Lieutenant Governor of Michigan

Template:Short description Template:Infobox Political post Template:Infobox Political post 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:

• 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

1. REDIRECT Template:Legend inline (18)
2. REDIRECT Template:Legend inline (43)
3. REDIRECT Template:Legend inline (3)

#	Lieutenant Governor			Term in office	Political party	Governor(s)
1	File:Edward Mundy.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Edward Mundy	1835–1840	Democratic	Stevens T. Mason (D)
2	File:J Wright Gordon.JPG	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	James Wright Gordon	1840–1841	Whig	William Woodbridge (W)
3	File:No image.svg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Thomas J. Drake	1841–1842	Whig	James Wright Gordon (W)
4	File:Origen D. Richardson.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Origen D. Richardson	1842–1846	Whig	John S. Barry (D)
5	File:William Greenly.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	William L. Greenly	1846–1847	Democratic	Alpheus Felch (D)
6	File:No image.svg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Charles P. Bush	1847–1848	Democratic	William L. Greenly (D)
7	File:William M. Fenton.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	William M. Fenton	1848–1852	Democratic	Epaphroditus Ransom (D) John S. Barry (D)
8	File:No image.svg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Calvin Britain	1852–1853	Democratic	Robert McClelland (D)
9	File:Andrew parsons.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Andrew Parsons	1853	Democratic	Robert McClelland (D)
10	File:No image.svg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	George Griswold	1853–1855	Democratic	Andrew Parsons (D)
11	File:No image.svg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	George Coe	1855–1859	Republican	Kinsley S. Bingham (R)
12	File:Edmund Burke Fairfield.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Edmund Burke Fairfield	1859–1861	Republican	Moses Wisner (R)
13	File:James Birney (Michigan Lieutenant Governor).jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	James M. Birney	1861	Republican	Austin Blair (R)
14	File:Joseph R. Williams.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Joseph R. Williams	1861	Republican	Austin Blair (R)
15	File:Henry Titus Backus.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Henry T. Backus	1861–1863	Republican	Austin Blair (R)
16	File:Charles S. May.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Charles S. May	1863–1865	Republican	Austin Blair (R)
17	File:Ebenezer Oliver Grosvenor portrait.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Ebenezer O. Grosvenor	1865–1867	Republican	Henry H. Crapo (R)
18	File:Dwight May.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Dwight May	1867–1869	Republican	Henry H. Crapo (R)
19	File:Morgan Bates.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Morgan Bates	1869–1873	Republican	Henry P. Baldwin (R)
20	File:Henry H. Holt.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Henry H. Holt	1873–1877	Republican	John J. Bagley (R)
21	File:Alonzo Sessions.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Alonzo Sessions	1877–1881	Republican	Charles Croswell (R)
22	File:No image.svg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Moreau S. Crosby	1881–1885	Republican	David Jerome (R) Josiah Begole (D)
23	File:Archibald Buttars.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Archibald Buttars	1885–1887	Republican	Russell A. Alger (R)
24	File:James H. MacDonald.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	James H. MacDonald	1887–1889	Republican	Cyrus G. Luce (R)
25	File:Michigan Lieutenant Governor William Ball.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	William Ball	1889–1891	Republican	Cyrus G. Luce (R)
26	File:John Strong Michigan.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	John Strong	1891–1893	Democratic	Edwin B. Winans (D)
27	File:J. Wight Giddings.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	J. Wight Giddings	1893–1895	Republican	John Treadway Rich (R)
28	File:Alfred Milnes - Livingstone.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Alfred Milnes	1895	Republican	John Treadway Rich (R)
29	File:Joseph R. McLaughlin.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Joseph R. McLaughlin	1895–1897	Republican	John Treadway Rich (R)
30	File:Thomas B. Dunstan.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Thomas B. Dunstan	1897–1899	Republican	Hazen S. Pingree (R)
31	File:Orrin W. Robinson.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Orrin W. Robinson	1899–1903	Republican	Hazen S. Pingree (R) Aaron T. Bliss (R)
32	File:Alexander Maitland LG.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Alexander Maitland	1903–1907	Republican	Aaron T. Bliss (R) Fred M. Warner (R)
