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Elective State Officials

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The Utah state officers elected by the people are governor, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, attorney-general, superintendent of public instruction and justices of the Supreme Court. All except justices of the Supreme Court are elected for four years. The first election for state officers was held on November 5, 1895, the constitution being ratified by the people at the same election. Since that time the state elections have been held at the same time as the presidential elections, viz.: In November, 1900, 1904, 1908, 1912 and 1916.

Following is a list of the officers, with the year in which each was elected:

Governors—Heber M. Wells, 1895; John C. Cutler, 1904; William Spry, 1908; Simon Bamberger, 1916. Wells and Spry each served two terms.

Secretaries of State—James T. Hammond, 1895 (re-elected in 1900); Charles S. Tingey, 1904 (re-elected in 1908); David Mattson, 1912; Harden Bennion, 1916.

State Auditors—Morgan Richards, 1895; Charles S. Tingey, 1900; J. A. Edwards, 1904; Jesse D. Jewkes, 1908; Lincoln G. Kelly, 1912; Joseph Ririe, 1916.

State Treasurers—James Chipman, 1895; John DeGrey Dixon, 1900; James Christiansen, 1904; David Mattson, 1908; Jesse D. Jewkes, 1912; Daniel O. Larson, 1916.

Attorneys-General—A. C. Bishop, 1895; M. A. Breeden, 1900 (re-elected in 1904); Albert R. Barnes, 1908 (re-elected in 1912); Daniel B. Shields, 1916.

Superintendents of Public Instruction—John R. Park, 1895; A. C. Nelson, 1900 (re-elected in 1904, 1908 and 1912); E. G. Gowans, 1916. Mr. Gowans resigned on July 1, 1919, and George N. Child, was appointed to the vacancy.

Supreme Court Justices—As established by the constitution of 1895, the Supreme Court was composed of three justices, one of whom should serve for three years, one for five years and one for seven years, after which one should be elected every two years and hold office for six years. George W. Bartch, James A. Miner and Charles S. Zane were elected in 1895; Robert N. Baskin, 1898; George W .Bartch, 1900; W. M. McCarty, 1902; Daniel N. Straup, 1904; Joseph E. Frick, 1906; W. M. McCarty, 1908; Daniel N. Straup, 1910; Joseph E. Frick, 1912; W. M. McCarty, 1914; Elmer E. Corfman, 1916. By the act of March 8, 1917, the number of Supreme Court justices was increased to five and the term of office was lengthened to ten years, one member of the court to be elected every two years. Under this act three justices were elected in 1918, viz.: Samuel R. Thurman, for ten years; Valentine Gideon, for eight years; Albert J. Weber, for six years.

Section 2, Article VIII, of the constitution provides that: "The judge having the shortest term to serve, not holding his office by appointment or election to fill a vacancy, shall be the chief justice, and shall preside at all terms of the Supreme Court," etc. Under this arrangement every member of the court, except those appointed or elected to fill vacancies, serves the latter years of his term as chief justice.

United States Senators—As each state has two senators, there are two lines of senatorial succession. The term of office is six years and begins on the 4th of March. The first senators from Utah were Arthur Brown and Frank J. Cannon, who were elected to the Legislature on January 21, 1896. Senator Brown drew the short term, expiring March 4, 1897. His successors have been Joseph L. Rawlins, for the term beginning on March 4, 1897; Reed Smoot, elected by the Legislature in 1903 and again in 1909, and by the people in 1914 for the term beginning on March 4, 1915 and expiring on March 4, 1921.

In the other line of succession, Frank J. Cannon's term expired on March 4, 1899*. A deadlock in the Legislature of that year resulted in a failure to elect his successor and Utah had but one United States senator until the Legislature of 1901 elected Thomas Kearns for the remainder of the term expiring on March 4, 1905; George Sutherland then served two terms, to March 4, 1917; William H. King was elected by the people in 1916 for the term beginning on March 4, 1917, and ending on March 4, 1923.

Representatives in Congress—From the admission of the state until 1912 Utah had but one representative in Congress. Since the general election of 1912 the state has had two representatives. Those elected since the admission of the state were: Clarence E. Allen, 1895; William H. King, 1896; Brigham H. Roberts, 1898 (seat refused by Congress and William H. King elected at a special election on April 2, 1900); George Sutherland, 1900; Joseph Howell, 1902 (re-elected at each succeeding election to 1910) ; Joseph Howell and Jacob Johnson, 1912; Joseph Howell and James H. Mays, 1914; Milton H. Welling and James H. Mays, 1916 (both re-elected in 1918).

