# Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly

The Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly is the presiding officer of the Wisconsin State Assembly, the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Article IV of the Constitution of Wisconsin, ratified in 1848, establishes the legislature and specifies the election of officers. The role and responsibilities of the speaker are defined in the Assembly Rules, originally in Rule 1, and also, under the present rules, Rule 3.

## Selection

The speaker is chosen by a majority vote of the Assembly members at the start of each session or whenever a vacancy occurs in the role during a session, as such, the speaker is almost always the de facto leader of the Assembly's majority party. A speaker pro tempore is elected concurrent with the election of the speaker, to carry out the speaker's duties in his or her absence. Unlike the United States House of Representatives, the rules of the Assembly require that the speaker and speaker pro tempore be elected from among the members of the Assembly.

## Powers and duties

The speaker is empowered to make all Assembly committee assignments and office assignments for members, and supervises all officers of the Assembly. The speaker is required to authenticate all acts, orders, or proceedings from the Assembly, and, with the countersignature of the chief clerk, issues all subpoenas on behalf of the Assembly or its committees.

## Current Speaker

The current Speaker of the Assembly for the 105th Wisconsin Legislature is Robin Vos of Burlington, Racine County, Wisconsin. He is the 79th speaker since the establishment of the State Assembly and the 75th person to hold the office. He is currently serving his fourth term as speaker, first elected to the role on January 7, 2013.
The Speaker pro tempore is Representative Tyler August of Lake Geneva, Walworth County, Wisconsin. This is his third full term in the role after being elected by the caucus in the October 2013.

## List of speakers
### Wisconsin Territory (1836–1848)

| Assembly | Session (years) | Speaker | Party | Residence |
| 1st | 1st Session (1836) | Peter H. Engle | Democratic | Dubuque |
| 1st | 2nd Session (1837 – 1838) | Isaac Leffler | Whig | Des Moines |
| 1st | Special Session (1838) | William B. Sheldon | Democratic | Milwaukee |
| 2nd | 1st Session (1838) | John Wilford Blackstone Sr. | Whig | Iowa County |
| 2nd | 2nd Session (1839) | Lucius Israel Barber | Whig | Milwaukee |
| 2nd | 3rd Session (1839 – 1840) | Edward V. Whiton | Whig | Rock County |
| 2nd | 4th Session (1840) | Nelson Dewey | Democratic | Grant County |
| 3rd | 1st Session (1840 – 1841) | David Newland | Democratic | Iowa County |
| 3rd | 2nd Session (1841 – 1842) | David Newland | Democratic | Iowa County |
| 4th | 1st Session (1842 – 1843) | Albert Gallatin Ellis | Democratic | Portage |
| 4th | 2nd Session (1843 – 1844) | George H. Walker | Democratic | Milwaukee |
| 4th | 3rd Session (1845) | George H. Walker | Democratic | Milwaukee |
| 4th | 4th Session (1846) | Mason C. Darling | Democratic | Fond du Lac |
| 5th | 1st Session (1847) | William Shew | Democratic | Milwaukee |
| 5th | Special Session (1847) | Isaac P. Walker | Democratic | Milwaukee |
| 5th | 2nd Session (1848) | Timothy Burns | Democratic | Iowa County |

