List of governors of Idaho

The Governor of Idaho is the head of the executive branch of Idaho's state government[2] and commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[3] The governor has the duty to see state laws are executed, power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Idaho Legislature.[3]

Governor of Idaho
Great Seal of the State of Idaho
Incumbent
Brad Little
since January 7, 2019
ResidenceNone
Term lengthFour years, no term limit
Inaugural holderGeorge L. Shoup
FormationOctober 1, 1890
DeputyJanice McGeachin
Salary$117,000 (2013)[1]
Websitegov.idaho.gov

Idaho Territory had 16 territorial governors appointed by the President of the United States from the territory's organization in 1863 until the formation of the state of Idaho in 1890. Four of these never took office, resigning before reaching the territory.

31 individuals have held the office of governor of Idaho since the state's admission to the Union in 1890, two of whom—C. A. Bottolfsen and Cecil Andrus—served non-consecutive terms. The state's first governor, George L. Shoup, had the shortest term of three months, and Cecil Andrus served as governor the longest at 14 years. 4 governors resigned, but none have died while in office. The current governor is Republican Brad Little, who took office on January 7, 2019.

Governors

Governors of the Territory of Idaho

Idaho Territory was created from Dakota Territory, Nebraska Territory, and Washington Territory on March 4, 1863.[4]

Due to the long distance between Washington, D.C. and Boise, there was often a lengthy gap between a governor being appointed and his arrival in the territory; four resigned before even arriving.

Governors of the Territory of Idaho
No. Governor Term in office Appointed by Notes
1 William H. Wallace July 1863[5][6]
–
December 1863[5]		 Abraham Lincoln [lower-alpha 1]
2 Caleb Lyon August 1, 1864[5][6]
–
April 1866[8]
3 David W. Ballard June 14, 1866[9]
–
July 1870[10]		 Andrew Johnson
— Samuel Bard Appointed March 30, 1870[11] Ulysses S. Grant [lower-alpha 2]
— Gilman Marston Appointed June 7, 1870[11] [lower-alpha 3]
— Alexander H. Conner Appointed January 12, 1871[11] [lower-alpha 4]
4 Thomas M. Bowen July 1871[12]
–
August 15, 1871[12]		 [lower-alpha 5]
5 Thomas W. Bennett December 1871[13]
–
December 4, 1875[14]		 [lower-alpha 6]
6 David P. Thompson April 1876[16]
–
May 1876[16]		 [lower-alpha 7]
7 Mason Brayman July 1876[17]
–
July 24, 1880[18]		 [lower-alpha 8]
— John Philo Hoyt Appointed June 8, 1878[20]
Appointed August 7, 1878[21]		 Rutherford B. Hayes [lower-alpha 9]
8 John Baldwin Neil August 3, 1880[22]
–
March 2, 1883[23]
9 John N. Irwin April 1883[24]
–
December 20, 1883[24]		 Chester A. Arthur [lower-alpha 10]
10 William M. Bunn June 26, 1884[26]
–
July 3, 1885[27]		 [lower-alpha 11]
11 Edward A. Stevenson September 29, 1885[28]
–
April 1, 1889[29]		 Grover Cleveland
12 George L. Shoup April 30, 1889[30]
–
July 3, 1890		 Benjamin Harrison

Governors of the State of Idaho

Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890. Since then, the state has had 32 governors, two of whom served non-consecutive terms. The terms for governor and lieutenant governor are 4 years, commencing on the first Monday in the January following the election.[31] Prior to 1946, the offices were elected to terms of two years.[32] If the office of governor is vacant or the governor is out of state or unable to discharge his duties, the lieutenant governor acts as governor until such time as the disability is removed.[33] If both the offices of governor and lieutenant governor are vacant or both those officers are unable to fulfill their duties, the President pro tempore of the Idaho Senate is next in line, and then the Speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives.[34] After the change to four-year terms, self-succession (re-election) was not initially allowed; newly elected Governor Robert E. Smylie, formerly the state's attorney general, successfully lobbied the 1955 legislature to propose an amendment to the state constitution to allow gubernatorial re-election, which was approved by voters in the 1956 general election.[35][36] There is no limit to the number of terms a governor may serve.[37]

