# Idaho Constitutional Convention

The Idaho Constitution Convention drafted the Idaho Constitution in 1889 in preparation for the Idaho Territory to become a U.S. state.

## History
### Background

On April 2, 1889, outgoing Territorial Governor Edward A. Stevenson, who had successfully prevented the territory from being absorbed by neighboring territories, issued a proclamation calling for an election to be held on June 3 of that year, to elect 72 delegates to a constitutional convention. On May 11, Stevenson's successor, George L. Shoup, issued a proclamation endorsing the convention, which was scheduled to meet on July 4 in Boise. Idaho, like its fellow statehood-seeking territory, Wyoming, was not the subject of an enabling act, as other statehood-seeking territories usually were before holding a constitutional convention. However, an enabling act for Idaho had been introduced in December 1888 by Oregon Senator John H. Mitchell, and its potential statehood was discussed over the remainder of the 50th Congress.

### Proceedings

The convention met as scheduled on July 4, 1889. John T. Morgan was elected temporary president while the convention organized and settled membership disputes. The following day, William H. Clagett was elected as permanent president of the convention. On July 8, the standing committees of the convention were assigned, and from then until July 17, the committees proceeded to write the bulk of what would eventually be adopted as the state constitution. From July 18 through August 5, the convention engaged in debate over the particulars of the constitution. On the twenty-eighth day of the convention, August 6, 1889, the constitution was approved by delegates by a vote of 51–0, and 64 of the 72 delegates (of whom one was deceased) proceeded to sign the constitution.

### Approval of constitution

On November 5, 1889, Idaho Territory voters approved of the new constitution by a margin of 12,398 to 1,773. North Idaho had the strongest returns for adoption, while central and southeast Idaho had the weakest returns for adoption, with southeast Idaho falling in between. On July 3, 1890, President Benjamin Harrison signed the law admitting Idaho as the 43rd U.S. state.
| County | Votes for adoption | Votes against adoption | Approval % |
| Ada | 1,331 | 443 | 75% |
| Alturas | 290 | 51 | 85% |
| Bear Lake | 44 | 39 | 53% |
| Bingham | 716 | 171 | 81% |
| Boise | 539 | 80 | 87% |
| Cassia | 130 | 92 | 59% |
| Custer | 498 | 33 | 94% |
| Elmore | 795 | 26 | 97% |
| Idaho | 199 | 137 | 59% |
| Kootenai | 1,032 | 24 | 98% |
| Latah | 2,523 | 117 | 96% |
| Lemhi | 890 | 30 | 97% |
| Logan | 380 | 71 | 84% |
| Nez Perce | 112 | 103 | 52% |
| Oneida | 278 | 95 | 75% |
| Owyhee | 388 | 37 | 91% |
| Shoshone | 1,811 | 51 | 97% |
| Washington | 442 | 173 | 72% |
| Territory total | 12,398 | 1,773 | 87% |

