List of governors of Colorado

The governor of Colorado is the head of government of the U.S. state of Colorado. The governor is the head of the executive branch of Colorado's state government and is charged with enforcing state laws. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Colorado General Assembly, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason or impeachment.CO Const. art IV The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.

Seven people served as governor of Colorado Territory over eight terms, appointed by the president of the United States. Since statehood, there have been 38 governors, serving 43 distinct terms. One governor Alva Adams served three non-consecutive terms, while John Long Routt, James Hamilton Peabody, and Edwin C. Johnson each served during two non-consecutive periods. The longest-serving governors were Richard "Dick" Lamm (1975–1987) and Roy Romer (1987–1999), who each served 12 years over three terms. The shortest term occurred on March 16 and 17, 1905, when the state had three governors in the span of 24 hours: Alva Adams won the election, but soon after he took office, the legislature declared his opponent, James Hamilton Peabody, governor, but on the condition that he immediately resign, so that his lieutenant governor, Jesse McDonald, could be governor. Thus, Peabody served less than a day as governor.

The current governor is Democrat Jared Polis, who took office on January 8, 2019.

List of governors

Territory of Jefferson The self-proclaimed Provisional Government of the Territory of Jefferson was organized on November 7, 1859. Jefferson Territory included all of present-day Colorado, but extended about farther east, farther north, and about farther west. The territory was never recognized by the federal government in the tumultuous days before the American Civil War. The Jefferson Territory had only one governor, Robert Williamson Steele, a pro-union Democrat elected by popular vote. He proclaimed the territory dissolved on June 6, 1861, several months after the official formation of the Colorado Territory, but only days after the arrival of its first governor.

Territory of Colorado The Territory of Colorado was organized on February 28, 1861, from parts of the territories of New Mexico, Utah, and Nebraska, and the unorganized territory that was previously the western portion of Kansas Territory.

+ Governors of the Territory of ColoradoGovernorTerm in officeAppointed by1William GilpinMarch 25, 1861–March 26, 18622John EvansMarch 26, 1862–October 17, 18653Alexander CummingsOctober 17, 1865–May 8, 18674Alexander Cameron HuntMay 8, 1867–April 19, 18695Edward M. McCookApril 19, 1869–April 17, 18736Samuel Hitt ElbertApril 17, 1873–June 19, 1874 7Edward M. McCookJune 19, 1874–February 8, 18758John Long RouttFebruary 8, 1875–November 3, 1876

State of Colorado

The State of Colorado was admitted to the Union on August 1, 1876.

To serve as governor, one must be at least 30 years old, be a citizen of the United States, and have been a resident of the state for at least two years prior to election. The state constitution of 1876 originally called for election of the governor every two years, with their term beginning on the second Tuesday of the January following the election.CO Const. art IV, original section 1 An amendment passed in 1956, taking effect in 1959, increased terms to four years. Originally, there was no term limit applied to the governor; a 1990 amendment allowed governors to succeed themselves only once. There is however no limit on the total number of terms one may serve as long as one who has served the two term limit is out of office for four years.

Should the office of governor become vacant, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.CO Const. art IV, sec 13 If both the offices governor and lieutenant governor are vacant, the line of succession moves down through the senior members of the state senate and state house of representatives of the same party as the governor.CO Const. art IV, sec 13, paragraph 7 The lieutenant governor was elected separately from the governor until a 1968 amendment to the constitution made it so that they are elected on the same ticket.CO Const. art IV, sec 1