### Wisconsin State Assembly (1848–Present)

| Order | Legislature (years) | Speaker | Party | Residence | Notes |
| 1 | 1st (1848) | Ninian E. Whiteside | Democratic | Belmont, Lafayette County | |
| 2 | 2nd (1849) | Harrison Carroll Hobart | Democratic | Sheboygan, Sheboygan County | |
| 3 | 3rd (1850) | Moses M. Strong | Democratic | Mineral Point, Iowa County | |
| 4 | 4th (1851) | Frederick W. Horn | Democratic | Cedarburg, Washington County | |
| 5 | 5th (1852) | James McMillan Shafter | Whig | Sheboygan, Sheboygan County | |
| 6 | 6th (1853) | Henry L. Palmer | Democratic | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | |
| 7 | 7th (1854) | Frederick W. Horn | Democratic | Cedarburg, Ozaukee County | |
| 8 | 8th (1855) | Charles C. Sholes | Republican | Kenosha, Kenosha County | |
| 9 | 9th (1856) | William Hull | Democratic | Potosi, Grant County | |
| 10 | 10th (1857) | Wyman Spooner | Republican | Elkhorn, Walworth County | |
| 11 | 11th (1858) | Frederick S. Lovell | Republican | Kenosha, Kenosha County | |
| 12 | 12th (1859) | William P. Lyon | Republican | Racine, Racine County | |
| 12 | 13th (1860) | William P. Lyon | Republican | Racine, Racine County | |
| 13 | 14th (1861) | Amasa Cobb | Republican | Mineral Point, Iowa County | |
| 14 | 15th (1862) | Joseph W. Beardsley | Union Democrat | Prescott, Pierce County | |
| 15 | 16th (1863) | J. Allen Barber | Republican | Lancaster, Grant County | |
| 16 | 17th (1864) | William W. Field | Union | Fennimore, Grant County | |
| 16 | 18th (1865) | William W. Field | Union | Fennimore, Grant County | |
| 17 | 19th (1866) | Henry D. Barron | Republican | St. Croix Falls, Polk County | |
| 18 | 20th (1867) | Angus Cameron | Republican | La Crosse, La Crosse County | |
| 19 | 21st (1868) | Alexander McDonald Thomson | Republican | Janesville, Rock County | |
| 19 | 22nd (1869) | Alexander McDonald Thomson | Republican | Janesville, Rock County | |
| 20 | 23rd (1870) | James M. Bingham | Republican | Palmyra, Jefferson County | |
| 21 | 24th (1871) | William E. Smith | Republican | Fox Lake, Dodge County | |
| 22 | 25th (1872) | Daniel Hall | Republican | Watertown, Jefferson County | |
| 23 | 26th (1873) | Henry D. Barron | Republican | St. Croix Falls, Polk County | |
| 24 | 27th (1874) | Gabriel Bouck | Democratic | Oshkosh, Winnebago County | |
| 25 | 28th (1875) | Frederick W. Horn | Democratic | Cedarburg, Ozaukee County | |
| 26 | 29th (1876) | Sam S. Fifield | Republican | Ashland, Ashland County | |
| 27 | 30th (1877) | John B. Cassoday | Republican | Janesville, Rock County | |
| 28 | 31st (1878) | Augustus Barrows | Greenbacker | Chippewa Falls, Chippewa County | |
| 29 | 32nd (1879) | David M. Kelly | Republican | Green Bay, Brown County | |
| 30 | 33rd (1880) | Alexander A. Arnold | Republican | Galesville, Trempealeau County | |
| 31 | 34th (1881) | Ira B. Bradford | Republican | Augusta, Eau Claire County | |
| 32 | 35th (1882) | Franklin L. Gilson | Republican | Ellsworth, Pierce County | |
| 33 | 36th (1883 – 1884) | Earl P. Finch | Democratic | Oshkosh, Winnebago County | |
| 34 | 37th (1885 – 1886) | Hiram Orlando Fairchild | Republican | Marinette, Marinette County | |
| 35 | 38th (1887 – 1888) | Thomas Brooks Mills | Republican | Millston, Jackson County | |
| 35 | 39th (1889 – 1890) | Thomas Brooks Mills | Republican | Millston, Jackson County | |
