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Lieutenant Governor of Michigan

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FieldValue
postLieutenant Governor
bodythe State of Michigan
insigniaSeal of Michigan.svg
insigniacaptionGreat Seal of the State of Michigan
incumbentGarlin Gilchrist
incumbentsinceJanuary 1, 2019
departmentGovernment of Michigan
appointerPopularly Elected With the Governor
termlength4 years, renewable once
imageGarlin Gilchrist in Grand Rapids.jpg
imagesize200px
formationJanuary 26, 1837
successionFirst
inauguralEdward Mundy
websitemichigan.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:

  • 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 (18) (43) (3)

#Lieutenant GovernorTerm in officePolitical partyGovernor(s)
1[[File:Edward Mundy.png75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"Edward Mundy1835–1840
2[[File:J Wright Gordon.JPG75px]]Whig Party (United States)}};"James Wright Gordon1840–1841
3[[File:No image.svg75px]]Whig Party (United States)}};"Thomas J. Drake1841–1842
4[[File:Origen D. Richardson.jpg75px]]Whig Party (United States)}};"Origen D. Richardson1842–1846
5[[File:William Greenly.png75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"William L. Greenly1846–1847
6[[File:No image.svg75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"Charles P. Bush1847–1848
7[[File:William M. Fenton.png75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"William M. Fenton1848–1852
8[[File:No image.svg75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"Calvin Britain1852–1853
9[[File:Andrew parsons.jpg75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"Andrew Parsons1853
10[[File:No image.svg75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"George Griswold1853–1855
11[[File:No image.svg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"George Coe1855–1859
12[[File:Edmund Burke Fairfield.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Edmund Burke Fairfield1859–1861
13[[File:James Birney (Michigan Lieutenant Governor).jpg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"James M. Birney1861
14[[File:Joseph R. Williams.jpg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Joseph R. Williams1861
15[[File:Henry Titus Backus.jpg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Henry T. Backus1861–1863
16[[File:Charles S. May.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Charles S. May1863–1865
17[[File:Ebenezer Oliver Grosvenor portrait.jpg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Ebenezer O. Grosvenor1865–1867
18[[File:Dwight May.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Dwight May1867–1869
19[[File:Morgan Bates.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Morgan Bates1869–1873
20[[File:Henry H. Holt.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Henry H. Holt1873–1877
21[[File:Alonzo Sessions.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Alonzo Sessions1877–1881
22[[File:No image.svg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Moreau S. Crosby1881–1885
23[[File:Archibald Buttars.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Archibald Buttars1885–1887
24[[File:James H. MacDonald.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"James H. MacDonald1887–1889
25[[File:Michigan Lieutenant Governor William Ball.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"William Ball1889–1891
26[[File:John Strong Michigan.png75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"John Strong1891–1893
27[[File:J. Wight Giddings.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"J. Wight Giddings1893–1895
28[[File:Alfred Milnes - Livingstone.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Alfred Milnes1895
29[[File:Joseph R. McLaughlin.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Joseph R. McLaughlin1895–1897
30[[File:Thomas B. Dunstan.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Thomas B. Dunstan1897–1899
31[[File:Orrin W. Robinson.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Orrin W. Robinson1899–1903
32[[File:Alexander Maitland LG.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Alexander Maitland1903–1907
33[[File:PatrickHKelley.jpg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Patrick H. Kelley1907–1911
34[[File:John Q. Ross 2.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"John Q. Ross1911–1915
35[[File:Luren D. Dickinson.jpg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Luren Dickinson1915–1921
36[[File:Thomas Read Politician.jpg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Thomas Read1921–1925
37[[File:George W. Welsh.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"George W. Welsh1925–1927
38[[File:Luren D. Dickinson.jpg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Luren Dickinson1927–1933
39[[File:Allen E. Stebbins.png75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"Allen E. Stebbins1933–1935
40[[File:Thomas Read Politician.jpg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Thomas Read1935–1937
41[[File:Leo J. Nowicki.png75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"Leo J. Nowicki1937–1939
42[[File:Luren D. Dickinson.jpg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Luren Dickinson1939
Office vacant from March 16, 1939 – November 19, 1940
43[[File:Matildadodge.jpg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Matilda Dodge Wilson1940–1941
44[[File:Lieutenant Governor Frank Murphy.png75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"Frank Murphy1941–1943
45[[File:Eugene C. Keyes.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Eugene C. Keyes1943–1945
46[[File:Vernon J. Brown.jpg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Vernon J. Brown1945–1947
47[[File:Eugene C. Keyes.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Eugene C. Keyes1947–1949
48[[File:John W. Connolly.png75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"John W. Connolly1949–1951
49[[File:William C. Vandenberg.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"William C. Vandenberg1951–1953
50[[File:Clarence A. Reid.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Clarence A. Reid1953–1955
51[[File:Philip Hart 1965.png75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"Philip Hart1955–1959
52[[File:John Swainson (1961 portrait).png75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"John Swainson1959–1961
53[[File:T. John Lesinski.png75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"T. John Lesinski1961–1965
54[[File:William Milliken 1969.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"William G. Milliken1965–1969
Office vacant from January 22, 1969 – , 1970
55[[File:Thomas F. Schweigert.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Thomas F. Schweigert1970–1971
56[[File:James H. Brickley.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"James H. Brickley1971–1975
57[[File:James Damman.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"James Damman1975–1979
58[[File:James H. Brickley.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"James H. Brickley1979–1982
Office vacant from December 27, 1982 – January 1, 1983
59[[File:Martha Wright Griffiths.jpg75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"Martha Griffiths1983–1991
60[[File:Connie Binsfeld.png75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Connie Binsfeld1991–1999
61[[File:Dick Posthumus (cropped).jpeg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Dick Posthumus1999–2003
62[[File:JohnDCherryMichigan.jpg75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"John D. Cherry2003–2011
63[[File:Michigan Lt. Governor Brian Calley in Detroit 2016.jpg75px]]Republican Party (United States)}};"Brian Calley2011–2019
64[[File:8R4A9159 (53359280492) (Garlin Gilchrist 2).jpg75px]]Democratic Party (United States)}};"Garlin Gilchrist2019–present

Notes

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

Info: Wikipedia Source

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