California State Senate Pro Tem
Encyclopedia
The President pro tempore of the California State Senate is the highest ranking leader and most powerful member of the Senate. He or she also chairs the Senate Rules Committee. At the beginning of each two-year session, all Senators elect a new President pro tempore.
| Year | President Pro Tem | Political Party |
|---|---|---|
| 1849 | E. Kirby Chamberlain | Nonpartisan |
| 1851 | Elcan Heydenfeldt | Whig |
| 1852 | Benjamin F. Keene | Democrat |
| 1853 | Benjamin F. Keene | Democrat |
| 1854 | Benjamin F. Keene | Democrat |
| 1855 | Royal T. Sprague | Democrat |
| 1856 | Delos R. Ashley | American |
| 1857 | Samuel H. Dosh | Democrat |
| 1858 | Samuel A. Merritt | Democrat |
| 1859 | W. B. Dickinson | Democrat |
| 1860 | Isaac N. Quinn | Democrat |
| 1860 | Charles J. Lansing | Democrat |
| 1861 | Richard Irwin | Douglass Democrat |
| 1862 | James McMillan Shafter James McMillan Shafter James McMillan Shafter was an American politician serving in Vermont, Wisconsin, and California.Born in Athens, Vermont, Shafter graduated from Wesleyan University and was admitted to the Vermont bar. In 1841, he served in the Vermont House of Representatives and from 1842 to 1849, Shafter was the... |
Republican |
| 1863 | A. M. Crane | Union |
| 1864 | R. Burnell | Union |
| 1866 | S. P. Wright | Union |
| 1868 | Lansing B. Mizner | Union |
| 1870 | Edward J. Lewis | Democrat |
| 1872 | James T. Farley | Democrat |
| 1874 | William Irwin | Democrat |
| 1876 | Benjamin F. Tuttle | Democrat |
| 1878 | Edward J. Lewis | Democrat |
| 1880 | George F. Baker | Republican |
| 1881 | William Johnston | Republican |
| 1883 | R. F. Del Valle | Democrat |
| 1885 | Benjamin Knight, Jr. | Democrat |
| 1887 | Stephen M. White | Democrat |
| 1889 | Stephen M. White | Democrat |
| 1891 | Thomas Fraser | Republican |
| 1893 | R. B. Carpenter | Republican |
| 1895 | Thomas Flint, Jr. | Republican |
| 1897 | Thomas Flint, Jr. | Republican |
| 1899 | Thomas Flint, Jr. | Republican |
| 1901 | Thomas Flint, Jr. | Republican |
| 1903 | Thomas Flint, Jr. | Republican |
| 1905 | Edward I. Wolfe | Republican |
| 1907 | Edward I. Wolfe | Republican |
| 1909 | Edward I. Wolfe | Republican |
| 1911 | A. E. Boynton | Republican |
| 1913 | A. E. Boynton | Republican |
| 1915 | N. W. Thompson | Republican |
| 1917 | Arthur H. Breed | Republican |
| 1919 | Arthur H. Breed | Republican |
| 1921 | Arthur H. Breed | Republican |
| 1923 | Arthur H. Breed | Republican |
| 1925 | Arthur H. Breed | Republican |
| 1927 | Arthur H. Breed | Republican |
| 1929 | Arthur H. Breed | Republican |
| 1931 | Arthur H. Breed | Republican |
| 1933 | Arthur H. Breed | Republican |
| 1935 | William P. Rich | Republican |
| 1937 | William P. Rich | Republican |
| 1939 | Jerrold L. Seawell | Republican |
| 1943 | Jerrold L. Seawell | Republican |
| 1945 | Jerrold L. Seawell | Republican |
| 1947 | Harold J. Powers | Republican |
| 1948 | Harold J. Powers | Republican |
| 1949 | Harold J. Powers | Republican |
| 1950 | Harold J. Powers | Republican |
| 1951 | Harold J. Powers | Republican |
| 1952 | Harold J. Powers | Republican |
| 1953 | Harold J. Powers | Republican |
| 1954 | Clarence C. Ward | Republican |
| 1955 | Clarence C. Ward | Republican |
| 1955 | Ben Hulse | Republican |
| 1956 | Ben Hulse | Republican |
| 1957 | Hugh M. Burns | Democrat |
| 1958 | Hugh M. Burns | Democrat |
| 1959 | Hugh M. Burns | Democrat |
| 1960 | Hugh M. Burns | Democrat |
| 1961 | Hugh M. Burns | Democrat |
| 1962 | Hugh M. Burns | Democrat |
| 1963 | Hugh M. Burns | Democrat |
| 1964 | Hugh M. Burns | Democrat |
| 1965 | Hugh M. Burns | Democrat |
| 1966 | Hugh M. Burns | Democrat |
| 1967 | Hugh M. Burns | Democrat |
| 1968 | Hugh M. Burns | Democrat |
| 1969 | Hugh M. Burns | Democrat |
| 1969 | Howard Way | Republican |
| 1970 | Howard Way | Republican |
| 1970 | Jack Schrade | Republican |
| 1971 | James R. Mills | Democrat |
| 1972 | James R. Mills | Democrat |
| 1973 | James R. Mills | Democrat |
| 1975 | James R. Mills | Democrat |
| 1977 | James R. Mills | Democrat |
| 1979 | James R. Mills | Democrat |
| 1981 | David A. Roberti | Democrat |
| 1983 | David A. Roberti | Democrat |
| 1985 | David A. Roberti | Democrat |
| 1987 | David A. Roberti | Democrat |
| 1989 | David A. Roberti | Democrat |
| 1991 | David A. Roberti | Democrat |
| 1993 | David A. Roberti | Democrat |
| 1994 | Bill Lockyer Bill Lockyer William Westwood "Bill" Lockyer is an American politician. He is the current 32nd State Treasurer of California, elected in 2006 and re-elected in 2010. He has also served as California Attorney General and President Pro Tempore of the California State Senate... |
Democrat |
| 1995 | Bill Lockyer | Democrat |
| 1997 | Bill Lockyer | Democrat |
| 1998 | John L. Burton John L. Burton John Lowell Burton is the current Chairman of the California Democratic Party. He is an American politician who served as a Democratic California State Senator from 1996 until 2004, representing the 3rd district. From 1998 until he was forced out of office by term limits in 2004, he served as the... |
Democrat |
| 1999 | John L. Burton | Democrat |
| 2001 | John L. Burton | Democrat |
| 2003 | John L. Burton | Democrat |
| 2004 | Don Perata Don Perata Don Richard Perata is a California Democratic politician, who was President pro tempore of the California State Senate from 2004 to 2008. He came in second place in the November 2010 ballot for Mayor of Oakland... |
Democrat |
| 2005 | Don Perata | Democrat |
| 2007 | Don Perata | Democrat |
| 2009 | Darrell Steinberg Darrell Steinberg Darrell Steven Steinberg is a Democratic politician from Sacramento, California. He is currently serving his second term in the California State Senate, representing the 6th District. He has been the Senate President Pro Tem since 2008... |
Democrat |
| 2011 | Darrell Steinberg | Democrat |
External links
- Record of State Senators—1849–2006 from the California State SenateCalifornia State SenateThe California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...