| 36 | 40th (1891 – 1892) | James J. Hogan | Democratic | La Crosse, La Crosse County | |
| 37 | 41st (1893 – 1894) | Edward Keogh | Democratic | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | |
| 38 | 42nd (1895 – 1896) | George B. Burrows | Republican | Madison, Dane County | |
| 39 | 43rd (1897 – 1898) | George A. Buckstaff | Republican | Oshkosh, Winnebago County | |
| 40 | 44th (1899 – 1900) | George H. Ray | Republican | La Crosse, La Crosse County | |
| 40 | 45th (1901 – 1902) | George H. Ray | Republican | La Crosse, La Crosse County | |
| 41 | 46th (1903 – 1904) | Irvine Lenroot | Republican | West Superior, Douglas County | |
| 41 | 47th (1905 – 1906) | Irvine Lenroot | Republican | West Superior, Douglas County | |
| 42 | 48th (1907 – 1908) | Herman L. Ekern | Republican | Whitehall, Trempealeau County | |
| 43 | 49th (1909 – 1910) | Levi H. Bancroft | Republican | Richland Center, Richland County | |
| 44 | 50th (1911 – 1912) | Charles A. Ingram | Republican | Durand, Pepin County | |
| 45 | 51st (1913 – 1914) | Merlin Hull | Republican | Black River Falls, Jackson County | |
| 46 | 52nd (1915 – 1916) | Lawrence C. Whittet | Republican | Edgerton, Rock County | |
| 46 | 53rd (1917 – 1918) | Lawrence C. Whittet | Republican | Edgerton, Rock County | |
| 47 | 54th (1919 – 1920) | Riley S. Young | Republican | Darien, Walworth County | |
| 47 | 55th (1921 – 1922) | Riley S. Young | Republican | Darien, Walworth County | |
| 48 | 56th (1923 – 1924) | John L. Dahl | Republican | Rice Lake, Barron County | |
| 49 | 57th (1925 – 1926) | Herman W. Sachtjen | Republican | Madison, Dane County | |
| 50 | 57th (1925 – 1926) | George A. Nelson | Republican | Milltown, Polk County | |
| 51 | 58th (1927 – 1928) | John W. Eber | Republican | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | |
| 52 | 59th (1929 – 1930) | Charles B. Perry | Republican | Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County | |
| 52 | 60th (1931 – 1932) | Charles B. Perry | Republican | Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County | |
| 53 | 61st (1933 – 1934) | Cornelius T. Young | Democratic | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | |
| 54 | 62nd (1935 – 1936) | Jorge W. Carow | Progressive | Ladysmith, Rusk County | |
| 55 | 63rd (1937 – 1938) | Paul R. Alfonsi | Progressive | Pence, Iron County | |
| 56 | 64th (1939 – 1940) | Vernon Wallace Thomson | Republican | Richland Center, Richland County | |
| 56 | 65th (1941 – 1942) | Vernon Wallace Thomson | Republican | Richland Center, Richland County | |
| 56 | 66th (1943 – 1944) | Vernon Wallace Thomson | Republican | Richland Center, Richland County | |
| 57 | 67th (1945 – 1946) | Donald C. McDowell | Republican | Soldiers Grove, Crawford County | |
| 57 | 68th (1947 – 1948) | Donald C. McDowell | Republican | Soldiers Grove, Crawford County | |
| 58 | 69th (1949 – 1950) | Alex L. Nicol | Republican | Sparta, Monroe County | |
| 59 | 70th (1951 – 1952) | Ora R. Rice | Republican | Delavan, Walworth County | |
| 59 | 71st (1953 – 1954) | Ora R. Rice | Republican | Delavan, Walworth County | |
| 60 | 72nd (1955 – 1956) | Mark Catlin, Jr. | Republican | Appleton, Outagamie County | |
| 61 | 73rd (1957 – 1958) | Robert G. Marotz | Republican | Shawano, Shawano County | |
