigan.gov/ltgov
President of Senate of the State of Michigan
Incumbent
Brian Calley
since January 1, 2011
Appointer ex officio
Term length 4 Years
Inaugural holder Edward Mundy
Formation January 26, 1837
Website michigan.gov/ltgov

The Lieutenant Governor of Michigan is the second-ranking official in U.S. state of Michigan, behind the governor, and one of four great offices of state. The holder of this office is afforded the courtesy title of the Honorable (abbreviated to Hon. or Hon'ble) for life.

The current lieutenant governor is Brian Calley, a Republican, who has held the office since January 1, 2011.

Process

In Michigan, the governor and lieutenant governor are elected as a ticket to serve a term of four years. The election takes place two years after each presidential election; thus, the next election will take place on November 6, 2018.

Nomination

Following the August primary election in each gubernatorial election year, the state's two largest political parties convene a state convention and nominate candidates for lieutenant governor, secretary of state and attorney general, among other offices. Because the governor and lieutenant governor are elected as a ticket, the party's gubernatorial nominee usually makes the de facto decision as to whom the party will nominate for lieutenant governor, then convention delegates officially confirm the designation.

Historically, the governor and lieutenant governor were elected separately, leading to occasions where Republicans controlled one office and the Democrats another (as with George Romney and T. John Lesinski). This changed with the Michigan Constitution of 1963.

Election and inauguration

After the November general election, the governor and lieutenant governor take office on January 1. Thus, the winners of the 2010 election began their term on January 1, 2011.

Term limits

Like the governor, the lieutenant governor is allowed to serve up to two terms in office.

Duties

There are three main duties assigned to the lieutenant governor:

These days, the lieutenant governor also acts as an assistant to the governor. When the governor is unable to attend a function, for instance, the lieutenant governor may be sent in place of the governor. The lieutenant governor will also occasionally head blue-ribbon commissions into pressing public policy issues.

List of lieutenant governors

Parties

  Democratic   Republican   Whig

# Lieutenant Governor Term in office Political Party Governor(s)
1   Edward Mundy 1835–1840 Democratic Stevens T. Mason (D)
2   James Wright Gordon 1840–1841 Whig William Woodbridge (W)
3   Thomas J. Drake 1841–1842 Whig James Wright Gordon (W)
4   Origen D. Richardson 1842–1846 Whig
5   William L. Greenly 1846–1847 Democratic
6   Charles P. Bush 1847–1848 Democratic
7   William M. Fenton 1848–1852 Democratic
8   Calvin Britain 1852–1853 Democratic
9   Andrew Parsons 1853 Democratic Robert McClelland (D)
10   George Griswold 1853–1855 Democratic Andres Parsons (D)
11   George Coe 1855–1859 Republican Kinsley S. Bingham (R)
12   Edmund B. Fairfield 1859–1861 Republican Moses Wisner (R)
13   James M. Birney 1861 Republican Austin Blair (R)
14   Joseph R. Williams 1861 Republican Austin Blair (R)
15   Henry T. Backus 1861–1863 Republican Austin Blair (R)
16   Charles S. May 1863–1865 Republican Austin Blair (R)
17   Ebenezer O. Grosvenor 1865–1867 Republican Henry H. Crapo (R)
18   Dwight May 1867–1869 Republican
19   Morgan Bates 1869–1873 Republican
20   Henry H. Holt 1873–1877 Republican
21   Alonzo Sessions 1877–1881 Republican Charles Croswell (R)
22   Moreau S. Crosby 1881–1885 Republican David Jerome (R)
23   Archibald Buttars 1885–1887 Republican Josiah Begole (D)
24   James H. MacDonald 1887–1889 Republican
25   William Ball 1889–1891 Republican
26   John Strong 1891–1893 Democratic
27   J. Wight Giddings 1893–1895 Republican
28   Alfred Milnes 1895 Republican
29   Joseph R. McLaughlin 1895–1897 Republican
30   Thomas B. Dunstan 1897–1899 Republican
31   Orrin W. Robinson 1899–1903 Republican
32   Alexander Maitland 1903–1907 Republican
33   Patrick H. Kelley 1907–1911 Republican Fred M. Warner (R)
34   John Q. Ross 1911–1915 Republican Chase S. Osborn (R)
Woodbridge N. Ferris (D)
35   Luren D. Dickinson 1915–1921 Republican Woodbridge N. Ferris (D)
Albert E. Sleeper (R)
36   Thomas Read 1921–1925 Republican Alex Groesbeck (R)
37   George W. Welsh 1925–1927 Republican Alex Groesbeck (R)
38   Luren D. Dickinson 1927–1933 Republican Fred W. Green (R)
Wilber M. Brucker (R)
39   Allen E. Stebbins 1933–1935 Democratic William A. Comstock (D)
40   Thomas Read 1935–1937 Republican Frank Fitzgerald (R)
41   Leo J. Nowicki 1937–1939 Democratic Frank Murphy (D)
42   Luren D. Dickinson 1939 Republican Frank Fitzgerald (R)
Office vacant 1939–1940
43   Matilda Dodge Wilson 1940–1941 Republican Luren D. Dickinson (R)
44   Frank Murphy 1941–1943 Democratic Murray Van Wagoner (D)
45   Eugene C. Keyes 1943–1945 Republican Harry F. Kelly (R)
46   Vernon J. Brown 1945–1947 Republican Harry F. Kelly (R)
47   Eugene C. Keyes 1947–1949 Republican Kim Sigler (R)
48   John W. Connolly 1949–1951 Democratic G. Mennen Williams (D)
49   William C. Vandenberg 1951–1953 Republican G. Mennen Williams (D)
50   Clarence A. Reid 1953–1955 Republican G. Mennen Williams (D)
51   Philip A. Hart 1955–1959 Democratic G. Mennen Williams (D)
52   John B. Swainson 1959–1961 Democratic G. Mennen Williams (D)
53   T. John Lesinski 1961–1965 Democratic John B. Swainson (D)
George W. Romney (R)
54   William G. Milliken 1965–1969 Republican George W. Romney (R)
55   Thomas F. Schweigert 1970–1971 Republican William G. Milliken (R)
56   James H. Brickley 1971–1975 Republican William G. Milliken (R)
57   James Damman 1975–1979 Republican William G. Milliken (R)
58   James H. Brickley 1979–1983 Republican William G. Milliken (R)
59   Martha W. Griffiths 1983–1991 Democratic James Blanchard (D)
60   Connie Binsfeld 1991–1999 Republican John Engler (R)
61   Dick Posthumus 1999–2003 Republican John Engler (R)
62   John D. Cherry, Jr. 2003–2011 Democratic Jennifer Granholm (D)
63   Brian N. Calley 2011– Republican Rick Snyder (R)

Living former U.S. Lieutenant Governors of Michigan

As of August 2014, there are three former lieutenant governors who are currently living at this time, the oldest U.S. lieutenant governor of Michigan being William G. Milliken (served 1965–1969, born 1922). The most recent death of a former U.S. lieutenant governor of Michigan was that of Connie Binsfeld (served 1991–1999, born 1924), on January 12, 2014.

Lt. GovernorLt. Gubernatorial termDate of birth (and age)
William G. Milliken 1965–1969 March 26, 1922
Dick Posthumus 1999–2003 July 19, 1950
John D. Cherry, Jr. 2003–2011 May 5, 1951

Notes

    Source: Michigan Manual 2003-2004, Chapter IV, Former Officials of Michigan

    External links

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