List of governors of Idaho

The governor of Idaho is the head of government of Idaho[2] and commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.[3] The officeholder has the duty to see state laws are executed, power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Idaho Legislature.[3] The current governor of Idaho is Republican Brad Little, who took office on January 7, 2019.

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

History
Office of the Idaho Governor

The Territory of Idaho had sixteen 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; Cecil Andrus served as governor the longest at 14 years. Four governors resigned, but none have died while in office.

20 governors have been Republicans while 11 were Democrats. Andrus was the last Democrat to hold the governorship in Idaho; he left office in 1995.

Governors

Qualifications

Anyone who seeks to be elected Governor of Idaho must meet the following qualifications:[4]

  • Be at least 30 years old
  • Be a United States citizen
  • Be a resident of Idaho at least two years prior to the election

Governors of the Territory of Idaho

Idaho Territory was created from Dakota Territory, Nebraska Territory, and Washington Territory on March 4, 1863.[5]

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 19, 1811 – February 7, 1879   
(aged 67)		 July 1863[6][7]
–
December 1863[6]		 Abraham Lincoln [lower-alpha 1]
2 Caleb Lyon
    December 7, 1822 – September 8, 1875   
(aged 52)		 August 1, 1864[6][7]
–
April 1866[9]
3 David W. Ballard
    February 21, 1824 – September 18, 1883   
(aged 59)		 June 14, 1866[10]
–
July 1870[11]		 Andrew Johnson
— Samuel Bard
    May 18, 1825 – September 18, 1878   
(aged 53)		 Appointed March 30, 1870[12] Ulysses S. Grant [lower-alpha 2]
— Gilman Marston
    August 20, 1811 – July 3, 1890   
(aged 78)		 Appointed June 7, 1870[12] [lower-alpha 3]
— Alexander H. Conner
    August 5, 1831 – May 29, 1891   
(aged 59)		 Appointed January 12, 1871[12] [lower-alpha 4]
4 Thomas M. Bowen
    October 26, 1835 – December 30, 1906   
(aged 71)		 July 1871[13]
–
August 15, 1871[13]		 [lower-alpha 5]
5 Thomas W. Bennett
    February 16, 1831 – February 2, 1893   
(aged 61)		 December 1871[14]
–
December 4, 1875[15]		 [lower-alpha 6]
6 David P. Thompson
    November 8, 1834 – December 14, 1901   
(aged 67)		 April 1876[17]
–
May 1876[17]		 [lower-alpha 7]
7 Mason Brayman
    May 23, 1813 – February 27, 1895   
(aged 81)		 July 1876[18]
–
July 24, 1880[19]		 [lower-alpha 8]
— John Philo Hoyt
    October 6, 1841 – August 27, 1926   
(aged 84)		 Appointed June 8, 1878[21]
Appointed August 7, 1878[22]		 Rutherford B. Hayes [lower-alpha 9]
8 John Baldwin Neil
    July 28, 1842 – October 6, 1902   
(aged 60)		 August 3, 1880[23]
–
March 2, 1883[24]
9 John N. Irwin
    December 25, 1844 – December 22, 1905   
(aged 60)		 April 1883[25]
–
December 20, 1883[25]		 Chester A. Arthur [lower-alpha 10]
10 William M. Bunn
    January 1, 1842 – September 19, 1923   
(aged 81)		 June 26, 1884[27]
–
July 3, 1885[28]		 [lower-alpha 11]
11 Edward A. Stevenson
    June 15, 1831 – July 6, 1895   
(aged 64)		 September 29, 1885[29]
–
April 1, 1889[30]		 Grover Cleveland
12 George L. Shoup
    June 15, 1836 – December 21, 1904   
(aged 68)		 April 30, 1889[31]
–
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 33 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.[32] Prior to 1946, the offices were elected to terms of two years.[33] 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.[34] 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.[35] 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.[36][37] There is no limit to the number of terms a governor may serve.[38]

