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.
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. ==Timeline==