Thegovernor of Utah is thehead of government ofUtah[2] and the commander-in-chief of itsmilitary forces.[3] The governor has a duty to enforce state laws[2] as well as the power to either approve or veto bills passed by theUtah Legislature.[4] The governor may also convene the legislature on "extraordinary occasions".[5]
The self-proclaimedState of Deseret, precursor to the organization of theUtah Territory, had only one governor,Brigham Young. Utah Territory had 15 territorial governors from its organization in 1850 until the formation of the state of Utah in 1896, appointed by thePresident of the United States.John W. Dawson had the shortest term of only three weeks and Brigham Young, the first territorial governor, had the longest term at seven years.
There have been 18 governors of the State of Utah, with the longest serving beingCal Rampton, who served three terms from 1965 to 1977.Olene Walker served the shortest term, the remaining 14 months ofMike Leavitt's term upon Leavitt's resignation to become head of theEnvironmental Protection Agency. At the age of 36,Heber Manning Wells was the youngest person to become governor. At the age of 70,Simon Bamberger became the oldest person to be elected, while Olene Walker, at age 72, was the oldest person to succeed to the office.
Currently, a term of service is set at four years, and there are no overall limits (consecutive or lifetime) to the number of terms one may be elected to serve. Elections for the office of Governor of Utah are normally held in November of the same year as theUnited States presidential election.
The current governor isSpencer Cox, who took office on January 4, 2021. Governor Cox was elected in November2020.
A constitutional convention was convened inSalt Lake City on March 8, 1849, to work on a proposal for federal recognition of a state or territory. The convention resulted in the provisionalState of Deseret. Deseret claimed most of present-day Utah,Nevada andArizona, with parts ofCalifornia,Colorado,Idaho,New Mexico,Oregon, andWyoming.Brigham Young was elected governor on March 12, 1849, and the legislature first met on July 2, 1849.[9][10] The state, having never been recognized by the federal government, was formally dissolved on April 5, 1851,[11] several months after word of the creation of Utah Territory reached Salt Lake City.
On September 9, 1850, as part of theCompromise of 1850,Utah Territory was organized, encompassing roughly the northern half of Deseret.[12] The news did not reachSalt Lake City until January 1851.[13] Governors of the Utah Territory were appointed by the president of the United States, and other than Brigham Young, they were frequently consideredcarpetbaggerpatronage appointees.[14]
The State of Utah was admitted to the Union on January 4, 1896.
The governor has a four-year term, commencing on the first Monday of the January after an election.[70] TheConstitution of Utah originally stated that, should the office of governor be vacant, the power be devolved upon theSecretary of State,[71] but the office ofLieutenant Governor was created in 1976, and a 1980 constitutional amendment added it to the constitution.[72] If the office of governor becomes vacant during the first year of the term, the lieutenant governor becomes governor until the next general election; if it becomes vacant after the first year of the term, the lieutenant governor becomes governor for the remainder of the term.[73] The offices of governor and lieutenant governor are elected on the sameticket.[74] The Governor of Utah was formerly limited to serving three terms, but all term limit laws were repealed by the Utah Legislature in 2003; Utah is one of the few states where gubernatorial term limits are not determined by the constitution.[75]
^The range given is from the date the governor was confirmed by the Senate, or appointed by the President during a Senate recess, to the date the governor's successor was confirmed, unless noted.
^Young was nominated on September 26, 1850;[16] confirmed by the Senate on September 28;[17] and took the oath of office in Utah on February 3, 1851.[18]Edward Steptoe was nominated to replace Young on December 13, 1854,[19] and confirmed by the Senate on December 21,[20] but declined.[21]
^Cumming was appointed on July 11, 1857, during a Senate recess;[22] nominated on December 22, 1857;[23] and confirmed by the Senate on January 18, 1858.[24] He arrived in Salt Lake City on April 12, 1858, having been delayed by theUtah War.[25]
^Cumming and his wife left Salt Lake City on May 17, 1861, for a leave of absence but with no plans to return and no formal resignation;[22] Territorial Secretaries Francis H. Wooton[26] and Frank Fuller[27] acted as governor until his successor arrived.
^Dawson was appointed on October 3, 1861, during a Senate recess;[27] nominated on December 23, 1861;[28] but rejected by the Senate on March 19, 1862.[29] He arrived in Salt Lake City on December 7, 1861.[27][30]
^Dawson left Salt Lake City on December 31, 1861, after threats of violence[31] and being accused of "insulting (and perhaps molesting) his Mormon housekeeper";[27] Territorial Secretary Frank Fuller acted as governor until his successor arrived.[27]
^Harding was nominated on March 24, 1862;[33] confirmed by the Senate on March 31;[34] and arrived in Sale Lake City on July 7.[32]
^Doty was appointed on June 2, 1863, during a Senate recess;[35] nominated on January 7, 1864;[36] and confirmed by the Senate on February 2.[37]
^Territorial Secretary Amos Reed acted as governor until Doty's successor arrived.[35]
^Durkee was appointed on July 15, 1865, during a Senate recess;[38] nominated on December 19;[39] and confirmed by the Senate on December 21.[40] He arrived in Salt Lake City on September 30, 1865.[41]
^Durkee left the territory in late December as his term was expiring; Territorial Secretary Stephen A. Mann acted as governor until his successor arrived.[38]
^Shaffer was nominated on December 17, 1869;[43] confirmed by the Senate on January 17, 1870;[44] and arrived in the territory two months later.[42]
^Vaughan was appointed on October 31, 1870, during a Senate recess; he was already territorial secretary, so this just formalized his status as governor.[45]
^Silas A. Strickland was nominated on January 12, 1871,[47] but the nomination was withdrawn, and Woods was nominated, on January 23, 1871.[48] Woods was confirmed by the Senate on February 2, 1871,[49] and arrived in Salt Lake City in late March.[46]
^Woods left the territory on October 13, 1874; Territorial Secretary George A. Black acted as governor until his successor arrived.[50]
^Axtell was nominated on December 15, 1874, for a term beginning February 2, 1875,[52] and he was confirmed by the Senate on December 21.[53]
^Emery was appointed on July 1, 1875, during a Senate recess;[54] nominated on December 9;[55] and confirmed by the Senate on December 13.[56]
^Murray was nominated on January 19, 1880;[58] confirmed by the Senate on January 27;[59] and arrived in Salt Lake City a month later.[57] He was reconfirmed by the Senate on June 28, 1884.[60]
^Murray's resignation was requested from President Cleveland, and was delivered on March 16, though it's unclear when it was actually submitted.[61]
^West was nominated on April 5, 1886;[63] confirmed by the Senate on April 21;[64] and arrived in Salt Lake City on May 5.[62]
^Thomas was appointed on May 6, 1889, during a Senate recess;[65] nominated on December 9;[66] and confirmed by the Senate on December 17.[67]
^West was nominated on April 7, 1893,[68] and confirmed by the Senate on April 11.[69]
^The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1975.
^Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
^"Affairs in Utah".The New York Times. December 28, 1861. RetrievedMay 18, 2010.GREAT SALT LAKE CITY, Saturday, Dec. 7, 1861. ... Gov. DAWSON and Superintendent DOTY arrived by the mail-stage to-day.
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Utah statewide elected officials