Governors of the State of Idaho
No. Governor Term in office Party Election Lt. Governor[lower-alpha 12]
1   George L. Shoup
    June 15, 1836 – December 21, 1904   
(aged 68)		 October 1, 1890
–
December 18, 1890
(resigned)[lower-alpha 13]		 Republican 1890   N. B. Willey
2 N. B. Willey
    March 25, 1838 – October 20, 1921   
(aged 83)		 December 18, 1890
–
January 2, 1893
(not candidate for election)		 Republican Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor		 John S. Gray
3 William J. McConnell
    September 18, 1839 – March 30, 1925   
(aged 85)		 January 2, 1893
–
January 4, 1897
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1892 F. B. Willis
1894 F. J. Mills
4 Frank Steunenberg
    August 8, 1861 – December 30, 1905   
(aged 44)		 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
    December 16, 1861 – November 25, 1906   
(aged 44)		 January 7, 1901
–
January 5, 1903
(lost election)		 Democratic 1900 Thomas F. Terrell
6 John T. Morrison
    December 25, 1860 – December 20, 1915   
(aged 54)		 January 5, 1903
–
January 2, 1905
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1902 James M. Stevens
7 Frank R. Gooding
    September 16, 1859 – June 24, 1928   
(aged 68)		 January 2, 1905
–
January 4, 1909
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1904 Burpee L. Steeves
1906 Ezra A. Burrell
8 James H. Brady
    June 12, 1862 – January 13, 1918   
(aged 55)		 January 4, 1909
–
January 2, 1911
(lost election)		 Republican 1908 Lewis H. Sweetser
9 James H. Hawley
    January 17, 1847 – August 3, 1929   
(aged 82)		 January 2, 1911
–
January 6, 1913
(lost election)		 Democratic 1910
10 John M. Haines
    January 1, 1863 – June 4, 1917   
(aged 54)		 January 6, 1913
–
January 4, 1915
(lost election)		 Republican 1912 Herman H. Taylor[lower-alpha 15]
11 Moses Alexander
    November 13, 1853 – January 4, 1932   
(aged 78)		 January 4, 1915
–
January 6, 1919
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic 1914
1916 Ernest L. Parker
12 D. W. Davis
    April 23, 1873 – August 5, 1959   
(aged 86)		 January 6, 1919
–
January 1, 1923
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1918 Charles C. Moore
1920
13 Charles C. Moore
    February 26, 1866 – March 19, 1958   
(aged 92)		 January 1, 1923
–
January 3, 1927
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1922 H. C. Baldridge
1924
14 H. C. Baldridge
    November 24, 1868 – June 8, 1947   
(aged 78)		 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
    December 27, 1876 – March 31, 1946   
(aged 69)		 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
    December 22, 1880 – September 21, 1943   
(aged 62)		 January 4, 1937
–
January 2, 1939
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic 1936 Charles C. Gossett
17 C. A. Bottolfsen
    October 10, 1891 – July 18, 1964   
(aged 72)		 January 2, 1939
–
January 6, 1941
(lost election)		 Republican 1938 Donald S. Whitehead
18 Chase A. Clark
    August 21, 1883 – December 30, 1966   
(aged 83)		 January 6, 1941
–
January 4, 1943
(lost election)		 Democratic 1940 Charles C. Gossett
19 C. A. Bottolfsen
    October 10, 1891 – July 18, 1964   
(aged 72)		 January 4, 1943
–
January 1, 1945
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1942 Edwin Nelson
20 Charles C. Gossett
    September 2, 1888 – September 20, 1974   
(aged 86)		 January 1, 1945
–
November 17, 1945
(resigned)[lower-alpha 16]		 Democratic 1944 Arnold Williams
21 Arnold Williams
    May 21, 1898 – May 25, 1970   
(aged 72)		 November 17, 1945
–
January 6, 1947
(lost election)		 Democratic Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor		 Vacant
A. R. McCabe
(appointed March 20, 1946)
22 C. A. Robins
    December 8, 1884 – September 20, 1970   
(aged 85)		 January 6, 1947
–
January 1, 1951
(re-election not allowed)		 Republican 1946
[lower-alpha 17]		 Donald S. Whitehead
23 Leonard B. Jordan
    May 15, 1899 – June 30, 1983   
(aged 84)		 January 1, 1951
–
January 3, 1955
(re-election not allowed)		 Republican 1950 Edson H. Deal
24 Robert E. Smylie
    October 31, 1914 – July 17, 2004   
(aged 89)		 January 3, 1955
–
January 2, 1967
(lost renomination)		 Republican 1954 J. Berkeley Larsen
1958 W. E. Drevlow[lower-alpha 18]
1962
25 Don Samuelson
    July 27, 1913 – January 20, 2000   
(aged 86)		 January 2, 1967
–
January 4, 1971
(lost election)		 Republican 1966 Jack M. Murphy[lower-alpha 15]
26 Cecil Andrus
    August 25, 1931 – August 24, 2017   
(aged 85)		 January 4, 1971
–
January 24, 1977
(resigned)[lower-alpha 19]		 Democratic 1970
1974 John V. Evans
27 John V. Evans
    January 18, 1925 – July 8, 2014   
(aged 89)		 January 24, 1977
–
January 5, 1987
(not candidate for election)		 Democratic Succeeded from
Lieutenant
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
    August 25, 1931 – August 24, 2017   
(aged 85)		 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
    (1927-03-04) March 4, 1927		 January 2, 1995
–
January 4, 1999
(not candidate for election)		 Republican 1994
30 Dirk Kempthorne
    (1951-10-29) October 29, 1951		 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
    (1943-05-03) May 3, 1943		 May 26, 2006
–
January 1, 2007
(not candidate for election)		 Republican Succeeded from
Lieutenant
Governor		 Vacant
Mark Ricks
(appointed June 15, 2006)
32 Butch Otter
    (1942-05-03) May 3, 1942		 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
    (1954-02-15) February 15, 1954		 January 7, 2019
–
Incumbent[lower-alpha 21]		 Republican 2018 Janice McGeachin

