List of governors of Idaho facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of Idaho
Great Seal of the State of Idaho
Incumbent Brad Little since January 7, 2019
Government of Idaho
Residence	None
Term length	Four years, no term limit
Inaugural holder	George L. Shoup
Formation	October 1, 1890
Succession	Line of succession
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Idaho
Salary	$117,000 (2013)

The governor of Idaho is like the chief executive officer for the state of Idaho. This person is the head of government and also the commander-in-chief of Idaho's military forces. The governor's main job is to make sure state laws are followed. They also have the power to approve or reject bills that the Idaho Legislature passes.

The current governor of Idaho is Brad Little. He is a member of the Republican Party and started his term on January 7, 2019. Since Idaho became a state in 1890, 31 different people have served as governor. Two of them served terms that were not back-to-back. The first governor, George L. Shoup, had the shortest term, lasting only three months. Cecil Andrus served the longest, for 14 years.

Idaho's Early Governors: The Territory Years

Idaho Territory was created on March 4, 1863. It was formed from parts of other territories like Dakota, Nebraska, and Washington.

Before Idaho became a state, it had sixteen territorial governors. These governors were chosen by the president of the United States. Because Washington, D.C., was so far from Boise, it often took a long time for a new governor to arrive. In fact, four governors even resigned before they ever reached Idaho!

Governors of Idaho Territory

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

Idaho's State Governors: Leading the Gem State

The beautiful Idaho State Capitol building, where the governor's office is located.

Idaho officially became a state in the Union on July 3, 1890. The governor and lieutenant governor of Idaho serve four-year terms. These terms start on the first Monday in January after the election. Before 1946, governors only served two-year terms.

If the governor's office becomes empty, or if the governor is out of state or cannot do their job, the lieutenant governor steps in. They act as governor until the situation changes. If both the governor and lieutenant governor cannot serve, the President pro tempore of the Idaho Senate is next in line. After that, it's the Speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives.

A rule used to say that a governor could not be re-elected right after their term. But in 1956, voters approved a change to the state constitution. This change allowed governors to run for re-election. Now, there is no limit to how many terms a governor can serve. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected at the same time, but they are not on the same ballot.

Governors of the State of Idaho

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

Timeline of Idaho Governors

Timeline of Idaho governors

See also

• List of lieutenant governors of Idaho
• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Idaho
• List of Idaho state legislatures
• Elections in Idaho