# List of governors of Idaho

The governor of Idaho is the head of government of Idaho and commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The officeholder has the duty to see state laws are executed, power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Idaho Legislature. The current governor of Idaho is Brad Little, a Republican, who took office on January 7, 2019.
Thirty-one individuals have held the office of governor of Idaho since the state's admission to the Union in 1890, two of whom served non-consecutive terms. The state's first governor, George L. Shoup, had the shortest term, of three months; Cecil Andrus had the longest, of 14 years.

## List of governors
### Territory of Idaho

Idaho Territory was created from Dakota Territory, Nebraska Territory, and Washington Territory on March 4, 1863.
There were 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. Due to the long distance from Washington, D.C. to 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 Idaho Territory :
| No. | Governor | Term in office | Appointed by |
| 1 | William H. Wallace (1811–1879) | March 10, 1863 – December 1863 (resigned) | Abraham Lincoln |
| 2 | Caleb Lyon (1822–1875) | February 26, 1864 – June 14, 1866 (successor appointed) | Abraham Lincoln |
| 3 | David W. Ballard (1824–1883) | April 10, 1866 – July 16, 1870 (successor appointed) | Andrew Johnson |
| — | Samuel Bard (1825–1878) | March 30, 1870 – June 5, 1870 (resigned before taking office) | Ulysses S. Grant |
| — | Gilman Marston (1811–1890) | June 7, 1870 – December 3, 1870 (resigned before taking office) | Ulysses S. Grant |
| — | Alexander H. Conner (1831–1891) | January 12, 1871 – April 19, 1871 (resigned before taking office) | Ulysses S. Grant |
| 4 | Thomas M. Bowen (1835–1906) | April 19, 1871 – September 30, 1871 (resigned) | Ulysses S. Grant |
| 5 | Thomas W. Bennett (1831–1893) | October 24, 1871 – December 4, 1875 (resigned) | Ulysses S. Grant |
| 6 | David P. Thompson (1834–1901) | December 16, 1875 – July 1, 1876 (resigned) | Ulysses S. Grant |
| 7 | Mason Brayman (1813–1895) | July 24, 1876 – July 24, 1880 (successor appointed) | Ulysses S. Grant |
| 8 | John Baldwin Neil (1842–1902) | July 12, 1880 – March 2, 1883 (successor appointed) | Rutherford B. Hayes |
| 9 | John N. Irwin (1844–1905) | March 2, 1883 – December 20, 1883 (resigned) | Chester A. Arthur |
| 10 | William M. Bunn (1842–1923) | March 26, 1884 – July 3, 1885 (resigned) | Chester A. Arthur |
| 11 | Edward A. Stevenson (1831–1895) | September 29, 1885 – April 1, 1889 (successor appointed) | Grover Cleveland |
| 12 | George L. Shoup (1836–1904) | April 1, 1889 – December 8, 1890 (elected state governor) | Benjamin Harrison |

