Lieutenant Governor of Idaho
Great Seal of the State of Idaho
Incumbent
Scott Bedke
since January 2, 2023
Government of Idaho
StyleThe Honorable
Term lengthFour years
Inaugural holderN. B. Willey
Websitelgo.idaho.gov

The lieutenant governor of Idaho is a constitutional statewide elected office in the U.S. state of Idaho. According to the Idaho Constitution, the officeholder is elected to a four-year term.

The current lieutenant governor of Idaho is Republican Scott Bedke, who took office January 2, 2023.

Powers and duties

Office of the Idaho Lieutenant Governor

The power of the lieutenant governor of Idaho derives from Article IV, Sections 12 and 13 of the Idaho Constitution, which provides that the office is first in line of succession to the governor of Idaho.[1]

It also dictates that the lieutenant governor serves as the presiding officer of the Idaho Senate. The lieutenant governorship has been a constitutional office in Idaho since statehood in 1890. Prior to 1946 the office was elected to two-year terms.

Idaho has had 43 lieutenant governors since 1890. Five people have served twice as Idaho Lieutenant Governor: O. E. Hailey (1927–1929; 1929–1931), G. P. Mix (1931–1933; 1935–1937), Charles C. Gossett (1937–1939; 1941–1943), Donald S. Whitehead (1939–1941; 1947–1951) and Jim Risch (2003–2006; 2007–2009).

List of lieutenant governors of Idaho

# Image Name Term of service Political party
1 N. B. Willey October 1890 – December 1890 Republican
2 John S. Gray (acting) December 1890 – September 12, 1891 Republican
Office vacant: September 12, 1891 – January 2, 1893
3 F. B. Willis January 2, 1893 – January 7, 1895 Republican
4 F. J. Mills January 7, 1895 – January 4, 1897 Republican
5 George F. Moore January 4, 1897 – January 2, 1899 Democratic, Populist
6 J. H. Hutchinson January 2, 1899 – January 7, 1901 Silver Republican, Democratic
7 Thomas F. Terrell January 7, 1901 – January 5, 1903 Democratic
8 James M. Stevens January 5, 1903 – January 2, 1905 Republican
9 Burpee L. Steeves January 2, 1905 – January 7, 1907 Republican
10 Ezra A. Burrell January 7, 1907 – January 4, 1909 Republican
11 Lewis H. Sweetser January 4, 1909 – January 6, 1913 Republican
12 Herman H. Taylor January 6, 1913 – January 1, 1917 Republican
13 Ernest L. Parker January 1, 1917 – January 6, 1919 Democratic
14 Charles C. Moore January 6, 1919 – January 1, 1923 Republican
15 H. C. Baldridge January 1, 1923 – January 3, 1927 Republican
16 O. E. Hailey January 3, 1927 – January 7, 1929 Republican
17 W. B. Kinne January 7, 1929 – September 30, 1929 Republican
Office vacant: September 30 – October 25, 1929
18 O. E. Hailey October 25, 1929 – January 5, 1931 Republican
19 G. P. Mix January 5, 1931 – January 2, 1933 Democratic
20 George E. Hill January 2, 1933 – January 7, 1935 Democratic
21 G. P. Mix January 7, 1935 – January 4, 1937 Democratic
22 Charles C. Gossett January 4, 1937 – January 2, 1939 Democratic
23 Donald S. Whitehead January 2, 1939 – January 6, 1941 Republican
24 Charles C. Gossett January 6, 1941 – January 4, 1943 Democratic
25 Edwin Nelson January 4, 1943 – January 1, 1945 Republican
26 Arnold Williams January 1, 1945 – November 17, 1945 Democratic
Office vacant: November 17, 1945 – March 20, 1946
27 A. R. McCabe March 20, 1946 – January 6, 1947 Democratic
28 Donald S. Whitehead January 6, 1947 – January 1, 1951 Republican
29 Edson H. Deal January 1, 1951 – January 3, 1955 Republicans
30 J. Berkeley Larsen January 3, 1955 – January 5, 1959 Republican
31 W. E. Drevlow January 5, 1959 – January 2, 1967 Democratic
32 Jack M. Murphy January 2, 1967 – January 6, 1975 Republican
33 John Evans January 6, 1975 – January 24, 1977 Democratic
Office vacant: January 24–28, 1977
34 William J. Murphy January 28, 1977 – January 1, 1979 Democratic
35 Phil Batt January 1, 1979 – January 3, 1983 Republican
36 David Leroy January 3, 1983 – January 5, 1987 Republican
37 Butch Otter January 5, 1987 – January 3, 2001 Republican
Office vacant: January 3–30, 2001
38 Jack Riggs January 30, 2001 – January 6, 2003 Republican
39 Jim Risch January 6, 2003 – May 26, 2006 Republican
Office vacant: May 26 – June 15, 2006
40 Mark Ricks June 15, 2006 – January 1, 2007 Republican
41 Jim Risch January 1, 2007 – January 3, 2009 Republican
Office vacant: January 3–6, 2009
42 Brad Little January 6, 2009 – January 7, 2019 Republican
43 Janice McGeachin January 7, 2019 – January 2, 2023 Republican
44 Scott Bedke January 2, 2023 – present Republican

Passages

Incumbent Reason for vacancy Appointed successor Date of appointment Elected successor Date of election
N. B. Willey Succeeded as Governor December 1890 John S. Gray December 1890 F. B. Willis November 8, 1892
W. B. Kinne Died September 30, 1929 O. E. Hailey October 25, 1929 G. P. Mix November 4, 1930
Arnold Williams Succeeded as Governor November 17, 1945 A. R. McCabe March 20, 1946 Donald S. Whitehead November 5, 1946
John Evans Succeeded as Governor January 24, 1977 William J. Murphy January 28, 1977 Phil Batt November 7, 1978
Butch Otter Resigned January 3, 2001 Jack Riggs January 30, 2001 Jim Risch November 5, 2002
Jim Risch Succeeded as Governor May 26, 2006 Mark Ricks June 15, 2006 Jim Risch November 7, 2006
Jim Risch Sworn into the United States Senate January 6, 2009 Brad Little January 6, 2009 Brad Little November 2, 2010

See also

References

  1. ^ "Constitution of the State of Idaho: Article IV — Executive Department". Secretary of State of Idaho. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
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