List of governors of Idaho
The Governor of Idaho is the head of the executive branch of Idaho's government.[2] He is also the commander-in-chief of the state's militia.[3] The job of the governor is to see that the state laws are obeyed. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Idaho Legislature.[3]
Governor of Idaho | |
---|---|
Residence | The Idaho House |
Term length | Four years |
Inaugural holder | George L. Shoup |
Formation | July 3, 1890 |
Deputy | Janice McGeachin |
Salary | $110,734 (2011)[1] |
Website | gov.idaho.gov |
Idaho Territory had 16 territorial governors chosed by the President of the United States from 1863 until it became a state in 1890. Four of these never took office. They resigned before they got to Idaho.
Thirty people have been Governor of Idaho since it became a state in 1890. Two of these—C. A. Bottolfsen and Cecil D. Andrus—served non-consecutive terms. The state's first governor was George Laird Shoup. He had the shortest term - three months. Cecil D. Andrus served as governor the longest at 14 years. Four governors resigned. None have died while in office. There have been 21 Republican and 12 Democratic governors. The current governor is Brad Little. He took office on January 6, 2019. His current term will expire in January 2023.
Governors
Governors of the Territory of Idaho
Idaho Territory was created from Dakota Territory, Nebraska Territory, and Washington Territory on March 4, 1863. At first, the territory included all of modern-day Idaho and Montana, and most of Wyoming. On May 26, 1864, Montana Territory was separated from Idaho Territory, and most of the Wyoming portion was became part of Dakota Territory. The area east of the 111th meridian became part of the new Wyoming Territory on July 25, 1868. This gave Idaho Territory its final borders.[4]
Because of the long distance between Washington, D.C. and Boise, there was often a long time between a governor being chosen and his arrival in the territory.
Governor | Took office | Left office | Appointed by | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
William H. Wallace | July 1863[5][6] | December 1863[5] | Abraham Lincoln | Resigned. [a] |
Caleb Lyon | August 1, 1864[5][6] | April 1866[8] | Abraham Lincoln | |
David W. Ballard | June 14, 1866[9] | July 1870[10] | Andrew Johnson | |
Samuel Bard | Appointed March 30, 1870[11] | — | Ulysses S. Grant | Resigned without serving. [b] |
Gilman Marston | Appointed June 7, 1870[11] | — | Ulysses S. Grant | Resigned without serving. [c] |
Alexander H. Conner | Appointed January 12, 1871[11] | — | Ulysses S. Grant | Appointed, but declined the offer.[d] |
Thomas M. Bowen | July 1871[12] | August 15, 1871[12] | Ulysses S. Grant | Resigned. [e] |
Thomas W. Bennett | December 1871[13] | December 4, 1875[14] | Ulysses S. Grant | Resigned. [f] |
David P. Thompson | April 1876[16] | May 1876[16] | Ulysses S. Grant | Resigned. [g] |
Mason Brayman | July 1876[17] | July 24, 1880[18] | Ulysses S. Grant | Suspended in June 1878 pending appointment of Hoyt; allowed to serve remainder of term after Hoyt declined the appointment. [h] |
John P. Hoyt | Appointed June 8, 1878[20] Appointed August 7, 1878[21] |
— | Rutherford B. Hayes | Initial appointment overturned after Hoyt took too long to respond to the offer. Second appointment declined by Hoyt. [i] |
John Baldwin Neil | August 3, 1880[22] | March 2, 1883[23] | Rutherford B. Hayes | |
John N. Irwin | April 1883[24] | Dec 20, 1883[24] | Chester A. Arthur | Effectively resigned in July, 1883. [j] |
William M. Bunn | June 26, 1884[26] | July 3, 1885[27] | Chester A. Arthur | Resigned. [k] |
Edward A. Stevenson | September 29, 1885[28] | April 1, 1889[29] | Grover Cleveland | [l] |
George Laird Shoup | April 30, 1889[30] | July 3, 1890 | Benjamin Harrison |
Governors of the State of Idaho
Idaho became a state on July 3, 1890. Since then, the state has had 31 governors. Two of these served non-consecutive terms. The terms for governor and lieutenant governor are four years. It starts on the first Monday in the January after the election. Before 1946, the offices were elected to terms of two years.[31] If there is no governor or the governor is out of state or cannot do his duties, the lieutenant governor acts as governor.[32] If neither the governor and lieutenant governor can do their duties, the President pro tempore of the Idaho Senate is next in line. After that person, the Speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives would act as governor.[33] There is no limit to the number of terms a governor may serve.[34]
