Idaho Governor
General information
Office Type:	Partisan
Office website:	Official Link
Compensation:	$151,400
2024 FY Budget:	$350,617,500
Term limits:	None
Structure
Length of term:	4 years
Authority:	Idaho Constitution, Article IV, Section 5
Selection Method:	Elected
Current Officeholder(s)
Governor of Idaho Brad Little Republican Party Assumed office: January 7, 2019
Elections
Next election:	2026
Last election:	2022
Other Idaho Executive Offices
Governor •Lieutenant Governor •Secretary of State •Attorney General •Treasurer •Controller •Superintendent of Public Instruction •Agriculture Director •Insurance Director •Director of Lands •Labor Director •Public Utilities Commission

TheGovernor of the State of Idaho is an elected constitutional officer, the head of the executive branch, and the highest state office in Idaho. The governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and faces no term limits.^[1]

Idaho has a Republicantrifecta. The Republican Party controls the office of governor and both chambers of the state legislature.

Idaho has a Republicantriplex. The Republican Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.

See also:Idaho State Legislature,Idaho House of Representatives,Idaho State Senate

Current officeholder

The current Governor of Idaho isBrad Little (R). Little assumed office in 2019.

Authority

Thestate constitution establishes the office of the governor inArticle IV, the Executive Department.

Idaho Constitution, Article IV, Section 5

Qualifications

State Executives
Current Governors
Gubernatorial Elections
2026 •2025 •2024 •2023 •2022 •2021 •2020 •2019 •2018 •2017 •2016 •2015 •2014
Current Lt. Governors
Lt. Governor Elections
2026 •2025 •2024 •2023 •2022 •2021 •2020 •2019 •2018 •2017 •2016 •2015 •2014

PerArticle IV, Section 3 of theIdaho Constitution, a candidate for governor is required to be:

• at least thirty years old
• a United States citizen
• a resident of Idaho at least two years prior to the election

Idaho Constitution, Article IV, Section 3

Elections

See also:Gubernatorial election cycles by state

See also:Election of governors

Idaho elects governors to four-year terms in federal midterm election years, that is, even years that are not presidential election years. Thus, 2018, 2022, 2026, 2030, and 2034 are all gubernatorial election years. The gubernatorial inauguration is always set for the first Monday in the January following an election.

If two candidates ever tie in the general election, a joint session of the legislature chooses the winner by a majority vote.

Term limits

See also:States with gubernatorial term limits

There are no term limits for this office.

Partisan composition

The chart below shows the partisan breakdown of Idaho governors from 1992 to 2013.

Election results

• 2030
• 2026
• 2022
• 2018

See also: Idaho gubernatorial election, 2030

There are noofficial candidates yet for this election.

See also: Idaho gubernatorial election, 2026

General election

The primary will occur on May 19, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

General election for Governor of Idaho

Melissa Sue Robinson (L),John Stegner (Unaffiliated),Tanner Basye (Independent),Ammon Bundy (Independent), andMaxine Durand (Independent) are running in the general election for Governor of Idaho on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Melissa Sue Robinson (L)
	Submit photo	John Stegner (Unaffiliated)
	Submit photo	Tanner Basye (Independent)
		Ammon Bundy (Independent)
		Maxine Durand (Independent)

---

	There are noincumbents in this race.
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Democratic primary

Democratic primary for Governor of Idaho

Stephen Heidt (D),Terri Pickens (D), andChanelle Torrez (D) are running in the Democratic primary for Governor of Idaho on May 19, 2026.

		Candidate
		Stephen Heidt
		Terri Pickens
	Submit photo	Chanelle Torrez

---

	There are noincumbents in this race.
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary

Republican primary for Governor of Idaho

The following candidates are running in the Republican primary for Governor of Idaho on May 19, 2026.

