The president pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate (previously the president of the Nebraska Territorial Council and the president of the Nebraska Senate) was an office in the Nebraska Legislature which existed from 1855 to 1936 when Nebraska had a bicameral legislature. This office was created when the Nebraska Territory was first established and remained after Nebraska became a state. Under the Nebraska Constitution of 1866, this office was referred to as the president of the Senate since Nebraska had no office of lieutenant governor, but after the constitution of 1875 was adopted, which provided for a lieutenant governor who was to be the president of the Senate, this office became known as the president pro tempore (or "temporary president") of the Nebraska Senate. When Nebraska voters adopted a unicameral legislature beginning in 1937, this office ceased to exist and was replaced by a single speaker of the Nebraska Legislature.
Presidents of the Nebraska Territorial Council The upper house of the Nebraska Territorial Legislature was called the Nebraska Territorial Council, and its presiding officer was called a president. Ten individuals served as president of the Nebraska Territorial Council during its twelve sessions before Nebraska became a state. The office was briefly split when a faction of the Nebraska Territorial Legislature broke off from the meeting at Omaha, Nebraska, and convened at Florence, Nebraska, in January 1858.
#NameSession startSession endCounty of residencePartyNotes1Jan 16, 1855Mar 16, 1855Richardson2Dec 18, 1855Jan 26, 1856Burt3Jan 5, 1857Feb 18, 1857Douglas Dem4Dec 8, 1857Jan 16, 1858Douglas DemRemained president of the minority faction that remained at Omaha –Jan 8, 1858Jan 16, 1858Douglas DemElected president of the majority faction that went to Florence5Sep 21, 1858Nov 4, 1858Sarpy Dem6Dec 5, 1859Jan 13, 1860Cass Dem7Dec 3, 1860Jan 11, 1861Otoe Rep8Dec 2, 1861Jan 10, 1862Dakota Rep9Jan 7, 1864Feb 15, 1864Washington10Jan 5, 1865Feb 13, 1865Otoe RepLater served as a Nebraska Supreme Court justice11Jan 4, 1866Feb 12, 186612Jan 10, 1867Feb 18, 1867Dodge RepLater served as the second president of the Nebraska Senate
Presidents of the Nebraska Senate After Nebraska became a state in 1867, the upper house of the Nebraska Legislature was called the Nebraska Senate and became the successor to the Territorial Council. Since the Nebraska Constitution of 1866 did not provide for an office of lieutenant governor, it empowered the Nebraska Senate to choose its own presiding officer, called the president of the Senate.
#NameTenurePlace of residencePartyNotes11866Decatur Rep21867–1868Dodge County RepPreviously served as the last president of the Territorial Council31869–1870Douglas County Rep41871Richardson County Rep51871–1872Douglas CountyBriefly was acting governor in 1872 as president while Acting Governor William H. James was absent from the state.61873–1874Omaha Rep71875Beatrice Rep81876North Platte Rep
Presidents pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate When the Nebraska Constitution of 1875 created the office of Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska, it declared that "[t]he lieutenant governor shall be president of the senate." The constitution of 1875 additionally provided that "the senate shall choose a temporary president, to preside when the Lieutenant Governor shall not attend as president, or shall act as Governor," thus transforming this office into the office of president pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate. This office was abolished after 1936 when Nebraska adopted a unicameral legislature.
#NameTenurePlace of residencePartyNotes91877–1878Fremont Rep101879–1880Fremont Rep111881–1882Sutton Rep121883–1884Kearney Rep131885–1886Howe RepLater served as the 15th president pro tempore141887–1888Fullerton RepLater served as the Nebraska Lieutenant Governor151889–1890Howe RepPreviously served as the 13th president pro tempore161891–1892Albion FusLater served as Governor of Nebraska171893–1894Hebron Rep181895–1896Nebraska City RepPreviously served as the speaker of the Nebraska House of Representatives191897–1898Omaha Fus201899–1900Lincoln Rep211901–1902Fairbury RepServed during a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor, meaning Steele was considered the acting lieutenant governor by virtue of his being president pro tempore of the Senate221903–1904Grand Island Rep231905–1906Davenport Rep241907–1908Omaha RepLater served as the 32nd president pro tempore; son of Alvin Saunders251909–1910Hastings Dem261911–1912Falls City DemServed during a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor, meaning Morehead was considered the acting lieutenant governor by virtue of his being president pro tempore of the Senate; later served as Governor of Nebraska271913–1914Fullerton Rep281915–1916Wayne Dem291917–1918Nebraska City Dem301919–1920Kimball Rep311921–1922Seward Rep321923–1924Omaha RepPreviously served as the 24th president pro tempore; son of Alvin Saunders331925–1926Omaha Rep341927–1928Henderson Rep351929–1930Omaha Rep361931–1932Norfolk Rep371933–1934Bayard Dem381935Clay Center DemResigned from the Nebraska Senate391935–1936Oakland Dem
See also List of Nebraska state legislatures
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