## List of delegates

| Delegate | Representing | Residence | Party | Signatory? |
| George Ainslie | Boise County | Idaho City | D | yes |
| W. C. B. Allen | Logan County | Shoshone | R | yes |
| Robert Anderson | Bingham County | Eagle Rock | D | yes |
| Norman I. Andrews | Lemhi County | Salmon | R | yes |
| Henry Armstrong | Logan County | Broadford | R | yes |
| James W. Ballantine | Alturas County | Muldoon | R | yes |
| Orlando B. Batten | Alturas County | Ketchum | D | yes |
| Frank W. Beane | Bingham County | Blackfoot | D | yes |
| James H. Beatty | Alturas County | Hailey | R | yes |
| A. D. Bevan | Shoshone County | Wardner | D | yes |
| Henry B. Blake | Latah County | Moscow | D | yes |
| John W. Brigham | Latah County | Moscow | R | yes |
| Fred Campbell | Boise County | Placerville | R | yes |
| Frank P. Cavanah | Elmore County | Rocky Bar | D | yes |
| A. S. Chaney | Latah County | Kendrick | D | yes |
| William H. Clagett | Shoshone County | Osburn | R | yes |
| Charles A. Clark | Ada County | Boise | D | yes |
| Isaac N. Coston | Ada County | Boise | D | yes |
| A. J. Crook | Custer County | Clayton | R | no |
| James I. Crutcher | Owyhee County | Silver City | D | yes |
| Stephen S. Glidden | Shoshone County | Burke | R | yes |
| John S. Gray | Ada County | Boise | R | yes |
| Albert Hagan | Kootenai County | Coeur d'Alene | D | no |
| William W. Hammell | Shoshone County | Wallace | R | yes |
| Hiram S. Hampton | Cassia County | Shoshone | R | yes |
| H. O. Harkness | Bingham County | McCammon | R | yes |
| Frank Harris | Washington County | Weiser | D | yes |
| Sol Hasbrouck | Washington County | Weiser | R | yes |
| Charles M. Hays | Owyhee County | Silver City | R | yes |
| Wilbur A. Hendryx | Kootenai County | Kootenai County | R | no |
| Weldon B. Heyburn | Shoshone County | Murray | R | yes |
| John Hogan | Lemhi County | Salmon | D | yes |
| J. M. Howe | Nez Perce County | Lewiston | R | yes |
| Edward S. Jewell | Washington County | Salubria | D | yes |
| George W. King | Shoshone County | Wallace | D | yes |
| Harry Kinport | Bingham County | Pocatello | D | yes |
| J. W. Lamoreaux | Cassia County | Albion | D | yes |
| John Lemp | Ada County | Boise | R | yes |
| John Lewis | Oneida County | Malad City | R | yes |
| W. C. Maxey | Ada County | Caldwell | R | yes |
| Alexander E. Mayhew | Shoshone County | Murray | D | yes |
| William J. McConnell | Latah County | Moscow | R | yes |
| Patrick McMahon | Alturas County | Ketchum | D | no |
| Henry Melder | Kootenai County | Rathdrum | R | yes |
| John T. Morgan | Bingham County | Blackfoot | R | yes |
| A. B. Moss | Ada County | Payette | R | yes |
| John H. Myer | Boise County | Placerville | D | yes |
| Thomas F. Nelson | Idaho County | Cottonwood | D | no |
| Aaron F. Parker | Idaho County | Grangeville | D | yes |
| P. J. Pefley | Ada County | Boise | D | no |
| A. J. Pierce | Custer County | Challis | D | yes |
| A. J. Pinkham | Alturas County | Ketchum | R | yes |
| James W. Poe | Nez Perce County | Lewiston | D | yes |
| Samuel J. Pritchard | Owyhee County | Silver City | R | yes |
| Thomas Pyeatt | Lemhi County | Salmon | R | yes |
| James W. Reid | Nez Perce County | Lewiston | D | yes |
| Warren D. Robbins | Latah County | Moscow | R | yes |
| O. J. Salisbury | Custer County | Bayhorse | R | no |
| W. H. Savidge | Bingham County | Pocatello | R | yes |
| James M. Shoup | Custer County | Challis | R | yes |
| August M. Sinnott | Elmore County | Glenns Ferry | R | yes |
| Drew W. Standrod | Oneida County | Malad City | D | yes |
| Frank Steunenberg | Ada County | Caldwell | D | yes |
| Homer Stull | Elmore County | Mountain Home | D | yes |
| Willis Sweet | Latah County | Moscow | R | yes |
| Samuel F. Taylor | Bingham County | Eagle Rock | D | yes |
| John L. Underwood | Bear Lake County | Montpelier | R | yes |
| Lycurgus Vineyard | Alturas County | Hailey | D | yes |
| James S. Whitton | Logan County | Bellevue | R | yes |
| Edgar Wilson | Ada County | Boise | R | yes |
| Charles A. Wood | Lemhi County | Salmon | R | no |
| William W. Woods | Shoshone County | Murray | D | yes |