		Candidate
		Brad Little
	Submit photo	Jordan Chirat
	Submit photo	Scott Hert
	Submit photo	Jill Kirkham
		Lisa Marie
		Justin Plante

---

	Incumbents arebolded and underlined.
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See also: Idaho gubernatorial election, 2022

General election

General election for Governor of Idaho

The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Idaho on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brad Little (R)	60.5	358,598
		Stephen Heidt (D)	20.3	120,160
		Ammon Bundy (Independent)	17.2	101,835
		Paul Sand (L)	1.1	6,714
		Chantyrose Davison (Constitution Party)	0.9	5,250
		Lisa Marie (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	46

---

	Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 592,603
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Robert Dempsey (Independent)

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for Governor of Idaho

Stephen Heidt (D) defeatedShelby Rognstad (D) andDavid Reilly (D) in the Democratic primary for Governor of Idaho on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stephen Heidt	78.8	25,088
		Shelby Rognstad (Write-in)	21.2	6,736
		David Reilly (Write-in)	0.1	21

---

	There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 31,845
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Bob Dempsay (D)
• Melissa Sue Robinson (D)

Republican primary

Republican primary for Governor of Idaho

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Idaho on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brad Little	52.8	148,843
		Janice McGeachin	32.2	90,857
		Ed Humphreys	11.0	30,878
		Steven Bradshaw	1.9	5,470
		Ashley Jackson	1.1	3,172
		Lisa Marie	0.4	1,120
	Submit photo	Ben Cannady	0.3	804
	Submit photo	Cody Usabel	0.2	680

---

	Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 281,824
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jeff Cotton (R)
• Chris Hammond (R)

Constitution Party primary

Constitution primary for Governor of Idaho

Chantyrose Davison (Constitution Party) defeatedRyan Cole (Constitution Party) in the Constitution Party primary for Governor of Idaho on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Chantyrose Davison	61.9	346
	Submit photo	Ryan Cole (Write-in)	3.9	22
		Other/Write-in votes	34.2%	191

---

	There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 559
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian Party primary

Libertarian primary for Governor of Idaho

Paul Sand (L) defeatedJohn Dionne Jr. (L) in the Libertarian Party primary for Governor of Idaho on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Paul Sand	60.2	427
	Submit photo	John Dionne Jr.	39.8	282

---

	There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 709
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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See also: Idaho gubernatorial election, 2018

General election

General election for Governor of Idaho

Brad Little (R) defeatedPaulette Jordan (D),Bev Boeck (L), andWalter Bayes (Constitution Party) in the general election for Governor of Idaho on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brad Little (R)	59.8	361,661
		Paulette Jordan (D)	38.2	231,081
	Submit photo	Bev Boeck (L)	1.1	6,551
	Submit photo	Walter Bayes (Constitution Party)	1.0	5,787
		Other/Write-in votes	0.0%	51

---

	There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 605,131
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary

Democratic primary for Governor of Idaho

Paulette Jordan (D) defeatedA.J. Balukoff (D) andPeter Dill (D) in the Democratic primary for Governor of Idaho on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Paulette Jordan	58.4	38,505
		A.J. Balukoff	40.1	26,423
		Peter Dill	1.4	954

---

	There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 65,882
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary

Republican primary for Governor of Idaho

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Idaho on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brad Little	37.3	72,548
		Raúl Labrador	32.6	63,478
	Submit photo	Tommy Ahlquist	26.2	51,008
		Lisa Marie	1.7	3,397
		Steven Pankey	1.4	2,704
		Harley Brown	0.4	874
	Submit photo	Ben Cannady	0.3	527

---

	There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 194,536
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Previous election results

2014

See also:Idaho Gubernatorial election, 2014

Governor of Idaho, 2014
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Butch OtterIncumbent	53.5%	235,405
	Democratic	A.J. Balukoff	38.6%	169,556
	Libertarian	John T. Bujak	4.1%	17,884
	Independent	Jill Humble	2%	8,801
	Constitution	Steve Pankey	1.2%	5,219
	Independent	Pro-Life	0.7%	2,870
	N/A	Write-ins	0%	95
Total Votes				439,830
Election results viaIdaho Secretary of State

Vacancies

See also:How gubernatorial vacancies are filled

Details of vacancies are addressed underArticle IV, Sections 12 and 14 of theIdaho Constitution.

