List of lieutenant governors of Vermont

The Lieutenant Governor of Vermont is elected for a two-year term and chosen separately from the Governor. The Lieutenant Governor's main responsibilities include: acting as Governor when the Governor is out of state or incapacitated; presiding over the Vermont Senate; and casting tie-breaking votes in the Senate when required. As a member of the State Senate's Committee on Committees, the Lieutenant Governor plays a role in determining committee assignments for individual Senators, as well as selecting committee chairmen, vice chairmen, and clerks.[1][2][3]

Mountain Rule

From the founding of the Republican Party in the 1850s until the 1960s only Republicans won general elections for Vermont's statewide offices. One method that made this possible was imposition of the "Mountain Rule." Under the provisions of the Mountain Rule, one U.S. Senator was a resident of the east side of the Green Mountains and one resided on the west side, and the governorship and lieutenant governorship alternated between residents of the east and west side. Nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor were allowed two one-year terms, and later one two-year term. For nearly 100 years likely Republican candidates for office in Vermont agreed to abide by the Mountain Rule in the interests of party unity. Several factors led to the eventual weakening of the Mountain Rule, including: the long time political dispute between the Proctor (conservative) and Aiken-Gibson (liberal) wings of the party; primaries rather than conventions to select nominees; the direct election of U.S. Senators; and several active third parties, including the Progressives, the Prohibition Party, and the Local Option movement. In the 1960s the rise of the Vermont Democratic Party and the construction of Interstate 89 also contributed to the end of the Mountain Rule. Though I-89 is a north-south route, it traverses Vermont from east to west and changed the way Vermonters view how the state is divided.[4][5]

List

Here is a list of lieutenant governors of Vermont in chronological order:[6][7]

As the independent Vermont Republic

# Name Party Term
1 Joseph Marsh — 1778–1779
2 Benjamin Carpenter — 1779–1781
3 Elisha Payne — 1781–1782
4 Paul Spooner — 1782–1787
5 Joseph Marsh — 1787–1790
6 Peter Olcott — 1790–1794

As the U.S. state of Vermont

Parties

      Democratic       Democratic-Republican       Federalist       Republican/National Union       Whig/National Republican/Anti-Masonic

