History of Jared Polis in Timeline
Jared Polis is the current governor of Colorado, serving since 2019. Prior to this, he was a U.S. Representative for Colorado's 2nd congressional district for five terms (2009-2019) and served on the Colorado State Board of Education (2001-2007). Notably, he was the only Democratic member of the Liberty Caucus, reflecting a blend of liberal and libertarian viewpoints. He won the gubernatorial election in 2018 and secured reelection in 2022.
May 12, 1975: Jared Polis Born
On May 12, 1975, Jared Schutz Polis was born. He is an American politician and businessman who has served as the 43rd governor of Colorado since 2019.
1975: Born in Boulder, Colorado
In 1975, Jared Polis was born at Boulder Community Hospital in Boulder, Colorado, to Stephen Schutz and Susan Polis Schutz.
1986: Sponsored Aaron's Law
Following the suicide of Aaron Swartz, Polis sponsored Aaron's Law to exclude terms of service violations from the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and from the wire fraud statute.
1996: Graduated from Princeton University
In 1996, Jared Polis graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. in politics. He wrote a senior thesis titled "Paradigm Shift: Politics in the Information Age".
1996: Co-founded bluemountain.com
In 1996, Polis co-founded bluemountain.com, a free electronic greeting card website.
February 1998: Founded ProFlowers
In February 1998, Polis founded ProFlowers, an online florist, in La Jolla, California.
1999: bluemountain.com sold to Excite@Home
In 1999, bluemountain.com was sold to Excite@Home for $430 million in stock and $350 million in cash.
2000: Legally Changed Surname
In 2000, Jared Polis legally changed his surname to his mother's, Polis, to raise awareness for a fundraiser and because he liked it better.
2000: Elected to Colorado State Board of Education
In 2000, Jared Polis was elected at-large as a member of the Colorado State Board of Education.
2001: Elected to Colorado State Board of Education
In 2001, Jared Polis was elected to the Colorado State Board of Education.
December 17, 2003: ProFlowers Goes Public on NASDAQ
On December 17, 2003, ProFlowers, later renamed Provide Commerce, Inc., went public on NASDAQ as PRVD.
2005: Liberty Media Acquires Provide Commerce
In 2005, media conglomerate Liberty Media Corporation acquired Provide Commerce for $477 million.
November 2006: Boulder Valley School District Voters Approved Measure
In November 2006, 58% of Boulder Valley School District voters approved ballot question 3A.
November 2006: Colorado Voters Approve Ethics in Government Amendment
In November 2006, 62.3% of Colorado voters approved the "Ethics in Government" constitutional amendment, which Coloradans for Clean Government supported. Polis served as co-chair.
2006: Founded TechStars
In 2006, Polis and other investors founded TechStars in Boulder, Colorado.
January 2007: End of Term on Colorado State Board of Education
In January 2007, Jared Polis's single six-year term on the Colorado State Board of Education concluded when the district was eliminated.
2007: End of Term on Colorado State Board of Education
In 2007, Jared Polis's term on the Colorado State Board of Education ended.
2007: Co-Chaired "Building for Our Future" Campaign
In 2007, Polis co-chaired the "Building for Our Future" campaign to support ballot question 3A in the Boulder Valley School District.
2008: Elected to Congress as an Openly Gay Man
In 2008, Jared Polis became the first openly gay man elected to Congress as a non-incumbent.
2008: Won Election for Colorado's 2nd Congressional District
In 2008, Polis won a heavily contested Democratic primary election for Colorado's 2nd congressional district and then won the general election with 63% of the vote.
2009: Elected as U.S. Representative
In 2009, Jared Polis was elected as the United States Representative from Colorado's 2nd congressional district.
2010: Supported Resolution to Withdraw Troops from Afghanistan
In 2010, Polis supported a failed resolution to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan within 30 days, stating it was not in the national interest.
2010: Re-elected to the House
In 2010, Polis was re-elected to the House with 57% of the vote.
2011: First Openly Gay Parent in Congress
In 2011, Jared Polis became the first openly gay parent in Congress.
2011: Birth of Son
In 2011, Polis and his husband, Marlon Reis, had a son.
2011: Supported Legalization of Cannabis
In 2011, Polis voiced his support for the legalization of cannabis, drawing a parallel to the failure of alcohol prohibition.
2012: Re-elected to the House
In 2012, Polis was re-elected to the House with 56% of the vote.
2013: Introduced Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act
In 2013, Polis introduced the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act.
August 4, 2014: Withdrew Support for Ballot Measures Targeting Fracking
On August 4, 2014, Polis announced that he would withdraw his support for the two ballot measures targeting hydraulic fracturing.
September 2014: Files Discharge Petition for LGBT Employment Non-Discrimination Act
In September 2014, Polis filed a discharge petition to bring the LGBT Employment Non-Discrimination Act to the House floor for a vote. He also urged Obama to reconsider the inclusion of Malaysia and Brunei in a Trans-Pacific Partnership due to their LGBT rights records.
2014: Birth of Daughter
In 2014, Polis and his husband, Marlon Reis, had a daughter.
2014: Planned to Champion Fracking Ballot Measures
In 2014, Polis planned to champion two ballot measures to limit fracking in Colorado, but the measures were dropped after he reached a deal with Governor John Hickenlooper to create a task force.
2014: Re-elected to the House
In 2014, Polis was re-elected to the House with 57% of the vote.
September 2015: Controversy over University Disciplinary Processes
In September 2015, Polis voiced support for altering university disciplinary processes surrounding campus rape to allow for cases to be judged against a reasonable likelihood standard, leading to controversy. He later apologized for implying support for expelling innocent students.
