Lieutenant Governor of Michigan explained

Post:Lieutenant Governor
Body:the State of Michigan
Insignia:Seal of Michigan.svg
Insigniacaption:Great Seal of the State of Michigan
Incumbent:Garlin Gilchrist
Incumbentsince:January 1, 2019
Department:Government of Michigan
Appointer:Popularly Elected With the Governor
Termlength:4 years, renewable once
Formation:January 26, 1837
Succession:First
Inaugural:Edward Mundy
Website:michigan.gov/ltgov
Post:President
Body:Senate of the State of Michigan
Incumbent:Garlin Gilchrist
Incumbentsince:January 1, 2019
Appointer:ex officio
Termlength:4 Years
Formation:January 26, 1837
Inaugural:Edward Mundy
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 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:

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 (18) (43) (3)
Lieutenant GovernorTerm in officePolitical partyGovernor(s)
1 Edward Mundy1835–1840DemocraticStevens T. Mason (D)
2 James Wright Gordon1840–1841WhigWilliam Woodbridge (W)
3 Thomas J. Drake1841–1842WhigJames Wright Gordon (W)
4 Origen D. Richardson1842–1846WhigJohn S. Barry (D)
5 William L. Greenly1846–1847DemocraticAlpheus Felch (D)
6 Charles P. Bush1847–1848DemocraticWilliam L. Greenly (D)
7 William M. Fenton1848–1852DemocraticEpaphroditus Ransom (D)
John S. Barry (D)
8 Calvin Britain1852–1853DemocraticRobert McClelland (D)
9 Andrew Parsons1853DemocraticRobert McClelland (D)
10 George Griswold1853–1855DemocraticAndrew Parsons (D)
11 George Coe1855–1859RepublicanKinsley S. Bingham (R)
12 Edmund Burke Fairfield1859–1861RepublicanMoses Wisner (R)
13 James M. Birney1861RepublicanAustin Blair (R)
14 Joseph R. Williams1861RepublicanAustin Blair (R)
15 Henry T. Backus1861–1863RepublicanAustin Blair (R)
16 Charles S. May1863–1865RepublicanAustin Blair (R)
17 Ebenezer O. Grosvenor1865–1867RepublicanHenry H. Crapo (R)
18 Dwight May1867–1869RepublicanHenry H. Crapo (R)
19 Morgan Bates1869–1873RepublicanHenry P. Baldwin (R)
20 Henry H. Holt1873–1877RepublicanJohn J. Bagley (R)
21 Alonzo Sessions1877–1881RepublicanCharles Croswell (R)
22 Moreau S. Crosby1881–1885RepublicanDavid Jerome (R)
Josiah Begole (D)
23 Archibald Buttars1885–1887RepublicanRussell A. Alger (R)
24 James H. MacDonald1887–1889RepublicanCyrus G. Luce (R)
25 William Ball1889–1891RepublicanCyrus G. Luce (R)
26 John Strong1891–1893DemocraticEdwin B. Winans (D)
27 J. Wight Giddings1893–1895RepublicanJohn Treadway Rich (R)
28 Alfred Milnes1895RepublicanJohn Treadway Rich (R)
29 Joseph R. McLaughlin1895–1897RepublicanJohn Treadway Rich (R)
30 Thomas B. Dunstan1897–1899RepublicanHazen S. Pingree (R)
31 Orrin W. Robinson1899–1903RepublicanHazen S. Pingree (R)
Aaron T. Bliss (R)
32 Alexander Maitland1903–1907RepublicanAaron T. Bliss (R)
Fred M. Warner (R)
33 Patrick H. Kelley1907–1911RepublicanFred M. Warner (R)
34 John Q. Ross1911–1915RepublicanChase Osborn (R)
Woodbridge N. Ferris (D)
35 Luren Dickinson1915–1921RepublicanWoodbridge N. Ferris (D)
Albert Sleeper (R)
36 Thomas Read1921–1925RepublicanAlex J. Groesbeck (R)
37 George W. Welsh1925–1927RepublicanAlex J. Groesbeck (R)
38 Luren Dickinson1927–1933RepublicanFred W. Green (R)
Wilber M. Brucker (R)
39 Allen E. Stebbins1933–1935DemocraticWilliam Comstock (D)
40 Thomas Read1935–1937RepublicanFrank Fitzgerald (R)
41 Leo J. Nowicki1937–1939DemocraticFrank Murphy (D)
42 Luren Dickinson1939RepublicanFrank Fitzgerald (R)
Office vacant from March 16, 1939 – November 19, 1940
43 Matilda Dodge Wilson1940–1941RepublicanLuren Dickinson (R)
44 Frank Murphy1941–1943DemocraticMurray Van Wagoner (D)
45 Eugene C. Keyes1943–1945RepublicanHarry Kelly (R)
46 Vernon J. Brown1945–1947RepublicanHarry Kelly (R)
47 Eugene C. Keyes1947–1949RepublicanKim Sigler (R)
48 John W. Connolly1949–1951DemocraticG. Mennen Williams (D)
49 1951–1953RepublicanG. Mennen Williams (D)
50 Clarence A. Reid1953–1955RepublicanG. Mennen Williams (D)
51 Philip Hart1955–1959DemocraticG. Mennen Williams (D)
52 John Swainson1959–1961DemocraticG. Mennen Williams (D)
53 T. John Lesinski1961–1965DemocraticJohn Swainson (D)
George W. Romney (R)
54 1965–1969RepublicanGeorge W. Romney (R)
Office vacant from January 22, 1969 – , 1970
55 Thomas F. Schweigert1970–1971RepublicanWilliam G. Milliken (R)
56 James H. Brickley1971–1975RepublicanWilliam G. Milliken (R)
57 James Damman1975–1979RepublicanWilliam G. Milliken (R)
58 James H. Brickley1979–1982 RepublicanWilliam G. Milliken (R)
Office vacant from December 27, 1982 – January 1, 1983
59 Martha Griffiths1983–1991DemocraticJames Blanchard (D)
60 Connie Binsfeld1991–1999RepublicanJohn Engler (R)
61 Dick Posthumus1999–2003RepublicanJohn Engler (R)
62 John D. Cherry2003–2011DemocraticJennifer Granholm (D)
63 Brian Calley2011–2019RepublicanRick Snyder (R)
64 Garlin Gilchrist2019–presentDemocratic Gretchen Whitmer (D)

Notes

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

External links

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