### State of Idaho

Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890. The terms for governor and lieutenant governor are 4 years, commencing on the first Monday in the January following the election. Prior to 1946, the offices were elected to terms of two years. 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. 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. 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. There is no limit to the number of terms a governor may serve. The governor and the lieutenant governor are elected at the same time but not on the same ticket.
Governors of the State of Idaho :
| No. | Governor | Term in office | Party | Election | Lt. Governor | Lt. Governor |
| 1 | George L. Shoup (1836–1904) | December 8, 1890 – December 19, 1890 (resigned) | Republican | 1890 | | N. B. Willey |
| 2 | N. B. Willey (1838–1921) | December 19, 1890 – January 2, 1893 (lost nomination) | Republican | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | | John S. Gray |
| 3 | William J. McConnell (1839–1925) | January 2, 1893 – January 4, 1897 (did not run) | Republican | 1892 | | F. B. Willis |
| 3 | William J. McConnell (1839–1925) | January 2, 1893 – January 4, 1897 (did not run) | Republican | 1894 | | F. J. Mills |
| 4 | Frank Steunenberg (1861–1905) | January 4, 1897 – January 7, 1901 (did not run) | Democratic | 1896 | | George F. Moore |
| 4 | Frank Steunenberg (1861–1905) | January 4, 1897 – January 7, 1901 (did not run) | Democratic | 1898 | | J. H. Hutchinson |
| 5 | Frank W. Hunt (1861–1906) | January 7, 1901 – January 5, 1903 (lost election) | Democratic | 1900 | | Thomas F. Terrell |
| 6 | John T. Morrison (1860–1915) | January 5, 1903 – January 2, 1905 (lost nomination) | Republican | 1902 | | James M. Stevens |
| 7 | Frank R. Gooding (1859–1928) | January 2, 1905 – January 4, 1909 (did not run) | Republican | 1904 | | Burpee L. Steeves |
| 7 | Frank R. Gooding (1859–1928) | January 2, 1905 – January 4, 1909 (did not run) | Republican | 1906 | | Ezra A. Burrell |
| 8 | James H. Brady (1862–1918) | January 4, 1909 – January 2, 1911 (lost election) | Republican | 1908 | | Lewis H. Sweetser |
| 9 | James H. Hawley (1847–1929) | January 2, 1911 – January 6, 1913 (lost election) | Democratic | 1910 | | Lewis H. Sweetser |
| 10 | John M. Haines (1863–1917) | January 6, 1913 – January 4, 1915 (lost election) | Republican | 1912 | | Herman H. Taylor |
| 11 | Moses Alexander (1853–1932) | January 4, 1915 – January 6, 1919 (did not run) | Democratic | 1914 | | Herman H. Taylor |
| 11 | Moses Alexander (1853–1932) | January 4, 1915 – January 6, 1919 (did not run) | Democratic | 1916 | | Ernest L. Parker |
| 12 | D. W. Davis (1873–1959) | January 6, 1919 – January 1, 1923 (did not run) | Republican | 1918 | | Charles C. Moore |
| 12 | D. W. Davis (1873–1959) | January 6, 1919 – January 1, 1923 (did not run) | Republican | 1920 | | Charles C. Moore |
| 13 | Charles C. Moore (1866–1958) | January 1, 1923 – January 3, 1927 (did not run) | Republican | 1922 | | H. C. Baldridge |
| 13 | Charles C. Moore (1866–1958) | January 1, 1923 – January 3, 1927 (did not run) | Republican | 1924 | | H. C. Baldridge |
| 14 | H. C. Baldridge (1868–1947) | January 3, 1927 – January 5, 1931 (did not run) | Republican | 1926 | | O. E. Hailey |
| 14 | H. C. Baldridge (1868–1947) | January 3, 1927 – January 5, 1931 (did not run) | Republican | 1928 | | W. B. Kinne (died October 1, 1929) |
| Vacant ||
| 14 | H. C. Baldridge (1868–1947) | January 3, 1927 – January 5, 1931 (did not run) | Republican | 1928 | | O. E. Hailey (appointed October 25, 1929) |
| 15 | C. Ben Ross (1876–1946) | January 5, 1931 – January 4, 1937 (did not run) | Democratic | 1930 | | G. P. Mix |
| 15 | C. Ben Ross (1876–1946) | January 5, 1931 – January 4, 1937 (did not run) | Democratic | 1932 | | George Hill |
| 15 | C. Ben Ross (1876–1946) | January 5, 1931 – January 4, 1937 (did not run) | Democratic | 1934 | | G. P. Mix |
| 16 | Barzilla W. Clark (1880–1943) | January 4, 1937 – January 2, 1939 (lost nomination) | Democratic | 1936 | | Charles C. Gossett |
| 17 | C. A. Bottolfsen (1890–1964) | January 2, 1939 – January 6, 1941 (lost election) | Republican | 1938 | | Donald S. Whitehead |