2015: Introduced Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act
In 2015, Polis introduced the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act.
2016: Re-elected to the House
In 2016, Polis was re-elected to the House with 57% of the vote.
February 2017: Launched Congressional Cannabis Caucus
In February 2017, Polis launched the Congressional Cannabis Caucus along with Representatives Don Young, Earl Blumenauer, and Dana Rohrabacher.
November 6, 2018: Elected Governor of Colorado
On November 6, 2018, Polis was elected governor of Colorado.
2018: First Openly Gay Man Elected Governor
In 2018, Jared Polis became the first openly gay man elected governor of a U.S. state.
2018: Elected Governor of Colorado
In 2018, Jared Polis was elected governor of Colorado.
January 8, 2019: Polis Sworn in as Governor
On January 8, 2019, Polis was sworn in as the governor of Colorado.
June 2019: Signs Bill Banning Conversion Therapy for Minors
In June 2019, Polis signed a bill banning conversion therapy for minors, marking a significant legislative achievement.
June 2019: Named One of Queerty's Pride50
In June 2019, Queerty recognized Polis as one of the Pride50, honoring his active role in advancing equality, acceptance, and dignity for LGBTQ+ individuals on the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
2019: Became Governor of Colorado
In 2019, Jared Polis began serving as the 43rd governor of Colorado.
2019: Opposed Provision in House Bill 1312
In 2019, Polis opposed a major provision in House Bill 1312 that made it harder for parents to seek non-medical vaccine exemptions for their children.
July 2020: Donation to Ilhan Omar's Primary Opponent
In July 2020, Polis donated $1,000 to the primary opponent of Representative Ilhan Omar in her 2020 reelection campaign.
September 2021: Marriage to Marlon Reis
In September 2021, Polis married his longtime partner, Marlon Reis, in a small Jewish Renewal ceremony held at the University of Colorado Boulder.
2021: First Governor in a Same-Sex Marriage
In 2021, Jared Polis became the first governor in a same-sex marriage.
2021: Pardoned Coloradans Convicted of Marijuana Possession
In 2021, Polis pardoned 1,351 Coloradans convicted of marijuana possession.
February 2022: Denounces Anti-Trans Legislation
In February 2022, Polis publicly denounced anti-trans legislation being passed in Republican-controlled states, labeling it as "un-American."
2022: First Openly Gay Man Re-elected and First Governor in a Same-Sex Marriage Elected to a Second Term
In 2022, Jared Polis became the first openly gay man and the first governor in a same-sex marriage elected to a second term in office.
2022: Re-elected Governor of Colorado
In 2022, Jared Polis was re-elected as governor of Colorado.
2022: Described as "The Most Libertarian Governor in America"
In 2022, the libertarian magazine Reason described Polis as "the most libertarian governor in America".
January 7, 2023: Stopped Sending Migrants to Chicago
On January 7, 2023, Polis announced he would no longer send migrants to Chicago via publicly sponsored buses.
April 14, 2023: Signs Health Care Bills Enshrining Access to Abortion and Gender-Affirming Care
On April 14, 2023, Polis signed into law three health care bills in Colorado, ensuring access to abortion, puberty blockers, and gender-affirming surgery for people in Colorado and from surrounding states without fear of prosecution.
July 2023: Instagram Post Referencing Taylor Swift
Before Taylor Swift's Eras Tour arrived in Denver in July 2023, Polis posted a letter on his Instagram account with dozens of her song lyrics as a public declaration of his enjoyment of Taylor Swift's music.
March 2024: Education Funding Speech with Taylor Swift Reference
In March 2024, at a Denver Capitol event on education funding, Polis spoke under a friendship bracelet-themed banner with the words "fully funded era", widely speculated to be a reference to Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.
April 29, 2024: Signs Law Requiring Public Schools to Use Trans Students' Preferred Names
On April 29, 2024, Polis signed a law mandating that public schools use transgender students' preferred names, supporting inclusivity.
August 21, 2024: Speech at Democratic National Convention Referencing Taylor Swift
On August 21, 2024, Polis used lyrics from Taylor Swift's song "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" in his speech at the Democratic National Convention.
January 2025: State of the State Address
In January 2025, during his State of the State address, Polis expressed his hope to collaborate with Trump on border security, while cautioning against actions like deporting American citizens or targeting those with pending legal status. He also addressed the detention of an undocumented immigration and labor activist in Colorado.
April 2025: Criticism of Michigan Governor's Speech on Tariffs
In April 2025, Polis criticized Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's speech regarding potential agreement with President Trump on tariffs, arguing against the use of tariffs as they lead to higher prices and harm American manufacturing.
April 25, 2025: Colorado Senate Overrides Veto of Senate Bill 86
On April 25, 2025, the Colorado Senate overrode Polis's veto of Senate Bill 86, which would require large social media companies to remove accounts involved in illegal activity concerning children under 13.
May 2025: Vetoed Bill Banning Rent-Fixing Algorithms
In May 2025, Polis vetoed a bill that would have banned the use of rent-fixing algorithms.
May 2025: Vetoed Bill Banning Surprise Billing by Ambulance Companies
In May 2025, Polis vetoed a bill unanimously passed by the state legislature that would have banned surprise billing by ambulance companies.
2025: Approval and Disapproval Rates
In 2025, Polis had an approval rate of 41% and a disapproval rate of 52% among Colorado voters.
2026: Legislature Can Override Veto
In 2026, the legislature is able to override the veto from May 2025.
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