List of governors of Idaho

The Governor of Idaho is the head of the executive branch of Idaho's government.ID Const. art. IV, § 5 He is also the commander-in-chief of the state's militia.ID Const. art. IV, § 4  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.

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.

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 NotesWilliam H. WallaceJuly 1863Limbaugh p. 47Hailey p. 166December 1863Abraham LincolnResigned. Caleb LyonAugust 1, 1864April 1866Limbaugh p. 65Abraham LincolnDavid W. BallardJune 14, 1866July 1870Limbaugh p. 90Andrew JohnsonSamuel BardAppointed March 30, 1870Hailey p. 165—Ulysses S. GrantResigned without serving. Gilman MarstonAppointed June 7, 1870—Ulysses S. GrantResigned without serving. Alexander H. ConnerAppointed January 12, 1871—Ulysses S. GrantAppointed, but declined the offer.Thomas M. BowenJuly 1871August 15, 1871Limbaugh p. 92Ulysses S. GrantResigned. Thomas W. BennettDecember 1871Limbaugh p. 103December 4, 1875Ulysses S. GrantResigned. David P. ThompsonApril 1876Limbaugh p. 106May 1876Ulysses S. GrantResigned. Mason BraymanJuly 1876Limbaugh p. 114July 24, 1880Limbaugh p. 130Ulysses S. GrantSuspended in June 1878 pending appointment of Hoyt; allowed to serve remainder of term after Hoyt declined the appointment. John P. HoytAppointed June 8, 1878Appointed August 7, 1878—Rutherford B. HayesInitial appointment overturned after Hoyt took too long to respond to the offer.  Second appointment declined by Hoyt. John Baldwin NeilAugust 3, 1880Limbaugh p. 139March 2, 1883Limbaugh p. 147Rutherford B. HayesJohn N. IrwinApril 1883Limbaugh p. 148Dec 20, 1883Chester A. ArthurEffectively resigned in July, 1883. William M. BunnJune 26, 1884July 3, 1885Chester A. ArthurResigned. Edward A. StevensonSeptember 29, 1885Limbaugh p. 172April 1, 1889Limbaugh pp. 179–180Grover ClevelandGeorge Laird ShoupApril 30, 1889Limbaugh p. 181July 3, 1890Benjamin 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. If there is no governor or the governor is out of state or cannot do his duties, the lieutenant governor acts as governor.ID Const. art. IV, § 12  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.ID Const. art. IV, § 14 There is no limit to the number of terms a governor may serve.