| 18 | Chase A. Clark (1883–1966) | January 6, 1941 – January 4, 1943 (lost election) | Democratic | 1940 | | Charles C. Gossett |
| 19 | C. A. Bottolfsen (1890–1964) | January 4, 1943 – January 1, 1945 (did not run) | Republican | 1942 | | Edwin Nelson |
| 20 | Charles C. Gossett (1888–1974) | January 1, 1945 – November 17, 1945 (resigned) | Democratic | 1944 | | Arnold Williams |
| 21 | Arnold Williams (1898–1970) | November 17, 1945 – January 6, 1947 (lost election) | Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | Vacant |
| 21 | Arnold Williams (1898–1970) | November 17, 1945 – January 6, 1947 (lost election) | Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | | A. R. McCabe (appointed March 20, 1946) |
| 22 | C. A. Robins (1884–1970) | January 6, 1947 – January 1, 1951 (term-limited) | Republican | 1946 | | Donald S. Whitehead |
| 23 | Leonard B. Jordan (1899–1983) | January 1, 1951 – January 3, 1955 (term-limited) | Republican | 1950 | | Edson H. Deal |
| 24 | Robert E. Smylie (1914–2004) | January 3, 1955 – January 2, 1967 (lost nomination) | Republican | 1954 | | J. Berkeley Larsen |
| 24 | Robert E. Smylie (1914–2004) | January 3, 1955 – January 2, 1967 (lost nomination) | Republican | 1958 | | W. E. Drevlow |
| 24 | Robert E. Smylie (1914–2004) | January 3, 1955 – January 2, 1967 (lost nomination) | Republican | 1962 | | W. E. Drevlow |
| 25 | Don Samuelson (1913–2000) | January 2, 1967 – January 4, 1971 (lost election) | Republican | 1966 | | Jack M. Murphy |
| 26 | Cecil Andrus (1931–2017) | January 4, 1971 – January 24, 1977 (resigned) | Democratic | 1970 | | Jack M. Murphy |
| 26 | Cecil Andrus (1931–2017) | January 4, 1971 – January 24, 1977 (resigned) | Democratic | 1974 | | John Evans |
| 27 | John Evans (1925–2014) | January 24, 1977 – January 5, 1987 (did not run) | Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | Vacant |
| 27 | John Evans (1925–2014) | January 24, 1977 – January 5, 1987 (did not run) | Democratic | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | | William J. Murphy (appointed January 28, 1977) |
| 27 | John Evans (1925–2014) | January 24, 1977 – January 5, 1987 (did not run) | Democratic | 1978 | | Phil Batt |
| 27 | John Evans (1925–2014) | January 24, 1977 – January 5, 1987 (did not run) | Democratic | 1982 | | David H. Leroy |
| 28 | Cecil Andrus (1931–2017) | January 5, 1987 – January 2, 1995 (did not run) | Democratic | 1986 | | Butch Otter (resigned January 3, 2001) |
| 28 | Cecil Andrus (1931–2017) | January 5, 1987 – January 2, 1995 (did not run) | Democratic | 1990 | | Butch Otter (resigned January 3, 2001) |
| 29 | Phil Batt (1927–2023) | January 2, 1995 – January 4, 1999 (did not run) | Republican | 1994 | | Butch Otter (resigned January 3, 2001) |
| 30 | Dirk Kempthorne (b. 1951) | January 4, 1999 – May 26, 2006 (resigned) | Republican | 1998 | | Butch Otter (resigned January 3, 2001) |
| Vacant ||
| 30 | Dirk Kempthorne (b. 1951) | January 4, 1999 – May 26, 2006 (resigned) | Republican | 1998 | | Jack Riggs (appointed January 30, 2001) |
| 30 | Dirk Kempthorne (b. 1951) | January 4, 1999 – May 26, 2006 (resigned) | Republican | 2002 | | Jim Risch |
| 31 | Jim Risch (b. 1943) | May 26, 2006 – January 1, 2007 (did not run) | Republican | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | Vacant | Vacant |
| 31 | Jim Risch (b. 1943) | May 26, 2006 – January 1, 2007 (did not run) | Republican | Succeeded from lieutenant governor | | Mark Ricks (appointed June 15, 2006) |
| 32 | Butch Otter (b. 1942) | January 1, 2007 – January 7, 2019 (did not run) | Republican | 2006 | | Jim Risch (resigned January 3, 2009) |
| Vacant ||
| 32 | Butch Otter (b. 1942) | January 1, 2007 – January 7, 2019 (did not run) | Republican | 2006 | | Brad Little (appointed January 6, 2009) |
| 32 | Butch Otter (b. 1942) | January 1, 2007 – January 7, 2019 (did not run) | Republican | 2010 | | Brad Little (appointed January 6, 2009) |
| 32 | Butch Otter (b. 1942) | January 1, 2007 – January 7, 2019 (did not run) | Republican | 2014 | | Brad Little (appointed January 6, 2009) |
| 33 | Brad Little (b. 1954) | January 7, 2019 – Incumbent | Republican | 2018 | | Janice McGeachin |
| 33 | Brad Little (b. 1954) | January 7, 2019 – Incumbent | Republican | 2022 | | Scott Bedke |