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List of Governors of Idaho

Number of Governors of Idaho by party affiliation
Party Governors
Republican 20
Democratic 12

The following is a list of the Governors of the State of Idaho and Idaho Territory. The governor is the chief executive of the state, and commander-in-chief of the state military forces.

The terms for governor and lieutenant governor are four years, commencing on the first Monday in the January following the election. Prior to 1946, the offices were elected to terms of two years.[1] 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.[2] In this list, this is only noted when the lieutenant governor filled a vacant term; it does not include when the lieutenant governor acted in place of the governor while the governor was temporarily out of the state. If both the offices of governor and lieutenant governor are unable to fulfill their duties, the president pro tempore of the state senate is next in line, and then the speaker of the state house of representatives.[3] The governor is not term limited.

Thirty 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 D. Andrus—served non-consecutive terms. The current governor is C.L. "Butch" Otter, who took office on January 1, 2007; his first term will expire in January 2011.

Governors

The region that became Idaho was originally obtained by the United States as part of Oregon Country, shared with the United Kingdom from 1818 to 1846. Joint control ended in 1846, with the American portion being organized as Oregon Territory in 1848. The northern half, including the northern panhandle of modern Idaho, was split into Washington Territory in 1853, with the southern half being assigned to Washington Territory in 1859.

Idaho Territory was split from Washington Territory in 1863, initially including all of modern Idaho and Montana, and most of Wyoming, which were areas it received from Dakota Territory. In 1864, Montana Territory was formed, and most of the Wyoming portion of the territory was reassigned to Dakota Territory. The final part east of the 111th meridian was reassigned to the new Wyoming Territory in 1868, giving Idaho Territory its final borders. See the lists of governors of Oregon (1848–1859) and of Washington (1853–1863) for these periods.

Governors of Idaho Territory

Idaho Territory was formed on March 4, 1863. During the time of its existence, the territory had 17 territorial governors, the final of which became the first state governor.

# Name Took office Left office Party Appointed by Notes
1 William H. Wallace March 10, 1863 February 26, 1864 Abraham Lincoln
2 Caleb Lyon February 26, 1864 April 10, 1866 Abraham Lincoln
3 David W. Ballard April 10, 1866 March 30, 1870 Andrew Johnson
5 Samuel Bard March 30, 1870 June 7, 1870 Ulysses S. Grant
6 Gilman Marston June 7, 1870 January 12, 1871 Ulysses S. Grant
7 Alexander H. Connor January 12, 1871 April 19, 1871 Ulysses S. Grant
8 Thomas M. Bowen April 19, 1871 October 24, 1871 Ulysses S. Grant
9 Thomas W. Bennett October 24, 1871 December 16, 1875 Ulysses S. Grant
10 David P. Thompson December 16, 1875 July 24, 1876 Ulysses S. Grant
11 Mason Brayman July 24, 1876 August 7, 1878 Ulysses S. Grant
12 John P. Hoyt August 7, 1878 July 12, 1880 Rutherford B. Hayes
13 John Baldwin Neil July 12, 1880 March 2, 1883 Rutherford B. Hayes
14 John N. Irwin March 2, 1883 March 26, 1884 Chester A. Arthur
15 William M. Bunn March 26, 1884 September 29, 1885 Chester A. Arthur
16 Edward A. Stevenson September 29, 1885 April 1, 1889 Grover Cleveland
17 George Laird Shoup April 1, 1889 July 3, 1890 Benjamin Harrison

Governors of Idaho

Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890. Since then, it has had 30 governors, two of whom served non-consecutive terms. The term of office was two years until beginning with the 1946 election it was lengthened to four years.