 #Governor Took office Left office PartyLt. Governor TermsThe 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.1 George Laird ShoupOctober 1, 1890December 18, 1890Republican N. B. Willey2N. B. WilleyDecember 18, 1890January 2, 1893RepublicanJohn S. GrayAs lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term.3William J. McConnellJanuary 2, 1893January 4, 1897RepublicanF. B. Willis2F. J. Mills4Frank SteunenbergJanuary 4, 1897January 7, 1901DemocraticGeorge F. Moore2J. H. Hutchinson5Frank W. HuntJanuary 7, 1901January 5, 1903DemocraticThomas F. Terrell16John T. MorrisonJanuary 5, 1903January 2, 1905RepublicanJames M. Stevens17Frank R. GoodingJanuary 2, 1905January 4, 1909RepublicanBurpee L. Steeves2Ezra A. Burrell8James H. BradyJanuary 4, 1909January 2, 1911RepublicanLewis H. Sweetser19James H. HawleyJanuary 2, 1911January 6, 1913DemocraticLewis H. Sweetser110John M. HainesJanuary 6, 1913January 4, 1915RepublicanHerman H. Taylor111Moses AlexanderJanuary 4, 1915January 6, 1919DemocraticHerman H. TaylorRepresented the Republican Party.2Ernest L. Parker12D. W. DavisJanuary 6, 1919January 1, 1923RepublicanCharles C. Moore213Charles C. Moore January 1, 1923January 3, 1927RepublicanH. C. Baldridge214H. C. BaldridgeJanuary 3, 1927January 5, 1931RepublicanO. E. Hailey2W. B. KinneO. E. Hailey15C. Ben RossJanuary 5, 1931January 4, 1937DemocraticG. P. Mix3George E. HillG. P. Mix16Barzilla W. Clark January 4, 1937January 2, 1939DemocraticCharles C. Gossett117C. A. BottolfsenJanuary 2, 1939January 6, 1941RepublicanDonald S. Whitehead118Chase A. ClarkJanuary 6, 1941January 4, 1943DemocraticCharles C. Gossett119C. A. BottolfsenJanuary 4, 1943January 1, 1945RepublicanEdwin Nelson120Charles C. Gossett    January 1, 1945November 17, 1945DemocraticArnold Williams21Arnold Williams November 17, 1945January 6, 1947DemocraticA. R. McCabe22C. A. Robins    January 6, 1947January 1, 1951RepublicanDonald S. Whitehead1Robins served the first term after terms were lengthened to four years.23Leonard B. Jordan      January 1, 1951January 3, 1955RepublicanEdson H. Deal124Robert E. Smylie January 3, 1955January 2, 1967RepublicanJ. Berkeley Larsen3W. E. DrevlowRepresented the Democratic Party.25Don SamuelsonJanuary 2, 1967January 4, 1971RepublicanJack M. Murphy126Cecil D. Andrus    January 4, 1971January 24, 1977DemocraticJack M. Murphy1John V. Evans27John V. Evans January 24, 1977January 5, 1987DemocraticWilliam J. Murphy2As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term, and was subsequently elected in his own right.Phil BattDavid H. Leroy28Cecil D. AndrusJanuary 5, 1987January 2, 1995DemocraticC.L. "Butch" Otter229Phil Batt      January 2, 1995January 4, 1999RepublicanC.L. "Butch" Otter130Dirk Kempthorne January 4, 1999May 26, 2006RepublicanC.L. "Butch" Otter1Jack Riggs Jim Risch31Jim RischMay 26, 2006January 1, 2007RepublicanMark Ricks32C.L. "Butch" OtterJanuary 1, 2007January 6, 2019RepublicanJim Risch2Brad Little33Brad LittleJanuary 6, 2019IncumbentRepublicanJanice McGeachin2Scott 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. John Philo Hoyt was Governor of Arizona Territory.

All representatives and senators listed represented Idaho except where noted.

NameGubernatorial termOther offices heldSourcesWilliam H. Wallace1863–1864Delegate from Idaho Territory*, Delegate from Washington Territory,appointed Governor of Washington Territory but did not take officeCaleb Lyon1864–1866Representative from New YorkThomas M. Bowen1871Senator from ColoradoThomas W. Bennett1871–1875Delegate from Idaho Territory*David P. Thompson1875–1876Minister to the Ottoman EmpireJohn N. Irwin1883Governor of Arizona TerritoryGeorge Laird Shoup1889–1890Senator*William J. McConnell1893–1897SenatorFrank R. Gooding1905–1909SenatorJames H. Brady1909–1911SenatorCharles C. Gossett1945Senator*Leonard B. Jordan1951–1955SenatorCecil D. Andrus1971–1977, 1987–1995Secretary of the Interior*Dirk Kempthorne1999–2006Senator, Secretary of the Interior*Jim Risch2006–2007SenatorC.L. "Butch" Otter2007–2019RepresentativeBrad Little2019–presentLieutenant Governor

Living former governors
, 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.

NameTerm of officeDate of birthPhil Batt1995–1999Dirk Kempthorne1999–2006Jim Risch2006–2007Butch Otter2007–2019

Notes

References

General







Constitution



Specific

Other websites

 Office of the Governor of Idaho

*
Idaho, Governors of
Governors