Democratic (12) Republican (21)
#[m] | Governor | Took office | Left office | Party | Lt. Governor | Terms[n] | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | George Laird Shoup | October 1, 1890 | December 18, 1890 | Republican | N. B. Willey | 1⁄2[o] | ||
2 | N. B. Willey | December 18, 1890 | January 2, 1893 | Republican | John S. Gray | 1⁄2[p] | ||
3 | William J. McConnell | January 2, 1893 | January 4, 1897 | Republican | F. B. Willis | 2 | ||
F. J. Mills | ||||||||
4 | Frank Steunenberg | January 4, 1897 | January 7, 1901 | Democratic | George F. Moore[q] | 2[r] | ||
J. H. Hutchinson[s] | ||||||||
5 | Frank W. Hunt | January 7, 1901 | January 5, 1903 | Democratic | Thomas F. Terrell | 1 | ||
6 | John T. Morrison | January 5, 1903 | January 2, 1905 | Republican | James M. Stevens | 1 | ||
7 | Frank R. Gooding | January 2, 1905 | January 4, 1909 | Republican | Burpee L. Steeves | 2 | ||
Ezra A. Burrell | ||||||||
8 | James H. Brady | January 4, 1909 | January 2, 1911 | Republican | Lewis H. Sweetser | 1 | ||
9 | James H. Hawley | January 2, 1911 | January 6, 1913 | Democratic | Lewis H. Sweetser | 1 | ||
10 | John M. Haines | January 6, 1913 | January 4, 1915 | Republican | Herman H. Taylor | 1 | ||
11 | Moses Alexander | January 4, 1915 | January 6, 1919 | Democratic | Herman H. Taylor[t] | 2 | ||
Ernest L. Parker | ||||||||
12 | D. W. Davis | January 6, 1919 | January 1, 1923 | Republican | Charles C. Moore | 2 | ||
13 | Charles C. Moore | January 1, 1923 | January 3, 1927 | Republican | H. C. Baldridge | 2 | ||
14 | H. C. Baldridge | January 3, 1927 | January 5, 1931 | Republican | O. E. Hailey | 2 | ||
W. B. Kinne[u] | ||||||||
O. E. Hailey | ||||||||
15 | C. Ben Ross | January 5, 1931 | January 4, 1937 | Democratic | G. P. Mix | 3 | ||
George E. Hill | ||||||||
G. P. Mix | ||||||||
16 | Barzilla W. Clark | January 4, 1937 | January 2, 1939 | Democratic | Charles C. Gossett | 1 | ||
17 | C. A. Bottolfsen | January 2, 1939 | January 6, 1941 | Republican | Donald S. Whitehead | 1 | ||
18 | Chase A. Clark | January 6, 1941 | January 4, 1943 | Democratic | Charles C. Gossett | 1 | ||
19 | C. A. Bottolfsen | January 4, 1943 | January 1, 1945 | Republican | Edwin Nelson | 1 | ||
20 | Charles C. Gossett | January 1, 1945 | November 17, 1945 | Democratic | Arnold Williams | 1⁄2[v] | ||
21 | Arnold Williams | November 17, 1945 | January 6, 1947 | Democratic | A. R. McCabe | 1⁄2[p] | ||
22 | C. A. Robins | January 6, 1947 | January 1, 1951 | Republican | Donald S. Whitehead | 1[w] | ||
23 | Leonard B. Jordan | January 1, 1951 | January 3, 1955 | Republican | Edson H. Deal | 1 | ||
24 | Robert E. Smylie | January 3, 1955 | January 2, 1967 | Republican | J. Berkeley Larsen | 3 | ||
W. E. Drevlow[x] | ||||||||
25 | Don Samuelson | January 2, 1967 | January 4, 1971 | Republican | Jack M. Murphy | 1 | ||
26 | Cecil D. Andrus | January 4, 1971 | January 24, 1977 | Democratic | Jack M. Murphy[t] | 11⁄2[y] | ||
John V. Evans | ||||||||
27 | John V. Evans | January 24, 1977 | January 5, 1987 | Democratic | William J. Murphy | 21⁄2[z] | ||
Phil Batt[t] | ||||||||
David H. Leroy[t] | ||||||||
28 | Cecil D. Andrus | January 5, 1987 | January 2, 1995 | Democratic | C.L. "Butch" Otter[t] | 2 | ||
29 | Phil Batt | January 2, 1995 | January 4, 1999 | Republican | C.L. "Butch" Otter | 1 | ||
30 | Dirk Kempthorne | January 4, 1999 | May 26, 2006 | Republican | C.L. "Butch" Otter[aa] | 11⁄2[ab] | ||
Jack Riggs | ||||||||
Jim Risch | ||||||||
31 | Jim Risch | May 26, 2006 | January 1, 2007 | Republican | Mark Ricks | 1⁄2[p] | ||
32 | C.L. "Butch" Otter | January 1, 2007 | January 6, 2019 | Republican | Jim Risch | 2 | ||
Brad Little | ||||||||
33 | Brad Little | January 6, 2019 | Incumbent | Republican | Janice McGeachin | 2 | ||
Scott Bedke |
Other high offices held
Sixteen of Idaho's governors have served higher federal offices or as governors of other states. Nine have served in the U.S. Senate, and three have served in the U.S. House. Two governors have been U.S. Secretaries of the Interior. One served as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Six governors (marked with *) resigned to take a new office.