| 62 | 74th (1959 – 1960) | George Molinaro | Democratic | Kenosha, Kenosha County | |
| 63 | 75th (1961 – 1962) | David J. Blanchard | Republican | Edgerton, Rock County | |
| 64 | 76th (1963 – 1964) | Robert D. Haase | Republican | Marinette, Marinette County | |
| 65 | 77th (1965 – 1966) | Robert T. Huber | Democratic | West Allis, Milwaukee County | |
| 66 | 78th (1967 – 1968) | Harold Vernon Froehlich | Republican | Appleton, Outagamie County | |
| 66 | 79th (1969 – 1970) | Harold Vernon Froehlich | Republican | Appleton, Outagamie County | |
| 67 | 80th (1971 – 1972) | Robert T. Huber | Democratic | West Allis, Milwaukee County | |
| 68 | 80th (1971 – 1972) | Norman C. Anderson | Democratic | Madison, Dane County | |
| 68 | 81st (1973 – 1974) | Norman C. Anderson | Democratic | Madison, Dane County | |
| 68 | 82nd (1975 – 1976) | Norman C. Anderson | Democratic | Madison, Dane County | |
| 69 | 83rd (1977 – 1978) | Edward G. Jackamonis | Democratic | Waukesha, Waukesha County | |
| 69 | 84th (1979 – 1980) | Edward G. Jackamonis | Democratic | Waukesha, Waukesha County | |
| 69 | 85th (1981 – 1982) | Edward G. Jackamonis | Democratic | Waukesha, Waukesha County | |
| 70 | 86th (1983 – 1984) | Thomas A. Loftus | Democratic | Sun Prairie, Dane County | |
| 70 | 87th (1985 – 1986) | Thomas A. Loftus | Democratic | Sun Prairie, Dane County | |
| 70 | 88th (1987 – 1988) | Thomas A. Loftus | Democratic | Sun Prairie, Dane County | |
| 70 | 89th (1989 – 1990) | Thomas A. Loftus | Democratic | Sun Prairie, Dane County | |
| 71 | 90th (1991 – 1992) | Walter Kunicki | Democratic | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | |
| 71 | 91st (1993 – 1994) | Walter Kunicki | Democratic | Milwaukee, Milwaukee County | |
| 72 | 92nd (1995 – 1996) | David Prosser, Jr. | Republican | Appleton, Outagamie County | |
| 73 | 93rd (1997 – 1998) | Ben Brancel | Republican | Endeavor, Marquette County | |
| 74 | 93rd (1997 – 1998) | Scott R. Jensen | Republican | Waukesha, Waukesha County | |
| 74 | 94th (1999 – 2000) | Scott R. Jensen | Republican | Waukesha, Waukesha County | |
| 74 | 95th (2001 – 2002) | Scott R. Jensen | Republican | Waukesha, Waukesha County | |
| 75 | 96th (2003 – 2004) | John Gard | Republican | Peshtigo, Marinette County | |
| 75 | 97th (2005 – 2006) | John Gard | Republican | Peshtigo, Marinette County | |
| 76 | 98th (2007 – 2008) | Michael Huebsch | Republican | West Salem, La Crosse County | |
| 77 | 99th (2009 – 2010) | Michael J. Sheridan | Democratic | Janesville, Rock County | |
| 78 | 100th (2011 – 2012) | Jeff Fitzgerald | Republican | Horicon, Dodge County | |
| 79 | 101st (2013 – 2014) | Robin Vos | Republican | Burlington, Racine County | Longest-serving speaker |
| 79 | 102nd (2015 – 2016) | Robin Vos | Republican | Burlington, Racine County | Longest-serving speaker |
| 79 | 103rd (2017 – 2018) | Robin Vos | Republican | Burlington, Racine County | Longest-serving speaker |
| 79 | 104th (2019 – 2020) | Robin Vos | Republican | Burlington, Racine County | Longest-serving speaker |
| 79 | 105th (2021 – 2022) | Robin Vos | Republican | Burlington, Racine County | Longest-serving speaker |
| 79 | 106th (2023 – 2024) | Robin Vos | Republican | Burlington, Racine County | Longest-serving speaker |
| 79 | 107th (2025 – 2026) | Robin Vos | Republican | Burlington, Racine County | Longest-serving speaker |