# Name Party Term
1 Jonathan Hunt — 1794–1796
2 Brigham, PaulPaul Brigham Democratic-Republican 1796–1813
3 Chamberlain, WilliamWilliam Chamberlain Federalist 1813–1815
4 Brigham, PaulPaul Brigham Democratic-Republican 1815–1820
5 Cahoon, WilliamWilliam Cahoon Democratic-Republican 1820–1822
6 Leland, AaronAaron Leland Democratic-Republican 1822–1827
7 Olin, HenryHenry Olin Democratic-Republican 1827–1830
8 Richards, MarkMark Richards National Republican 1830–1831
9 Egerton, LebbeusLebbeus Egerton Anti-Masonic 1831–1835
10 Jennison, Silas H.Silas H. Jennison Whig / Anti-Masonic 1835–1836
11 Camp, David M.David M. Camp Whig 1836–1841
12 Ranney, Waitstill R.Waitstill R. Ranney Whig 1841–1843
13 Eaton, HoraceHorace Eaton Whig 1843–1846
14 Sargeant, LeonardLeonard Sargeant Whig 1846–1848
15 Pierpoint, RobertRobert Pierpoint Whig 1848–1850
16 Converse, JuliusJulius Converse Whig 1850–1852
17 Kittredge, William C.William C. Kittredge Whig 1852–1853
18 Kidder, Jefferson P.Jefferson P. Kidder Democratic 1853–1854
19 Fletcher, RylandRyland Fletcher Republican 1854–1856
20 Slade, James M.James M. Slade Republican 1856–1858
21 Martin, BurnhamBurnham Martin Republican 1858–1860
22 Underwood, LeviLevi Underwood Republican 1860–1862
23 Dillingham, PaulPaul Dillingham Republican / National Union 1862–1865
24 Gardner, Abraham B.Abraham B. Gardner Republican 1865–1867
25 Thomas, StephenStephen Thomas Republican 1867–1869
26 Hendee, George W.George W. Hendee Republican 1869–1870
27 Dale, George N.George N. Dale Republican 1870–1872
28 Taft, Russell S.Russell S. Taft Republican 1872–1874
29 Hinckley, Lyman G.Lyman G. Hinckley Republican 1874–1876
30 Proctor, RedfieldRedfield Proctor Republican 1876–1878
31 Colton, Eben PomeroyEben Pomeroy Colton Republican 1878–1880
32 Barstow, John L.John L. Barstow Republican 1880–1882
33 Pingree, Samuel E.Samuel E. Pingree Republican 1882–1884
34 Ormsbee, Ebenezer J.Ebenezer J. Ormsbee Republican 1884–1886
35 Fuller, Levi K.Levi K. Fuller Republican 1886–1888
36 Woodbury, Urban A.Urban A. Woodbury Republican 1888–1890
37 Fletcher, Henry A.Henry A. Fletcher Republican 1890–1892
38 Stranahan, F. StewartF. Stewart Stranahan Republican 1892–1894
39 Mansur, Zophar M.Zophar M. Mansur Republican 1894–1896
40 Fisk, Nelson W.Nelson W. Fisk Republican 1896–1898
41 Bates, Henry C.Henry C. Bates Republican 1898–1900
42 Allen, Martin F.Martin F. Allen Republican 1900–1902
43 Stanton, Zed S.Zed S. Stanton Republican 1902–1904
44 Stearns, Charles H.Charles H. Stearns Republican 1904–1906
45 Prouty, George H.George H. Prouty Republican 1906–1908
46 Mead, John A.John A. Mead Republican 1908–1910
47 Slack, Leighton P.Leighton P. Slack Republican 1910–1912
48 Howe, Frank E.Frank E. Howe Republican 1912–1915
49 Darling, Hale K.Hale K. Darling Republican 1915–1917
50 Hulburd, Roger W.Roger W. Hulburd Republican 1917–1919
51 Stone, Mason S.Mason S. Stone Republican 1919–1921
52 Foote, Abram W.Abram W. Foote Republican 1921–1923
53 Billings, Franklin S.Franklin S. Billings Republican 1923–1925
54 Farnsworth, Walter K.Walter K. Farnsworth Republican 1925–1927
55 Jackson, HollisterHollister Jackson Republican 1927–1927
56 Wilson, Stanley C.Stanley C. Wilson Republican 1929–1931
57 Williams, BenjaminBenjamin Williams Republican 1931–1933
58 Smith, Charles M.Charles M. Smith Republican 1933–1935
59 Aiken, George D.George D. Aiken Republican 1935–1937
60 Wills, William H.William H. Wills Republican 1937–1941
61 Proctor, Mortimer R.Mortimer R. Proctor Republican 1941–1945
62 Emerson, Lee E.Lee E. Emerson Republican 1945–1949
63 Arthur, Harold J.Harold J. Arthur Republican 1949–1950
64 Johnson, Joseph B.Joseph B. Johnson Republican 1951–1955
65 Bailey, Consuelo N.Consuelo N. Bailey Republican 1955–1957
66 Stafford, Robert T.Robert T. Stafford Republican 1957–1959
67 Babcock, Robert S.Robert S. Babcock Republican 1959–1961
68 Foote, Ralph A.Ralph A. Foote Republican 1961–1965
69 Daley, John J.John J. Daley Democratic 1965–1969
70 Hayes, Thomas L.Thomas L. Hayes Republican 1969–1971
71 Burgess, John S.John S. Burgess Republican 1971–1975
72 Burns, Brian D.Brian D. Burns Democratic 1975–1977
73 Buckley, T. GarryT. Garry Buckley Republican 1977–1979
74 Kunin, Madeleine M.Madeleine M. Kunin Democratic 1979–1983
75 Smith, Peter P.Peter P. Smith Republican 1983–1987
76 Dean, Howard B.Howard B. Dean Democratic 1987–1991
77 Snelling, Barbara W.Barbara W. Snelling Republican 1993–1997
78 Racine, Douglas A.Douglas A. Racine Democratic 1997–2003
79 Dubie, Brian E.Brian E. Dubie Republican 2003–2011
80 Phillip Scott Republican 2011–present

Living former lieutenant governors

As of August 2014, seven former lieutenant governors were alive, the oldest being Barbara W. Snelling (1993–1997, born 1928). The most recent death of a former lieutenant governor was that of T. Garry Buckley (1977–1979), on May 23, 2012. The most recent serving lieutenant governor to die was John S. Burgess (1971–1975) on September 20, 2007.

Lt. GovernorLt. Gubernatorial termDate of birth
Brian D. Burns 1975–1977 November 17, 1939
Madeleine M. Kunin 1979–1983 September 28, 1933
Peter P. Smith 1983–1987 October 31, 1945
Howard Dean 1987–1991 November 17, 1948
Barbara W. Snelling 1993–1997 March 22, 1928
Doug Racine 1997–2003 October 7, 1952
Brian Dubie 2003–2011 March 9, 1959

References

  1. ↑ Newspaper article, Vermont Senate Committee Assignments Finally Out, by Nancy Remsen, Burlington Free Press, January 7, 2011
  2. ↑ permanent Rules of the Vermont Senate, published by Vermont State Senate, 2009 edition, page 4
  3. ↑ Vermont Constitution, Chapter 2, Article 19, U.S. Constitution Online web site, accessed January 2, 2011
  4. ↑ Newspaper article, The Mountain Rule in Vermont, New York Times, February 12, 1895
  5. ↑ Magazine article, Mountain Rule Revisited, by Samuel B. Hand, Vermont History Magazine, published by Vermont Historical Society, Summer/Fall 2003, pages 139 to 151
  6. ↑ Terms of Service, Vermont Lieutenant Governors, Vermont Secretary of State Vermont State Archives and Records Administration, 2011
  7. ↑ General Election Results, Vermont Lieutenant Governor, 1818 to 2011, Vermont Secretary of State, State Archives and Records Administration, 2011

External links