      Democratic       Republican

# Name Took office Left office Party Lt. Governor Terms[4]
1 George Laird Shoup October 1, 1890 December 18, 1890 Republican N. B. Willey ½[5]
2 N. B. Willey December 18, 1890 January 1, 1893 Republican John S. Gray ½[6]
3 William J. McConnell January 1, 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[7] 2[8]
J. H. Hutchinson[9]
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[10]
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 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[11]
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 ½[12]
21 Arnold Williams November 17, 1945 January 6, 1947 Democratic A. R. McCabe ½[6]
22 C. A. Robins January 6, 1947 January 1, 1951 Republican Donald S. Whitehead 1[13]
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
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 1½[14]
John V. Evans
27 John V. Evans January 24, 1977 January 5, 1987 Democratic William J. Murphy 2½[15]
Phil Batt
David H. Leroy
28 Cecil D. Andrus January 5, 1987 January 2, 1995 Democratic C.L. "Butch" Otter 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[16] 1½[14]
Jack Riggs
Jim Risch
31 Jim Risch May 26, 2006 January 1, 2007 Republican Mark Ricks ½[6]
32 C.L. "Butch" Otter January 1, 2007 Incumbent Republican Jim Risch 1[17]

Notes

  1. ^ Idaho Constitutional Amendment Historical 1940s through 1950s
  2. ^ Idaho Constitution IV - 12
  3. ^ Idaho Constitution IV - 14
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
  6. ^ a b c As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term.
  7. ^ Moore was part of a fusion ticket that was also endorsed by the Populist Party.
  8. ^ Steunenberg was part of a fusion ticket that was also endorsed by the Populist Party.
  9. ^ Hutchinson was part of a fusion ticket that was also endorsed by the Silver Republican Party.
  10. ^ Official sources disagree on when Morrison left office and Gooding took office, usually stating that Morrison left on January 2 and Gooding entered on January 3. The only sources that agree on the dates state the changeover occurred on January 2.[1]
  11. ^ Died in office.
  12. ^ Gossett resigned to let Lieutenant Governor Williams succeed him and then appoint him to the United States Senate.
  13. ^ Robins served the first term after terms were lengthened to four years.
  14. ^ a b Resigned to be United States Secretary of the Interior.
  15. ^ As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term, and was later elected in his own right.
  16. ^ Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States House of Representatives.
  17. ^ Governor Otter's first term expires on January 3, 2011; he is not term limited.

Other high offices held

This is a table of congressional seats, other federal offices, and other governorships held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Idaho except where noted. * denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.

Name Gubernatorial term U.S. Congress Other offices held
House Senate
William H. Wallace 1863–1864 Territorial Delegate*, Territorial Delegate from Washington Territory, Governor of Washington Territory
Caleb Lyon 1864–1866 U.S. Representative from New York
Thomas M. Bowen 1871 U.S. Senator from Colorado
Thomas W. Bennett 1871–1875 Territorial Delegate
David P. Thompson 1875–1876 Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire
George Laird Shoup 1889–1890 (territorial), 1890 S
William J. McConnell 1893–1897 S
Frank R. Gooding 1905–1909 S
James H. Brady 1909–1911 S
Charles C. Gossett 1945 S
Leonard B. Jordan 1951–1955 S
Cecil D. Andrus 1971–1977, 1987–1995 U.S. Secretary of the Interior*
Dirk Kempthorne 1999–2006 S U.S. Secretary of the Interior*
C.L. "Butch" Otter 2007–present H

Living former governors

As of March 2008, five former governors were alive, the oldest being John V. Evans (1977–1987, born 1925). The most recent governor to die was Robert E. Smylie (1955–1967), on July 17, 2004. The most recently-serving governor to die was Don Samuelson (1967–1971), on January 20, 2000.

Name Gubernatorial term Date of birth
Cecil D. Andrus 1971–1977, 1987–1995 August 25, 1931
John V. Evans 1977–1987 January 18, 1925
Phil Batt 1995–1999 March 4, 1927
Dirk Kempthorne 1999–2006 October 29, 1951
Jim Risch 2006–2007 May 3, 1943

References

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