Succession

See also
  • List of lieutenant governors of Idaho
  • List of Idaho state legislatures
  • Elections in Idaho

Notes
  1. Wallace resigned to take an elected seat as delegate in the United States House of Representatives.[8]
  2. Appointed governor but resigned in April 1870 to become postmaster of Atlanta, Georgia, before arriving in Idaho.[11]
  3. Appointed governor but resigned in December 1870 before arriving in Idaho.[11]
  4. Appointed governor but declined the offer.[11]
  5. Upon arriving in Idaho, Bowen did not like the looks of the landscape, so he decided to stay only a few weeks.[13]
  6. Bennett resigned to take an elected seat as delegate in the United States House of Representatives.[16]
  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.[17]
  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.[20]
  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.[20]
  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.[26]
  11. Bunn left Idaho on April 17, 1885 for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he subsequently resigned on July 3, 1885.[25]
  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[22]
  15. Represented the Republican Party
  16. Gossett resigned to let Lieutenant Governor Williams succeed him and then appoint him to the United States Senate.[39]
  17. First term under a constitution amendment which lengthened terms to four years[32]
  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. "Governor of Idaho".
  5. Brosnan, Cornelius James (1918). History of the State of Idaho. Charles Scribner's Sons. pp. 117–128. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  6. Limbaugh p. 47
  7. Hailey p. 166
  8. "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.
  9. Limbaugh p. 65
  10. "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.
  11. Limbaugh p. 90
  12. Hailey p. 165
  13. Limbaugh p. 92
  14. Limbaugh p. 103
  15. Poore, Perley (1875). Congressional Directory. Washington D.C.: Congressional Printing Office. p. 71. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  16. "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.
  17. Limbaugh p. 106
  18. Limbaugh p. 114
  19. Limbaugh p. 130
  20. Limbaugh pp. 127–129
  21. "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.
  22. "Executive Branch" (PDF). Idaho Bluebook. State of Idaho. pp. 70–71. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 17, 2010. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  23. Limbaugh p. 139
  24. Limbaugh p. 147
  25. Limbaugh p. 148
  26. "Notes from Washington". The New York Times. December 28, 1883. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  27. Donaldson, Thomas (1941). Idaho of Yesterday. Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Printers, Ltd. p. 271. OCLC 100976.
  28. "Resignation of Gov. Bunn". The New York Times. July 14, 1885. p. 4. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  29. Limbaugh p. 172
  30. Limbaugh pp. 179–180
  31. Limbaugh p. 181
  32. ID Const. art. IV, § 1
  33. "Idaho Constitutional Amendment History". Idaho Secretary of State. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  34. ID Const. art. IV, § 12
  35. ID Const. art. IV, § 14
  36. "Idaho voters adopt three amendments". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. November 7, 1956. p. 1.
  37. Corlett, John (March 31, 1963). "It's mystery why law barring self-succession not repealed". Lewiston Morning Tribune. p. 5.
  38. "Idaho Makes Term Limits History". National Conference of State Legislatures. February 1, 2002. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  39. "Idaho Shake-Up Draws Criticism". Spokane Daily Chronicle. November 30, 1945. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
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