The powers of the governor devolve to theLieutenant Governor of Idaho any time the governor is unable or unwilling to discharge the office, or has been removed from the office. In such instances, the lieutenant governor exercises the office of governor either until the latter can resume the office or until the next gubernatorial election.

Additionally, under Section 14, if the offices of both governor andlieutenant governor are vacant, the office of governor passes first to the President Pro Tem of theIdaho Senate and next the Speaker of theIdaho House of Representatives.

Duties

The governor is responsible for upholding theIdaho Constitution, executing state law, and recommending a state budget to thelegislature. He or she is also the commander of the Idaho militia at all times when the state's military forces have not already been called into service by the federal government.

The governor may fill vacancies in any state executive office, including other constitutional offices, when the law does not otherwise provide the manner for filling a vacancy. If theSenate, whose confirmation is required, is in recess, the appointment stands until the Senate reconvenes.

During special circumstances, the governor can call for special sessions of the legislature. The governor has the power to veto bills, including appropriations, but must list his or her objections. The legislature can override a veto by a two-thirds vote of each chamber. In Idaho, the governor also serves as the President of the Board of Examiners and Chairman of the Board of Land Commissioners and appoints department heads and members of boards and commissions.^[1]

Other duties and privileges of the office include:

• Granting pardons and reprieves when the legislatively controlled Board of Pardons is not in session, not to be permanent until the Board sits again. Regarding convictions for treason, the governor may only stay the sentence pending legislative review.

• Requiring reports, made under oath, from state officials and managers of state institutions, on any aspects of their jobs.

• Making a 'State of the State' address to the General Assembly at the beginning of each session, including recommendation on prudent courses of action for the state and, somewhat unique among the constitutionally mandated aspect of such addresses, an estimate of the tax revenue the state will require for the coming year.

• Convening extraordinary sessions of the Senate to conduct specific Executive business.

• Authorizing and signing all commissions and grants made by the state of Idaho.

Divisions

Idaho state government organizational chart

Updated January 15, 2021

• Commission on Aging
• Commission on the Arts
• Commission for the Blind
• Office of Drug Policy
• Office of Energy & Mineral Resources
• Division of Financial Management
• Executive Office of the Governor
• Division of Human Resources
• Office of Information Technology Services
• State Liquor Division
• Military Division
• Public Employee Retirement System
• Office of Species Conservation
• STEM Action Center
• Wolf Depredation Control Board
• Workforce Development Council^[2]

State budget

Role in state budget

See also:Idaho state budget and finances

Idaho operates on an annual budget cycle with each fiscal year beginning in July. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:^[3]

1. Budget instructions are sent to state agencies inJuly of the year preceding the start of the new fiscal year.
2. State agencies submit their budget requests to thegovernor bySeptember 1.
3. The governor submits his or her proposed budget to theIdaho State Legislature five days after the session convenes inJanuary.
4. InFebruary or March, the legislature adopts the budget. A simple majority is required to pass a budget.

Idaho is one of 44 states in which the governor hasline item veto authority.^[3][4]

The budget the governor proposes must be balanced. The legislature is constitutionally required to pass a balanced budget, and the governor must sign a balanced budget into law.^[3]

Governor's office budget

The budget for the Office of the Governor in Fiscal Year 2024 was $350,617,500.^[5]

Compensation

See also:Comparison of gubernatorial salaries andCompensation of state executive officers

The salaries of elected executives in Idaho are determined by theIdaho State Legislature. Salaries cannot be increased or decreased during the current terms of affected officers. In 2014, state legislators passed a bill authorizing annual salaries for executives from 2015 through 2018.^[6]

2024

In 2024, the officer's salary was $151,400, according to the State of Idaho.^[7]

