Lieutenant Governor of Michigan

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Lieutenant Governor of the State of Michigan
Seal of Michigan.svg
Great Seal of the State of Michigan
Incumbent
Garlin Gilchrist

since January 1, 2019
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
Garlin Gilchrist

since January 1, 2019
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.

The current lieutenant governor by default is Garlin Gilchrist, a Democrat, who has held the office since January 1, 2019.

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 in November 2026.

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 2022 election began their term on January 1, 2023.

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:

  • to serve as acting governor while the governor is out of state;
  • to become governor if the governor is unable to serve due to death, illness or incapacitation; and
  • to preside over the Michigan Senate.

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 (18)       Republican (43)       Whig (3)

# Lieutenant Governor Term in office Political Party Governor(s)
1 75px   Edward Mundy 1835–1840 Democratic Stevens T. Mason (D)
2 75px   James Wright Gordon 1840–1841 Whig William Woodbridge (W)
3 No image.svg   Thomas J. Drake 1841–1842 Whig James Wright Gordon (W)
4 Origen D. Richardson.jpg   Origen D. Richardson 1842–1846 Whig John S. Barry (D)
5 William Greenly.png   William L. Greenly 1846–1847 Democratic Alpheus Felch (D)
6 No image.svg   Charles P. Bush 1847–1848 Democratic William L. Greenly (D)
7 75px   William M. Fenton 1848–1852 Democratic Epaphroditus Ransom (D)
John S. Barry (D)
8 No image.svg   Calvin Britain 1852–1853 Democratic Robert McClelland (D)
9 75px   Andrew Parsons 1853 Democratic Robert McClelland (D)
10 No image.svg   George Griswold 1853–1855 Democratic Andrew Parsons (D)
11 No image.svg   George Coe 1855–1859 Republican Kinsley S. Bingham (R)
12 75px   Edmund Burke Fairfield 1859–1861 Republican Moses Wisner (R)
13 75px   James M. Birney 1861 Republican Austin Blair (R)
14 Joseph R. Williams.jpg   Joseph R. Williams 1861 Republican Austin Blair (R)
15 Henry Titus Backus.jpg   Henry T. Backus 1861–1863 Republican Austin Blair (R)
16 Charles S. May.png   Charles S. May 1863–1865 Republican Austin Blair (R)
17 75px   Ebenezer O. Grosvenor 1865–1867 Republican Henry H. Crapo (R)
18 75px   Dwight May 1867–1869 Republican Henry H. Crapo (R)
19 75px   Morgan Bates 1869–1873 Republican Henry P. Baldwin (R)
20 75px   Henry H. Holt 1873–1877 Republican John J. Bagley (R)
21 75px   Alonzo Sessions 1877–1881 Republican Charles Croswell (R)
22 No image.svg   Moreau S. Crosby 1881–1885 Republican David Jerome (R)
Josiah Begole (D)
23 75px   Archibald Buttars 1885–1887 Republican Russell A. Alger (R)
24 No image.svg   James H. MacDonald 1887–1889 Republican Cyrus G. Luce (R)
25 75px   William Ball 1889–1891 Republican Cyrus G. Luce (R)
26 75px   John Strong 1891–1893 Democratic Edwin B. Winans (D)
27 75px   J. Wight Giddings 1893–1895 Republican John Treadway Rich (R)
28 75px   Alfred Milnes 1895 Republican John Treadway Rich (R)
29 75px   Joseph R. McLaughlin 1895–1897 Republican John Treadway Rich (R)
30 75px   Thomas B. Dunstan 1897–1899 Republican Hazen S. Pingree (R)
31 75px   Orrin W. Robinson 1899–1903 Republican Hazen S. Pingree (R)
Aaron T. Bliss (R)
32 75px   Alexander Maitland 1903–1907 Republican Aaron T. Bliss (R)
Fred M. Warner (R)
33 PatrickHKelley.jpg   Patrick H. Kelley 1907–1911 Republican Fred M. Warner (R)
34 75px   John Q. Ross 1911–1915 Republican Chase Osborn (R)
Woodbridge N. Ferris (D)
35 Luren D. Dickinson.jpg   Luren Dickinson 1915–1921 Republican Woodbridge N. Ferris (D)
Albert Sleeper (R)
36 75px   Thomas Read 1921–1925 Republican Alex J. Groesbeck (R)
37 75px   George W. Welsh 1925–1927 Republican Alex J. Groesbeck (R)
38 Luren D. Dickinson.jpg   Luren Dickinson 1927–1933 Republican Fred W. Green (R)
Wilber M. Brucker (R)
39 75px   Allen E. Stebbins 1933–1935 Democratic William Comstock (D)
40 75px   Thomas Read 1935–1937 Republican Frank Fitzgerald (R)
41 75px   Leo J. Nowicki 1937–1939 Democratic Frank Murphy (D)
42 Luren D. Dickinson.jpg   Luren Dickinson 1939 Republican Frank Fitzgerald (R)
Office vacant 1939–1940
43 75px   Matilda Dodge Wilson 1940–1941 Republican Luren Dickinson (R)
44 75px   Frank Murphy 1941–1943 Democratic Murray Van Wagoner (D)
45 75px   Eugene C. Keyes 1943–1945 Republican Harry Kelly (R)
46 75px   Vernon J. Brown 1945–1947 Republican Harry Kelly (R)
47 75px   Eugene C. Keyes 1947–1949 Republican Kim Sigler (R)
48 75px   John W. Connolly 1949–1951 Democratic G. Mennen Williams (D)
49 75px   William C. Vandenberg 1951–1953 Republican G. Mennen Williams (D)
50 75px   Clarence A. Reid 1953–1955 Republican G. Mennen Williams (D)
51 75px   Philip Hart 1955–1959 Democratic G. Mennen Williams (D)
52 75px   John Swainson 1959–1961 Democratic G. Mennen Williams (D)
53 75px   T. John Lesinski 1961–1965 Democratic John Swainson (D)
George W. Romney (R)
54 75px   William G. Milliken 1965–1969 Republican George W. Romney (R)
Office vacant 1969–1970
55 75px   Thomas F. Schweigert 1970–1971 Republican William G. Milliken (R)
56 75px   James H. Brickley 1971–1975 Republican William G. Milliken (R)
57 75px   James Damman 1975–1979 Republican William G. Milliken (R)
58 75px   James H. Brickley 1979–1982 Republican William G. Milliken (R)
Office vacant 1982–1983
59 Martha Wright Griffiths.jpg   Martha Griffiths 1983–1991 Democratic James Blanchard (D)
60 75px   Connie Binsfeld 1991–1999 Republican John Engler (R)
61 75px   Dick Posthumus 1999–2003 Republican John Engler (R)
62 JohnDCherryMichigan.jpg   John D. Cherry 2003–2011 Democratic Jennifer Granholm (D)
63 75px   Brian Calley 2011–2019 Republican Rick Snyder (R)
64 75px   Garlin Gilchrist 2019–present Democratic Gretchen Whitmer (D)

Notes


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

External links