Government
Colorado's State Capitol is in Denver, the capital since Colorado became a state in 1876.Colorado is governed under its original constitution of 1876, as amended. Executive authority is vested in the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and treasurer. All are elected for four-year terms.
The state legislature, called the General Assembly, meets annually. It consists of two houses. The Senate has 35 members, elected for four-year terms. The House of Representatives has 65 members, elected for two-year terms.
The judicial system consists of a supreme court and several kinds of lower courts. The judges of all state courts are initially appointed by the governor; they later run on their records for retention.
Colorado is divided into 64 counties. The state is represented in Congress by two senators and seven representatives.
| Governors of Colorado | |||
| Name | Party | Term | |
| John L. Routt | Republican | 1876-1879 | |
| Frederick W. Pitkin | Republican | 1879-1883 | |
| James B. Grant | Democratic | 1883-1885 | |
| Benjamin H. Eaton | Republican | 1885-1887 | |
| Alva Adams | Democratic | 1887-1889 | |
| Job A. Cooper | Republican | 1889-1891 | |
| John L. Routt | Republican | 1891-1893 | |
| Davis H. Waite | Populist | 1893-1895 | |
| Albert W. McIntire | Republican | 1895-1897 | |
| Alva Adams | Democratic | 1897-1899 | |
| Charles S. Thomas | Democratic | 1899-1901 | |
| James B. Orman | Democratic | 1901-1903 | |
| James H. Peabody | Republican | 1903-1905 | |
| Alva Adams | Democratic | 1905 | |
| James H. Peabody | Republican | 1905 | |
| Jesse F. McDonald | Republican | 1905-1907 | |
| Henry A. Buchtel | Republican | 1907-1909 | |
| John F. Shafroth | Democratic | 1909-1913 | |
| Elias M. Ammons | Democratic | 1913-1915 | |
| George A. Carlson | Republican | 1915-1917 | |
| Julius C. Gunter | Democratic | 1917-1919 | |
| Oliver H. Shoup | Republican | 1919-1923 | |
| William E. Sweet | Democratic | 1923-1925 | |
| Clarence J. Morley | Republican | 1925-1927 | |
| William H. Adams | Democratic | 1927-1933 | |
| Edwin C. Johnson | Democratic | 1933-1937 | |
| Ray H. Talbot | Democratic | 1937 | |
| Teller Ammons | Democratic | 1937-1939 | |
| Ralph L. Carr | Republican | 1939-1943 | |
| John C. Vivian | Republican | 1943-1947 | |
| W. Lee Knous | Democratic | 1947-1950 | |
| Walter W. Johnson | Democratic | 1950-1951 | |
| Dan Thornton | Republican | 1951-1955 | |
| Edwin C. Johnson | Democratic | 1955-1957 | |
| Stephen L. R. McNichols | Democratic | 1957-1963 | |
| John A. Love | Republican | 1963-1973 | |
| John D. Vanderhoof | Republican | 1973-1975 | |
| Richard D. Lamm | Democratic | 1975-1987 | |
| Roy Romer | Democratic | 1987-1999 | |
| Bill Owens | Republican | 1999-2007 | |
| Bill Ritter | Democratic | 2007- | |