2023

In 2023, the officer's salary was $151,400, according to theCouncil of State Governments.^[8]

2022

In 2022, the officer's salary was $138,302, according to theCouncil of State Governments.^[9]

2021

In 2021, the governor received a salary of $138,302, according to theCouncil of State Governments.^[10]

2020

In 2020, the governor’s salary was $138,302, according to theCouncil of State Governments.^[11]

2019

In 2019, the governor’s salary was $138,302, according to theCouncil of State Governments.^[12]

2019

In 2019, the governor’s salary was $138,302, according to theCouncil of State Governments.^[13]

2018

In 2018, the governor’s salary was $124,436, according to theCouncil of State Governments.^[14]

2017

In 2017, the governor’s salary was $122,597, according to theCouncil of State Governments.^[15]

2016

In 2016, the governor’s salary was increased to $122,597, according to theCouncil of State Governments.^[16]

2015

In 2015, the governor’s salary was increased to $120,785, according to theCouncil of State Governments.^[17]

2014

In 2014, the governor received a salary of $119,000, according to theCouncil of State Governments.^[18]

2013

In 2013, the governor's salary was $117,000, according to theCouncil of State Governments.^[19]

2012

In 2012, the governor was paid an estimated$115,348, according to theCouncil of State Governments.

History

Partisan balance 1992-2013

See also:Ballotpedia:Who Runs the States andBallotpedia:Who Runs the States, Idaho

Partisan breakdown of the Idaho governorship from 1992-2013

From 1992-2013, Idaho had Democratic governors in office for the first three years while there were Republican governors in office for the last 19 years. Idaho is one of eight states that were run by a Republican governor for more than 80 percent of the years between 1992-2013. Idaho spent the last 19 years under Republicantrifectas.

Across the country, there were 493 years of Democratic governors (44.82%) and 586 years of Republican governors (53.27%) from 1992 to 2013.

Over the course of the 22-year study, state governments became increasingly more partisan. At the outset of the study period (1992), 18 of the 49 states with partisan legislatures had single-party trifectas and 31 states had divided governments. In 2013, only 13 states had divided governments, while single-party trifectas held sway in 36 states, the most in the 22 years studied.

The chart below shows the partisan composition of theOffice of the Governor of Idaho, theIdaho State Senate and theIdaho House of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.

SQLI and partisanship

The chart below depicts the partisanship of the Idaho state government and the state's SQLI ranking for the years studied. For the SQLI, the states were ranked from 1-50, with 1 being the best and 50 the worst. Idaho never had a Democratic trifecta during the period of the study, but the state has had a Republican trifecta from 1995 to 2013, and before that divided government between 1992 and 1994. The Idaho state legislature has been in Republican hands since 1992. The state’s lowest SQLI ranking came near the bottom-10 class (40th) in 1999 and 2000 under a Republican trifecta, while its highest ranking (17th) also occurred under a Republican trifecta in 2007. Idaho made its largest leap in the SQLI ranking between the years 2011 and 2012, jumping nine spots in the SQLI ranking in a single year.

• SQLI average with Democratic trifecta: N/A
• SQLI average with Republican trifecta: 28.50
• SQLI average with divided government: 31.00

Chart displaying the partisanship of Idaho government from 1992-2013 and the State Quality of Life Index (SQLI).

Historical officeholders

There have been 33 governors since 1890. Of the 33 officeholders, 21 were Republican and 12 were Democrat.^[20]

State profile

Presidential voting pattern

See also:Presidential voting trends in Idaho

Idahovoted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

More Idaho coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in Idaho
• United States congressional delegations from Idaho
• Public policy in Idaho
• Endorsers in Idaho
• Idaho fact checks
• More...

Contact information

Address:
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720
Phone: (208) 334-2100
Fax: (208) 854-3036

See also

• Idaho state executive offices

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• Office of the Governor of Idaho

Footnotes

	v • e State ofIdaho Boise (capital)
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