List of speakers of the Michigan House of Representatives

Last updated

Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives
Seal of Michigan.svg
Great Seal of the State of Michigan
Matt Hall in 2024.jpg
Incumbent
Matt Hall
since January 8, 2025
Michigan House of Representatives
Style The Honorable
AppointerElected by the Michigan House of Representatives
Inaugural holder Ezra Convis
Succession Fifth

This is a complete list of the speakers of the Michigan House of Representatives. Elected by the members of the House, the Speaker is the presiding officer of that body. In addition to duties as chair, the adopted rules of the House of Representatives specify other powers and duties of the post. The Speaker is currently elected for a two-year term in the odd-numbered years in which the Legislature convenes. [1]

Several speakers have gone on to pursue and achieve higher office, including as a member of Congress or as Governor of Michigan.

RepresentativeCounty of residenceDistrictSession years
Ezra Convis Calhoun Calhoun1835–1836
Charles W. Whipple Wayne Wayne1837
Kinsley S. Bingham Livingston Livingston1838–1839
Henry Acker Jackson Jackson1840
Philo C. Fuller [2] Lenawee Lenawee1841
John Biddle WayneWayne1841
Kinsley S. Bingham LivingstonLivingston1842
Robert McClelland Monroe Monroe1843
Edwin H. Lothrop Kalamazoo Kalamazoo1844
Alfred H. Hanscom Oakland Oakland1845
Isaac E. Crary CalhounCalhoun1846
George W. Peck LivingstonLivingston1847
Alexander W. Buel WayneWayne1848
Leander Chapman JacksonJackson1849
Silas G. Harris Ottawa Ottawa/Kent1850
Jefferson G. Thurber MonroeMonroe1851
Daniel G. Quackenboss Lenawee1st Lenawee1853
Cyrus Lovell Ionia Ionia1855
Byron G. Stout Oakland1st Oakland1857–1858
Henry A. Shaw Eaton 1st Eaton1859
Dexter Mussey Macomb 3rd Macomb1861–1862
Sullivan M. Cutcheon Washtenaw 1st Washtenaw1863–1864
Gilbert E. Read Kalamazoo1st Kalamazoo1865
P. Dean Warner Oakland3rd Oakland1867
Jonathan J. Woodman Van Buren 1st Van Buren1869–1872
Charles M. Croswell Lenawee4th Lenawee1873–1874
John P. Hoyt Tuscola Tuscola1875
John T. Rich Lapeer 1st Lapeer1877–1879
Seth C. Moffatt Grand Traverse Gd. Traverse/Wexford1881–1882
Sumner Howard Genesee 1st Genesee1883
Newcomb Clark Bay 2nd Bay1885
Daniel P. Markey Ogemaw Ogemaw1887
Gerrit J. Diekema Ottawa1st Ottawa1889
Philip B. Wachtel Cheboygan Cheboygan1891–1892
William A. Tateum Kent 1st Kent1893
William D. Gordon Midland Midland1895–1898
Edgar J. Adams Kent1st Kent1899–1900
John J. Carton Genesee2nd Genesee1901–1903
Sheridan F. Master Kalamazoo1st Kalamazoo1905
Nicholas J. Whelan Ottawa1st Ottawa1907
Colin P. Campbell Kent3rd Kent1909
Herbert F. Baker CheboyganCheboygan1911–1912
Gilbert A. Currie MidlandMidland1913
Charles Wallace Smith LapeerLapeer1915
Wayne R. Rice Newaygo Newaygo1917
Thomas Read Oceana Oceana1919
Fred L. Warner IoniaIonia1921–1922
George W. Welsh Kent1st Kent1923
Fred B. Wells Cass Cass1925–1926
Lynn C. Gardner LivingstonLivingston1927
Fred R. Ming CheboyganCheboygan1929–1932
Martin R. Bradley Menominee Menominee1933–1934
George A. Schroeder Wayne1st Wayne1935–1938
Howard Nugent Huron Huron1939–1946
Victor A. Knox Chippewa Chippewa1947–1952
Wade Van Valkenburg Kalamazoo1st Kalamazoo1953–1956
George Van Peursem OttawaOttawa1957–1958
Don R. Pears Berrien 1st Berrien1959–1962
Allison Green TuscolaTuscola1963–1964
Joseph J. Kowalski Wayne 19 [3] 1965–1966
Robert E. Waldron Wayne 1 1967–1968
William A. Ryan Wayne 3 1969–1974
Bobby Crim Genesee 82 1975–1982
Gary Owen Washtenaw 22 1983–1988
Lewis N. Dodak Saginaw 86 1989–1992
Curtis Hertel [4] Wayne 2 1993–1994
Paul Hillegonds [4] [5] Allegan 88 1993–1996
Curtis Hertel Wayne 2 1997–1998
Charles R. Perricone Kalamazoo 61 1999–2000
Rick Johnson Osceola 102 2001–2004
Craig DeRoche Oakland 38 2005–2006
Andy Dillon Wayne 17 2007–2010
James "Jase" Bolger Calhoun 63 2011–2014
Kevin Cotter Isabella 99 2015–2016
Tom Leonard Clinton 93 2017–2018
Lee Chatfield Emmet 107 2019–2020
Jason Wentworth Clare 97 2021–2022
Joe Tate Wayne 2 2023–2025
Matt Hall Kalamazoo 42 2025-present

See also

References

  1. Michigan Manual: Chapter III—The Legislative Branch: Speakers, Pro Tempore and Clerks of the House of Representatives 1835-2011
  2. Resigned April 3, 1841; succeeded by John Biddle
  3. The Apportionment and Districting Plan of 1964 changed the method of naming legislative districts by counties to a numbering system . Under the previous system, the county was the basis for the district name, and each county, if qualified, had numbered districts within its borders . See Const . 1835, art . 4, §§3, 4; Const . 1850, art . 4, §§3, 4; Const . 1963, art . 4, §3.
  4. 1 2 Elected co-speaker of the house January 13, 1993 . Pursuant to the Standing Rules of the House of Representatives and the Democratic/Republican Leadership Agreement re Organization of the Michigan House of Representatives, both ratified by resolutions adopted January 13, 1993, Democratic and Republican co-speakers were elected by the Michigan House of Representatives and authorized to act as presiding officer of the house during alternating months until the election of a speaker by at least 56 votes or the conclusion of the 87th Legislature on December 31, 1994 . See 1993 Journal of the House (No . 1, January 13, 1993)
  5. Elected Speaker of the House January 11, 1995