List of presidents pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate explained

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.[1] 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,[2] but after the constitution of 1875 was adopted, which provided for a lieutenant governor who was to be the president of the Senate,[3] this office became known as the president pro tempore (or "temporary president") of the Nebraska Senate.[4] 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.[5] Ten individuals served as president of the Nebraska Territorial Council during its twelve sessions[6] 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.[7]

NameSession startSession endCounty of residencePartyNotes
1Jan 16, 1855Mar 16, 1855Richardson
2Dec 18, 1855Jan 26, 1856Burt
3Jan 5, 1857Feb 18, 1857DouglasDem[8]
4Dec 8, 1857Jan 16, 1858DouglasDemRemained president of the minority faction that remained at Omaha[9]
Jan 8, 1858Jan 16, 1858DouglasDemElected president of the majority faction that went to Florence[10]
5Sep 21, 1858Nov 4, 1858SarpyDem
6Dec 5, 1859Jan 13, 1860CassDem
7Dec 3, 1860Jan 11, 1861OtoeRep
8Dec 2, 1861Jan 10, 1862DakotaRep
9Jan 7, 1864Feb 15, 1864Washington
10Jan 5, 1865Feb 13, 1865OtoeRepLater served as a Nebraska Supreme Court justice
11Jan 4, 1866Feb 12, 1866
12Jan 10, 1867Feb 18, 1867DodgeLater 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 residencePartyNotes
11866DecaturRep
21867–1868Dodge CountyPreviously served as the last president of the Territorial Council
31869–1870Douglas CountyRep
41871Richardson CountyRep
51871–1872Douglas CountyBriefly was acting governor in 1872 as president while Acting Governor William H. James was absent from the state.
61873–1874OmahaRep
71875BeatriceRep
81876North PlatteRep

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 LieutenantGovernor 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 residenceParty[11] Notes
91877–1878FremontRep
101879–1880FremontRep
111881–1882SuttonRep
121883–1884KearneyRep
131885–1886HoweRepLater served as the 15th president pro tempore
141887–1888FullertonRepLater served as the Nebraska Lieutenant Governor
151889–1890HoweRepPreviously served as the 13th president pro tempore
161891–1892AlbionFusLater served as Governor of Nebraska
171893–1894HebronRep
181895–1896Nebraska CityRepPreviously served as the speaker of the Nebraska House of Representatives
191897–1898OmahaFus
201899–1900LincolnRep
211901–1902FairburyRepServed 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 Senate
221903–1904Grand IslandRep
231905–1906DavenportRep
241907–1908OmahaRepLater served as the 32nd president pro tempore; son of Alvin Saunders
251909–1910HastingsDem
261911–1912Falls CityDemServed 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 Nebraska
271913–1914FullertonRep
281915–1916WayneDem
291917–1918Nebraska CityDem
301919–1920KimballRep
311921–1922SewardRep
321923–1924OmahaRepPreviously served as the 24th president pro tempore; son of Alvin Saunders
331925–1926OmahaRep
341927–1928HendersonRep
351929–1930OmahaRep
361931–1932NorfolkRep
371933–1934BayardDem
381935Clay CenterDemResigned from the Nebraska Senate
391935–1936OaklandDem

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Nebraska Blue Book 2022-23. State of Nebraska. 2023. 394.
  2. Web site: Nebraska Constitution of 1866, Article III, Section 17.
  3. Book: The Nebraska Blue Book and Historical Register 1915. Constitution of the State of Nebraska, Article V, Section 17. 168.
  4. Book: The Nebraska Blue Book and Historical Register 1915. Constitution of the State of Nebraska, Article III, Section 7. 163.
  5. Book: Andreas, A. T.. History of the State of Nebraska. The Western Historical Company. 1882. The First Legislature.
  6. Book: The Nebraska Blue Book and Historical Register 1915. Territorial Legislatures. 21-29.
  7. Book: Andreas, A. T.. History of the State of Nebraska. The Western Historical Company. 1882. The Florence Secession.
  8. Book: History of Nebraska: A Revised Edition. J. Sterling. Morton. Albert. Watkins. 1918. Western Publishing and Engraving Company. 287.
  9. Book: Andreas, A. T.. History of the State of Nebraska. The Western Historical Company. 1882. The Florence Secession. Mr. Reeves moved that the Council adjourn to meet at Florence.... President George L. Miller decided that he could not entertain the motion.... Mr. Reeves appealed from this ruling, and, by a vote of 8 nays to 4 ayes, the ruling was not sustained. The President still refused to submit to the dictation of those who were clearly acting in violation of parliamentary practice, as well as law..
  10. Book: Andreas, A. T.. History of the State of Nebraska. The Western Historical Company. 1882. The Florence Secession. The seceding branch met at Florence, from which place they addressed a resolution to Acting Gov. Cuming ... [with] the signatures of 'J. H. Decker, Speaker of the House of Representatives,' and 'Leavitt L. Bowen, President of the Council' ....
  11. Book: The Nebraska Blue Book 1936. 1936. State of Nebraska. 167. From 1877 to date, both houses have been republican, except in 1891, 1893, and 1907 [''sic'', this should have said 1897], when the populist and democratic parties controlled both houses; in 1909, 1911, 1915, 1917, 1933 and 1935 when both houses were controlled by the democratic party; and in 1913 when the House was democratic and the Senate republican.