+ Governors of the State of ColoradoGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionLt. Governor1 John Long RouttNovember 3, 1876–January 14, 1879Republican1876 2Frederick Walker PitkinJanuary 14, 1879–January 9, 1883Republican187818803James Benton GrantJanuary 9, 1883Colo. General Assembly. Senate Journal. 1883 sess., 73 , accessed August 2, 2023–January 13, 1885Democratic18824Benjamin Harrison EatonJanuary 13, 1885Colo. General Assembly. Senate Journal. 1885 sess., 106, accessed August 2, 2023–January 11, 1887Republican18845Alva AdamsJanuary 11, 1887Colo. General Assembly. Senate Journal. 1887 sess., 186, accessed August 2, 2023–January 8, 1889Democratic18866Job Adams CooperJanuary 8, 1889Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1889 sess., 92, accessed August 2, 2023–January 13, 1891Republican18887John Long RouttJanuary 13, 1891Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1891 sess., 92, accessed August 2, 2023–January 10, 1893Republican18908Davis Hanson WaiteJanuary 10, 1893–January 8, 1895People's18929Albert McIntireJanuary 8, 1895Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1895 sess., 75 , accessed August 2, 2023–January 12, 1897Republican189410Alva AdamsJanuary 12, 1897Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1897 sess., 109, accessed August 2, 2023–January 10, 1899Democratic189611Charles S. ThomasJanuary 10, 1899Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1899 sess., 65, accessed August 2, 2023–January 8, 1901Democratic189812James Bradley OrmanJanuary 8, 1901Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1901 sess., 112 , accessed August 2, 2023–January 13, 1903Democratic190013James Hamilton PeabodyJanuary 13, 1903Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1903 sess., 95, accessed August 2, 2023–January 10, 1905Republican190214Alva AdamsJanuary 10, 1905Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1905 sess., 47 , accessed August 2, 2023–March 16, 1905Democratic190415James Hamilton PeabodyMarch 16, 1905Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1905 sess., 1100 , accessed August 2, 2023–March 17, 1905Republican16Jesse Fuller McDonaldMarch 17, 1905Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1905 sess., 582 , accessed August 2, 2023–January 8, 1907Republican17Henry Augustus BuchtelJanuary 8, 1907Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1907 sess., 51 , accessed August 2, 2023–January 12, 1909Republican190618John F. ShafrothJanuary 12, 1909Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1909 sess., 65, accessed August 2, 2023–January 14, 1913Democratic1908191019Elias M. AmmonsJanuary 14, 1913–January 12, 1915Democratic191220George Alfred CarlsonJanuary 12, 1915Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1915 sess., 77, accessed August 2, 2023–January 9, 1917Republican191421Julius Caldeen GunterJanuary 9, 1917–January 14, 1919Democratic191622Oliver Henry ShoupJanuary 14, 1919Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1919 sess., 206, accessed August 2, 2023–January 9, 1923Republican1918192023William Ellery SweetJanuary 9, 1923–January 13, 1925Democratic192224Clarence MorleyJanuary 13, 1925Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1925 sess., 105 , accessed August 2, 2023–January 11, 1927Republican192425 Billy AdamsJanuary 11, 1927–January 10, 1933Democratic19261928193026Edwin C. JohnsonJanuary 10, 1933–January 2, 1937Democratic1932193427Ray Herbert TalbotJanuary 2, 1937–January 12, 1937DemocraticVacant28Teller AmmonsJanuary 12, 1937–January 10, 1939Democratic193629Ralph Lawrence CarrJanuary 10, 1939–January 12, 1943Republican1938194030John Charles VivianJanuary 12, 1943Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1943 sess., 103 , accessed August 2, 2023–January 14, 1947Republican1942194431William Lee KnousJanuary 14, 1947–April 15, 1950Democratic1946194832Walter Walford JohnsonApril 15, 1950–January 9, 1951Democratic33Daniel I. J. ThorntonJanuary 9, 1951Colo. General Assembly. House Journal. 1951 sess., 112 , accessed August 2, 2023–January 11, 1955Republican1950195234Edwin C. JohnsonJanuary 11, 1955–January 8, 1957Democratic195435Stephen McNicholsJanuary 8, 1957–January 8, 1963Democratic1956195836John A. LoveJanuary 8, 1963–July 16, 1973Republican19621966197037John D. VanderhoofJuly 16, 1973–January 14, 1975Republican38Richard LammJanuary 14, 1975–January 13, 1987Democratic19741978198239Roy RomerJanuary 13, 1987–January 12, 1999Democratic19861990Vacant199440Bill OwensJanuary 12, 1999–January 9, 2007Republican1998200241Bill RitterJanuary 9, 2007–January 11, 2011Democratic200642John HickenlooperJanuary 11, 2011–January 8, 2019Democratic2010201443Jared PolisJanuary 8, 2019–IncumbentDemocratic20182022

Timeline Timeline of Colorado governors

List of governors of Colorado

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