## Committees

Over the course of the convention, 37 committees were established. The Republican majority controlled most committees, including those that set the framework for the state government.
| Committee | Date established | Majority party | Majority members | Minority members |
| Credentials | July 4, 1889 | 56% D | Democrats: Crutcher, Poe, Cavanah, Standrod, Hagan | Republicans: Heyburn, Savidge, Shoup, Allen |
| Committee to receive the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs | July 4, 1889 | 60% R | Republicans: Sweet, Clagett, McConnell | Democrats: Beane, Ainslie |
| Committee to escort the President to the Chair | July 5, 1889 | 67% D | Democrats: Cavanah, Batten | Republican: Morgan |
| Committee on Committees | July 6, 1889 | 60% R | Republicans: Heyburn, Allen, Hays | Democrats: Standrod, Batten |
| Rules | July 6, 1889 | 60% R | Republicans: Shoup, Beatty, Morgan | Democrats: Reid, Mayhew |
| Committee to wait upon the Chief Justice | July 8, 1889 | 67% D | Democrats: Ainslie, King | Republican: McConnell |
| Ways and Means | July 8, 1889 | 50%–50% | Republicans: Hasbrouck, Wilson, Shoup | Democrats: Crutcher, Harris, Blake |
| Executive Department | July 8, 1889 | 57% R | Republicans: Gray, Savidge, Allen, Hampton | Democrats: Ainslie, Coston, Poe |
| Legislative Department | July 8, 1889 | 56% R | Republicans: Morgan, Pinkham, Robbins, Lewis, Glidden | Democrats: Blake, Pefley, Pierce, Stull |
| Judiciary | July 8, 1889 | 53% R | Republicans: Heyburn, Sweet, Beatty, Wilson, Howe, Hampton, Morgan, Savidge | Democrats: Mayhew, Ainslie, Woods, Reid, Stull (to July 16), Harris, Batten, Hagan (from July 16) |
| Preamble and Bill of Rights | July 8, 1889 | 50%–50% | Republicans: Shoup, Morgan, Hammell | Democrats: Standrod, Clark, Steunenberg |
| Names, Boundaries and Organization of Counties | July 8, 1889 | 60% D | Democrats: Reid, King, Jewell | Republicans: Crook, Hasbrouck |
| Seat of Government, Public Institutions, Buildings and Grounds | July 8, 1889 | 57% D | Democrats: Cavanah, Crutcher, Kinport, McMahon | Republicans: Gray, McConnell, Melder |
| Education, Schools, School and University Lands | July 8, 1889 | 56% R | Republicans: Shoup, Pinkham, Harkness, Armstrong, McConnell | Democrats: Batten, Chaney, Hogan, Bevan |
| Elections and Right of Suffrage | July 8, 1889 | 57% R | Republicans: Beatty, Salisbury, Heyburn, Hays | Democrats: Ainslie, Mayhew, Beane (to July 18), Hagan (from July 18) |
| Revenue and Finance | July 8, 1889 | 56% R | Republicans: Hays, Sweet, Hasbrouck, Crook, Glidden | Democrats: Blake, Hogan, Lamoreaux, Steunenberg |
| Legislative Apportionment | July 8, 1889 | 56% R (to July 20) 61% R (from July 20) | Republicans: Shoup, Underwood, Heyburn, Ballantine (to July 10), Pyeatt, Hendryx (to July 16), Whitton, Brigham (to July 31), Hays, Maxey, Pinkham (from July 10), Melder (from July 16), Sinnott (from July 20), Sweet (from July 31) | Democrats: Myer, Kinport, Parker, Stull (to July 16), Poe, Lamoreaux, Standrod, Jewell, Cavanah (from July 16 to July 20) |
| Militia and Military Affairs | July 8, 1889 | 57% R | Republicans: Hammell, Pyeatt, Campbell, Pinkham | Democrats: Clark, Myer, Hogan |
| Public and Private Corporations | July 8, 1889 | 56% R | Republicans: Ballantine, Andrews, Savidge, Glidden, Pritchard | Democrats: Mayhew, Kinport, Chaney, Bevan |
| Federal Relations | July 8, 1889 | 60% R | Republicans: Sweet, Salisbury, Moss | Democrats: Nelson, Anderson |
| Municipal Corporations | July 8, 1889 | 56% D | Democrats: Woods, Hagan, Pierce, Pefley, Vineyard | Republicans: Beatty, Harkness, Crook, Wilson |
| Labor | July 8, 1889 | 56% R | Republicans: Armstrong, Sinnott, Howe, Heyburn, Robbins | Democrats: King, Lamoreaux, McMahon, Pefley |
| Schedule | July 8, 1889 | 56% R (to July 29) 56% D (from July 29) | Republicans: Gray, Sweet, Howe (to July 29), Savidge, Hampton | Democrats: Woods, Beane (to July 18), Blake, Vineyard, King (from July 18), Reid (from July 29) |
| Manufactures, Agriculture and Irrigation | July 8, 1889 | 56% D | Democrats: Stull (to July 16), Coston, Jewell, Beane (to July 17), Taylor, Cavanah (from July 16), Anderson (from July 17) | Republicans: Allen, McConnell, Harkness, Moss |
| Mines and Mining | July 8, 1889 | 56% D | Democrats: Crutcher, Cavanah, Bevan, King, Standrod | Republicans: Glidden, Ballantine, Salisbury, Hays |
| Live Stock | July 8, 1889 | 60% R | Republicans: Harkness, Underwood, Pyeatt | Democrats: Myer, Pierce |
| Printing and Binding | July 8, 1889 | 57% R | Republicans: Allen, Hays, Lemp, Sinnott | Democrats: Clark, Parker, Steunenberg |
| Revision and Enrollment | July 8, 1889 | 56% R | Republicans: Beatty, Hammell (to July 27), Morgan, Shoup, Howe, Sweet (from July 27) | Democrats: Hagan, Vineyard, Harris, Standrod |
| Salaries of Public Officers | July 8, 1889 | 60% D | Democrats: Poe, Coston, Reid | Republicans: Wilson, Hasbrouck |
| Public Indebtedness and Subsidies | July 8, 1889 | 60% D | Democrats: Hagan, Batten, Taylor | Republicans: McConnell, Harkness |
| Committee to escort the ladies of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union | July 9, 1889 | 100% D | Democrats: Pefley, Mayhew, Ainslie | — |
| Special Committee on Finance | July 18, 1889 | 100% R | Republicans: McConnell, Harkness, Lemp | — |
| Committee to receive the delegation of Members of Congress | July 20, 1889 | 50%–50% | Republicans: Hays, Clagett | Democrats: Ainslie, Reid |
| Engrossing | July 26, 1889 | 67% R | Republicans: Hasbrouck, Sweet | Democrat: Mayhew |
| Special Committee on Revision of the Minutes and Proceedings of the Convention | July 27, 1889 | 67% R | Republicans: Wilson, Moss | Democrat: Clark |
| Select Committee to draft Article VIII, Section 6 | July 30, 1889 | 60% D | Democrats: Ainslie, Reid, Mayhew | Republicans: Hays, Clagett |
| Address to the People | August 3, 1889 | 50%–50% | Republicans: Clagett, Pinkham, Hays, McConnell, Armstrong | Democrats: Ainslie, Reid, Taylor, Clark, Cavanah |