Governors of the State of Idaho
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor[lower-alpha 12]
1   George L. Shoup October 1, 1890
–
December 18, 1890
(resigned)[lower-alpha 13]		 Republican 1890   N. B. Willey
2 N. B. Willey December 18, 1890
–
January 2, 1893
(not candidate for election)		 Republican Lieutenant
Governor
acting as
Governor		 John S. Gray
3 William J. McConnell January 2, 1893
–
January 4, 1897
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1892 F. B. Willis
1894 F. J. Mills
4 Frank Steunenberg January 4, 1897
–
January 7, 1901
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic[lower-alpha 14] 1896 George F. Moore[lower-alpha 14]
1898 J. H. Hutchinson[lower-alpha 14]
5 Frank W. Hunt January 7, 1901
–
January 5, 1903
(lost election)		 Democratic 1900 Thomas F. Terrell
6 John T. Morrison January 5, 1903
–
January 2, 1905
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1902 James M. Stevens
7 Frank R. Gooding January 2, 1905
–
January 4, 1909
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1904 Burpee L. Steeves
1906 Ezra A. Burrell
8 James H. Brady January 4, 1909
–
January 2, 1911
(lost election)		 Republican 1908 Lewis H. Sweetser
9 James H. Hawley January 2, 1911
–
January 6, 1913
(lost election)		 Democratic 1910
10 John M. Haines January 6, 1913
–
January 4, 1915
(lost election)		 Republican 1912 Herman H. Taylor[lower-alpha 15]
11 Moses Alexander January 4, 1915
–
January 6, 1919
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic 1914
1916 Ernest L. Parker
12 D. W. Davis January 6, 1919
–
January 1, 1923
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1918 Charles C. Moore
1920
13 Charles C. Moore January 1, 1923
–
January 3, 1927
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1922 H. C. Baldridge
1924
14 H. C. Baldridge January 3, 1927
–
January 5, 1931
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1926 O. E. Hailey
1928 W. B. Kinne
(died October 1, 1929)
Vacant
O. E. Hailey
(appointed October 25, 1929)
15 C. Ben Ross January 5, 1931
–
January 4, 1937
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic 1930 G. P. Mix
1932 George Hill
1934 G. P. Mix
16 Barzilla W. Clark January 4, 1937
–
January 2, 1939
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic 1936 Charles C. Gossett
17 C. A. Bottolfsen January 2, 1939
–
January 6, 1941
(lost election)		 Republican 1938 Donald S. Whitehead
18 Chase A. Clark January 6, 1941
–
January 4, 1943
(lost election)		 Democratic 1940 Charles C. Gossett
19 C. A. Bottolfsen January 4, 1943
–
January 1, 1945
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1942 Edwin Nelson
20 Charles C. Gossett January 1, 1945
–
November 17, 1945
(resigned)[lower-alpha 16]		 Democratic 1944 Arnold Williams
21 Arnold Williams November 17, 1945
–
January 6, 1947
(lost election)		 Democratic Lieutenant
Governor
acting as
Governor		 Vacant
A. R. McCabe
(appointed March 20, 1946)
22 C. A. Robins January 6, 1947
–
January 1, 1951
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1946
[lower-alpha 17]		 Donald S. Whitehead
23 Leonard B. Jordan January 1, 1951
–
January 3, 1955
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1950 Edson H. Deal
24 Robert E. Smylie January 3, 1955
–
January 2, 1967
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1954 J. Berkeley Larsen
1958 W. E. Drevlow[lower-alpha 18]
1962
25 Don Samuelson January 2, 1967
–
January 4, 1971
(lost election)		 Republican 1966 Jack M. Murphy[lower-alpha 15]
26 Cecil Andrus January 4, 1971
–
January 24, 1977
(resigned)[lower-alpha 19]		 Democratic 1970
1974 John V. Evans
27 John V. Evans January 24, 1977
–
January 5, 1987
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic Lieutenant
Governor
acting as
Governor		 Vacant
William J. Murphy
(appointed January 28, 1977)
1978 Phil Batt[lower-alpha 15]
1982 David H. Leroy[lower-alpha 15]
28 Cecil Andrus January 5, 1987
–
January 2, 1995
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic 1986 Butch Otter[lower-alpha 15]
(resigned January 3, 2001)
1990
29 Phil Batt January 2, 1995
–
January 4, 1999
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1994
30 Dirk Kempthorne January 4, 1999
–
May 26, 2006
(resigned)[lower-alpha 20]		 Republican 1998
Vacant
Jack Riggs
(appointed January 30, 2001)
2002 Jim Risch
31 Jim Risch May 26, 2006
–
January 1, 2007
(not candidate for election)		 Republican Lieutenant
Governor
acting as
Governor		 Vacant
Mark Ricks
(appointed June 15, 2006)
32 Butch Otter January 1, 2007
–
January 7, 2019
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 2006 Jim Risch
(resigned January 3, 2009)
Vacant
Brad Little
(appointed January 6, 2009)
2010
2014
33 Brad Little January 7, 2019
–
present[lower-alpha 21]		 Republican 2018 Janice McGeachin