33	File:PatrickHKelley.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Patrick H. Kelley	1907–1911	Republican	Fred M. Warner (R)
34	File:John Q. Ross 2.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	John Q. Ross	1911–1915	Republican	Chase Osborn (R) Woodbridge N. Ferris (D)
35	File:Luren D. Dickinson.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Luren Dickinson	1915–1921	Republican	Woodbridge N. Ferris (D) Albert Sleeper (R)
36	File:Thomas Read Politician.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Thomas Read	1921–1925	Republican	Alex J. Groesbeck (R)
37	File:George W. Welsh.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	George W. Welsh	1925–1927	Republican	Alex J. Groesbeck (R)
38	File:Luren D. Dickinson.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Luren Dickinson	1927–1933	Republican	Fred W. Green (R) Wilber M. Brucker (R)
39	File:Allen E. Stebbins.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Allen E. Stebbins	1933–1935	Democratic	William Comstock (D)
40	File:Thomas Read Politician.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Thomas Read	1935–1937	Republican	Frank Fitzgerald (R)
41	File:Leo J. Nowicki.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Leo J. Nowicki	1937–1939	Democratic	Frank Murphy (D)
42	File:Luren D. Dickinson.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Luren Dickinson	1939	Republican	Frank Fitzgerald (R)
Office vacant from March 16, 1939 – November 19, 1940
43	File:Matildadodge.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Matilda Dodge Wilson	1940–1941	Republican	Luren Dickinson (R)
44	File:Lieutenant Governor Frank Murphy.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Frank Murphy	1941–1943	Democratic	Murray Van Wagoner (D)
45	File:Eugene C. Keyes.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Eugene C. Keyes	1943–1945	Republican	Harry Kelly (R)
46	File:Vernon J. Brown.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Vernon J. Brown	1945–1947	Republican	Harry Kelly (R)
47	File:Eugene C. Keyes.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Eugene C. Keyes	1947–1949	Republican	Kim Sigler (R)
48	File:John W. Connolly.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	John W. Connolly	1949–1951	Democratic	G. Mennen Williams (D)
49	File:William C. Vandenberg.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	William C. Vandenberg	1951–1953	Republican	G. Mennen Williams (D)
50	File:Clarence A. Reid.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Clarence A. Reid	1953–1955	Republican	G. Mennen Williams (D)
51	File:Philip Hart 1965.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Philip Hart	1955–1959	Democratic	G. Mennen Williams (D)
52	File:John Swainson (1961 portrait).png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	John Swainson	1959–1961	Democratic	G. Mennen Williams (D)
53	File:T. John Lesinski.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	T. John Lesinski	1961–1965	Democratic	John Swainson (D) George W. Romney (R)
54	File:William Milliken 1969.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	William G. Milliken	1965–1969	Republican	George W. Romney (R)
Office vacant from January 22, 1969 – , 1970
55	File:Thomas F. Schweigert.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Thomas F. Schweigert	1970–1971	Republican	William G. Milliken (R)
56	File:James H. Brickley.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	James H. Brickley	1971–1975	Republican	William G. Milliken (R)
57	File:James Damman.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	James Damman	1975–1979	Republican	William G. Milliken (R)
58	File:James H. Brickley.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	James H. Brickley	1979–1982	Republican	William G. Milliken (R)
Office vacant from December 27, 1982 – January 1, 1983
59	File:Martha Wright Griffiths.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Martha Griffiths	1983–1991	Democratic	James Blanchard (D)
60	File:Connie Binsfeld.png	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Connie Binsfeld	1991–1999	Republican	John Engler (R)
61	File:Dick Posthumus (cropped).jpeg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Dick Posthumus	1999–2003	Republican	John Engler (R)
62	File:JohnDCherryMichigan.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	John D. Cherry	2003–2011	Democratic	Jennifer Granholm (D)
63	File:Michigan Lt. Governor Brian Calley in Detroit 2016.jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Brian Calley	2011–2019	Republican	Rick Snyder (R)
64	File:8R4A9159 (53359280492) (Garlin Gilchrist 2).jpg	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	Garlin Gilchrist	2019–present	Democratic	Gretchen Whitmer (D)

Notes

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

External links

• Office of the Lieutenant Governor
• Lt. Governor’s Commission on Higher Education & Economic Growth