Bill Ritter (politician)
| Bill Ritter | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 41st Governor of Colorado | |
|
In office January 9, 2007 – January 11, 2011 |
|
| Lieutenant | Barbara O’Brien |
| Preceded by | Bill Owens |
| Succeeded by | John Hickenlooper |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August William Ritter September 6, 1956 Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Jeannie Ritter |
| Children | August Abe Sam Tally |
| Alma mater |
Colorado State University University of Colorado, Boulder |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Signature |  |
August William "Bill" Ritter (born September 6, 1956) is an American politician. He was the 41st Governor of the state of Colorado, from 2007 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election in 2006, he served as the district attorney for Denver. He was the first native-born governor of Colorado since 1975, as well as being the first Democratic governor to serve with a Democratic majority in the Colorado General Assembly in 50 years. Ritter did not run for a second term as Governor in 2010. He was replaced by fellow Democrat John Hickenlooper.
Ritter was born in Denver and raised on a farm in far eastern Aurora among his 11 brothers and sisters (he was born sixth). He attended Gateway High School while he lived in Aurora. He also attended St. Anthony Catholic High School in San Antonio, Texas from 1970–1972. His father, Bill, was a heavy equipment operator in the construction industry. His mother, Ethel, was a homemaker until the family began to struggle economically and she found work as a bookkeeper when Ritter was a young teenager. At 14 years old, he went to work full-time in the construction industry, and joined a local labor union. He continued to work in the construction field, which ended up financing his college education (along with student loans). He enrolled in Colorado State University and completed a bachelor's degree, and then pursued a degree at the University of Colorado School of Law in Boulder. By 1981, he had earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) and was hired as a Deputy District Attorney in the Denver District Attorney's Office.
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