Succession

See also
  • List of Idaho state legislatures

Notes
  1. Wallace resigned to take an elected seat as delegate in the United States House of Representatives.[7]
  2. Appointed governor but resigned in April 1870 to become postmaster of Atlanta, Georgia, before arriving in Idaho.[10]
  3. Appointed governor but resigned in December 1870 before arriving in Idaho.[10]
  4. Appointed governor but declined the offer.[10]
  5. Upon arriving in Idaho, Bowen did not like the looks of the landscape, so he decided to stay only a few weeks.[12]
  6. Bennett resigned to take an elected seat as delegate in the United States House of Representatives.[15]
  7. Thompson left Idaho in May 1876 to attend the Republican National Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio. He resigned in Cincinnati after he learned federal officers couldn't hold government contracts.[16]
  8. Brayman was suspended by President Hayes on June 8, 1878 and Hoyt was appointed Governor of Idaho. After Hoyt refused the appointment, Brayman was allowed to serve out the remainder of his term.[19]
  9. Appointed governor on June 8, 1878, but was rejected by the United States Senate for taking too long to respond to the offer. Appointed again on August 7, 1878, but declined the offer after researching the suspension of Governor Brayman.[19]
  10. Irwin left Idaho Territory in May 1883, never to return. He returned his paychecks from July 1883 through December 1883 to the U.S. Treasury.[25]
  11. Bunn left Idaho on April 17, 1885 for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he subsequently resigned on July 3, 1885.[24]
  12. Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
  13. Shoup resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
  14. Part of a fusion ticket that was also endorsed by the Populist Party[21]
  15. Represented the Republican Party
  16. Gossett resigned to let Lieutenant Governor Williams succeed him and then appoint him to the United States Senate.[38]
  17. First term under a constitution amendment which lengthened terms to four years[31]
  18. Represented the Democratic Party
  19. Andrus resigned to be United States Secretary of the Interior.
  20. Kempthorne resigned to become United States Secretary of the Interior.
  21. Little's first term expires on January 2, 2023.

References
General
  • "Governors of Idaho". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on September 11, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  • Brosnan, C. J. (1918). History of the State of Idaho. Charles Scribner's Sons. p. 217. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
  • "Executive Branch" (PDF). Idaho Bluebook. State of Idaho. pp. 70–72. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 17, 2010. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  • Hailey, John (1910). History of Idaho. Boise, Idaho: Syms-York Company. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  • Limbaugh, Ronald H. (1982). Rocky Mountain Carpetbaggers: Idaho's Territorial Governors, 1863–1890. Moscow, Idaho: University Press of Idaho. ISBN 0-89301-082-0. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
Constitution
Specific
  1. "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  2. ID Const. art. IV, § 5
  3. ID Const. art. IV, § 4
  4. Brosnan, Cornelius James (1918). History of the State of Idaho. Charles Scribner's Sons. pp. 117–128. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  5. Limbaugh p. 47
  6. Hailey p. 166
  7. "Wallace, William Henson". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  8. Limbaugh p. 65
  9. "Territorial Government in Idaho, 1863–1869" (PDF). Idaho State Historical Society. 1963. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 11, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
  10. Limbaugh p. 90
  11. Hailey p. 165
  12. Limbaugh p. 92
  13. Limbaugh p. 103
  14. Poore, Perley (1875). Congressional Directory. Washington D.C.: Congressional Printing Office. p. 71. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  15. "Bennett, Thomas Warren". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  16. Limbaugh p. 106
  17. Limbaugh p. 114
  18. Limbaugh p. 130
  19. Limbaugh pp. 127–129
  20. "Territorial Governors who did not server" (PDF). Idaho State Historical Society. 1988. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 13, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
  21. "Executive Branch" (PDF). Idaho Bluebook. State of Idaho. pp. 70–71. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 17, 2010. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  22. Limbaugh p. 139
  23. Limbaugh p. 147
  24. Limbaugh p. 148
  25. "Notes from Washington". The New York Times. December 28, 1883. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  26. Donaldson, Thomas (1941). Idaho of Yesterday. Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Printers, Ltd. p. 271. OCLC 100976.
  27. "Resignation of Gov. Bunn". The New York Times. July 14, 1885. p. 4. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  28. Limbaugh p. 172
  29. Limbaugh pp. 179–180
  30. Limbaugh p. 181
  31. ID Const. art. IV, § 1
  32. "Idaho Constitutional Amendment History". Idaho Secretary of State. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  33. ID Const. art. IV, § 12
  34. ID Const. art. IV, § 14
  35. "Idaho voters adopt three amendments". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. November 7, 1956. p. 1.
  36. Corlett, John (March 31, 1963). "It's mystery why law barring self-succession not repealed". Lewiston Morning Tribune. p. 5.
  37. "Idaho Makes Term Limits History". National Conference of State Legislatures. February 1, 2002. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  38. "Idaho Shake-Up Draws Criticism". Spokane Daily Chronicle. November 30, 1945. Retrieved August 14, 2010.

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