Also, two people who were appointed governor of Idaho Territory but never took office held other high offices. Gilman Marston was a representative and senator from New Hampshire.[41] John Philo Hoyt was Governor of Arizona Territory.[42]
All representatives and senators listed represented Idaho except where noted.
Name | Gubernatorial term | Other offices held | Sources |
---|---|---|---|
William H. Wallace | 1863–1864 | Delegate from Idaho Territory*, Delegate from Washington Territory, appointed Governor of Washington Territory but did not take office |
[7] |
Caleb Lyon | 1864–1866 | Representative from New York | [43] |
Thomas M. Bowen | 1871 | Senator from Colorado | [44] |
Thomas W. Bennett | 1871–1875 | Delegate from Idaho Territory* | [15] |
David P. Thompson | 1875–1876 | Minister to the Ottoman Empire | [45] |
John N. Irwin | 1883 | Governor of Arizona Territory | [46] |
George Laird Shoup | 1889–1890 | Senator* | [36] |
William J. McConnell | 1893–1897 | Senator | [47] |
Frank R. Gooding | 1905–1909 | Senator | [48] |
James H. Brady | 1909–1911 | Senator | [49] |
Charles C. Gossett | 1945 | Senator* | [50] |
Leonard B. Jordan | 1951–1955 | Senator | [51] |
Cecil D. Andrus | 1971–1977, 1987–1995 | Secretary of the Interior* | [38] |
Dirk Kempthorne | 1999–2006 | Senator, Secretary of the Interior* | [40] |
Jim Risch | 2006–2007 | Senator | [52] |
C.L. "Butch" Otter | 2007–2019 | Representative | [39] |
Brad Little | 2019–present | Lieutenant Governor | [53] |
Living former governors
As of January 2019[update], four former governors were alive. The most recent death of a former governor was that of Cecil D. Andrus (1971–1977; 1987–1995). He died at age 85 on August 24, 2017.
Name | Term of office | Date of birth |
---|---|---|
Phil Batt | 1995–1999 | March 4, 1927 |
Dirk Kempthorne | 1999–2006 | October 29, 1951 |
Jim Risch | 2006–2007 | May 3, 1943 |
Butch Otter | 2007–2019 | May 3, 1942 |
List Of Governors Of Idaho Media
Notes
- ↑ Resigned to take an elected seat as delegate from Idaho Territory.[7]
- ↑ Appointed governor but resigned in April 1870 to become postmaster of Atlanta, Georgia, before arriving in Idaho.[10]
- ↑ Appointed governor but resigned in December 1870 before arriving in Idaho.[10]
- ↑ Appointed governor but declined the offer.[10]
- ↑ Upon arriving in Idaho, Bowen did not like the looks of the landscape, so he decided to stay only a few weeks.[12]
- ↑ Resigned to take an elected seat as delegate from Idaho Territory.[15]
- ↑ Thompson left Idaho in May 1876 to attend the Republican National Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio. He resigned in Cincinnati after he learned federal officers could not hold government contracts.[16]
- ↑ Brayman was suspended by President Hayes on June 8, 1878 and John P. Hoyt was appointed Governor of Idaho. After Hoyt refused the appointment, Brayman was allowed to serve out the remainder of his term.[19]
- ↑ 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. He ended up accepting a position on the Washington Territorial Supreme Court.[19]
- ↑ 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]
- ↑ Bunn left Idaho on April 17, 1885 for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he subsequently resigned on July 3, 1885.[24]
- ↑ Stevenson was a resident of Idaho when President Cleveland called him to Washington, D.C. for an interview and to personally witness his appointment.[28]
- ↑ Based on C.L. "Butch" Otter saying he would be the 32nd governor of the state,[35] the official count includes repeat governors.
- ↑ The fractional terms of some governors are not to be understood absolutely literally; rather, they are meant to show single terms during which multiple governors served, due to resignations, deaths and the like.
- ↑ Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.[36]
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term.
- ↑ Moore was part of a fusion ticket that was also endorsed by the Populist Party.[21]
- ↑ Steunenberg was part of a fusion ticket that was also endorsed by the Populist Party.[21]
- ↑ Hutchinson was part of a fusion ticket that was also endorsed by the Silver Republican Party.[21]
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 Represented the Republican Party.
