Governor of Idaho

Governor of Idaho
Seal of the State of Idaho
Incumbent C. L. "Butch" Otter since January 1, 2007
Residence	The Idaho House
Term length	Four years, no term limit
Inaugural holder	George L. Shoup
Formation	July 3, 1890
Deputy	Brad Little
Salary	$117,000 (2013)
Website	gov.idaho.gov

The Governor of Idaho is the head of the executive branch of Idaho's state government and commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the duty to see state laws are executed, power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Idaho Legislature.

Idaho Territory had 16 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. Four of these never took office, resigning before reaching the territory.

Thirty individuals have held the office of governor of Idaho since the state's admission to the Union in 1890, two of whom—C. A. Bottolfsen and Cecil D. Andrus—served non-consecutive terms. The state's first governor, George Laird Shoup, had the shortest term of three months, and Cecil D. Andrus served as governor the longest at 14 years. Four governors resigned, but none has died while in office. There have been 20 Republican and 12 Democratic governors. The current governor is C. L. "Butch" Otter, who took office on January 1, 2007.

Idaho Territory was created from Dakota Territory, Nebraska Territory, and Washington Territory on March 4, 1863. Initially, the territory included all of modern-day Idaho and Montana, and most of Wyoming. On May 26, 1864, Montana Territory was split from Idaho Territory, and most of the Wyoming portion was reassigned to Dakota Territory. The portion east of the 111th meridian was split off as part of the new Wyoming Territory on July 25, 1868, giving Idaho Territory its final borders.