- ↑ Died in office.[21]
- ↑ Gossett resigned to let Lieutenant Governor Williams succeed him and then appoint him to the United States Senate.[37]
- ↑ Robins served the first term after terms were lengthened to four years.
- ↑ Represented the Democratic Party.
- ↑ Resigned to be United States Secretary of the Interior.[38]
- ↑ As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term, and was subsequently elected in his own right.
- ↑ Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States House of Representatives.[39]
- ↑ Resigned to be United States Secretary of the Interior.[40]
References
- General
- "Governors of Idaho". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on September 2, 2010. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
- Brosnan, C. J. (1918). History of the State of Idaho. Charles Scribner's Sons. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
- "Executive Branch" (PDF). Idaho Bluebook. State of Idaho. pp. 70–72. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 17, 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
- Hailey, John (1910). History of Idaho. Boise, Idaho: Syms-York Company. ISBN 9780598277060. 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
- "Constitution of the State of Idaho". Idaho State Legislature. 1890. Archived from the original on July 1, 2010. Retrieved June 28, 2010.
- Specific
- ↑ Idaho Senate approves initial pay cuts, then raises for governor and other top officers. March 29, 2010. http://www.sfexaminer.com/economy/89453472.html. Retrieved June 28, 2010.[dead link]
- ↑ ID Const. art. IV, § 5
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 ID Const. art. IV, § 4
- ↑ Brosnan, Cornelius James (1918). History of the State of Idaho. Charles Scribner's Sons. pp. 117–128. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Limbaugh p. 47
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Hailey p. 166
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "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.
- ↑ Limbaugh p. 65
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Limbaugh p. 90
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Hailey p. 165
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Limbaugh p. 92
- ↑ Limbaugh p. 103
- ↑ Poore, Perley (1875). Congressional Directory. Washington D.C.: Congressional Printing Office. p. 71. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "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.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Limbaugh p. 106
- ↑ Limbaugh p. 114
- ↑ Limbaugh p. 130
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Limbaugh pp. 127–129
- ↑ "Territorial Governors who did not server" (PDF). Idaho State Historical Society. 1988. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 16, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 "Executive Branch" (PDF). Idaho Bluebook. State of Idaho. pp. 70–71. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 17, 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
- ↑ Limbaugh p. 139
- ↑ Limbaugh p. 147
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Limbaugh p. 148
- ↑ Notes from Washington. December 28, 1883. https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C03E2DC1538E033A2575BC2A9649D94629FD7CF. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
- ↑ Donaldson, Thomas (1941). Idaho of Yesterday. Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Printers, Ltd. p. 271. OCLC 100976.
- ↑ Resignation of Gov. Bunn. July 14, 1885. p. 4. https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9803EEDF153FE533A25757C1A9619C94649FD7CF. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Limbaugh p. 172
- ↑ Limbaugh pp. 179–180
- ↑ Limbaugh p. 181
- ↑ "Idaho Constitutional Amendment History". Idaho Secretary of State. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
- ↑ ID Const. art. IV, § 12
- ↑ ID Const. art. IV, § 14
- ↑ "Idaho Makes Term Limits History". National Conference of State Legislatures. February 1, 2002. Archived from the original on November 17, 2009. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
- ↑ "Otter uses on-duty firefighters for 9/11 campaign event: Candidate holds press conference after state ceremony". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. September 12, 2006. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2013 – via www.accessmylibrary.com.
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 "Shoup, George Laird". 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.
- ↑ Idaho Shake-Up Draws Criticism. November 30, 1945. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZC8VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kPUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7371,5950094. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 "Idaho Governor Cecil Dale Andrus". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on September 3, 2010. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 "Otter, C. L. (Butch)". 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.
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 "Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne". National Governor's Association. Archived from the original on September 3, 2010. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
- ↑ "Martson, Gilman". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and Historian of the United States Senate. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
- ↑ "Hoyt, John Philo". The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography XI. (1901). New York City: James T. White & Company. Retrieved on 23 September 2010.
- ↑ "Lyon, Caleb". 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.
- ↑ "Bowen, Thomas Mead". 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.
- ↑ "Chiefs of Mission between 1778 to 2008". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on June 21, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
- ↑ Goff, John S. (1978). Arizona Territorial Officials Volume II: The Governors 1863–1912. Arizona: Black Mountain Press. pp. 118–119. OCLC 5100411.
- ↑ "McConnell, William John". 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.
- ↑ "Gooding, Frank Robert". 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.
- ↑ "Brady, James Henry". 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.
- ↑ "Gossett, Charles Clinton". 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.
- ↑ "Jordan, Leonard Beck". 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.
- ↑ "Risch, James". 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.
- ↑ "Gov. Brad Little". National Governors Association. Retrieved January 7, 2019.