[Source: Utah since statehood: historical and biographical, Volume 1; Edited by Noble Warrum; Publ. 1919; Transcribed and submitted by Andrea Stawski Pack.]

©2012 Genealogy Trails

Elective State Officials
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The Utah state officers elected by the people are governor, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, attorney-general, superintendent of public instruction and justices of the Supreme Court. All except justices of the Supreme Court are elected for four years. The first election for state officers was held on November 5, 1895, the constitution being ratified by the people at the same election. Since that time the state elections have been held at the same time as the presidential elections, viz.: In November, 1900, 1904, 1908, 1912 and 1916. Following is a list of the officers, with the year in which each was elected: Governors—Heber M. Wells, 1895; John C. Cutler, 1904; William Spry, 1908; Simon Bamberger, 1916. Wells and Spry each served two terms. Secretaries of State—James T. Hammond, 1895 (re-elected in 1900); Charles S. Tingey, 1904 (re-elected in 1908); David Mattson, 1912; Harden Bennion, 1916. State Auditors—Morgan Richards, 1895; Charles S. Tingey, 1900; J. A. Edwards, 1904; Jesse D. Jewkes, 1908; Lincoln G. Kelly, 1912; Joseph Ririe, 1916. State Treasurers—James Chipman, 1895; John DeGrey Dixon, 1900; James Christiansen, 1904; David Mattson, 1908; Jesse D. Jewkes, 1912; Daniel O. Larson, 1916. Attorneys-General—A. C. Bishop, 1895; M. A. Breeden, 1900 (re-elected in 1904); Albert R. Barnes, 1908 (re-elected in 1912); Daniel B. Shields, 1916. Superintendents of Public Instruction—John R. Park, 1895; A. C. Nelson, 1900 (re-elected in 1904, 1908 and 1912); E. G. Gowans, 1916. Mr. Gowans resigned on July 1, 1919, and George N. Child, was appointed to the vacancy. Supreme Court Justices—As established by the constitution of 1895, the Supreme Court was composed of three justices, one of whom should serve for three years, one for five years and one for seven years, after which one should be elected every two years and hold office for six years. George W. Bartch, James A. Miner and Charles S. Zane were elected in 1895; Robert N. Baskin, 1898; George W .Bartch, 1900; W. M. McCarty, 1902; Daniel N. Straup, 1904; Joseph E. Frick, 1906; W. M. McCarty, 1908; Daniel N. Straup, 1910; Joseph E. Frick, 1912; W. M. McCarty, 1914; Elmer E. Corfman, 1916. By the act of March 8, 1917, the number of Supreme Court justices was increased to five and the term of office was lengthened to ten years, one member of the court to be elected every two years. Under this act three justices were elected in 1918, viz.: Samuel R. Thurman, for ten years; Valentine Gideon, for eight years; Albert J. Weber, for six years. Section 2, Article VIII, of the constitution provides that: "The judge having the shortest term to serve, not holding his office by appointment or election to fill a vacancy, shall be the chief justice, and shall preside at all terms of the Supreme Court," etc. Under this arrangement every member of the court, except those appointed or elected to fill vacancies, serves the latter years of his term as chief justice. United States Senators—As each state has two senators, there are two lines of senatorial succession. The term of office is six years and begins on the 4th of March. The first senators from Utah were Arthur Brown and Frank J. Cannon, who were elected to the Legislature on January 21, 1896. Senator Brown drew the short term, expiring March 4, 1897. His successors have been Joseph L. Rawlins, for the term beginning on March 4, 1897; Reed Smoot, elected by the Legislature in 1903 and again in 1909, and by the people in 1914 for the term beginning on March 4, 1915 and expiring on March 4, 1921. In the other line of succession, Frank J. Cannon's term expired on March 4, 1899*. A deadlock in the Legislature of that year resulted in a failure to elect his successor and Utah had but one United States senator until the Legislature of 1901 elected Thomas Kearns for the remainder of the term expiring on March 4, 1905; George Sutherland then served two terms, to March 4, 1917; William H. King was elected by the people in 1916 for the term beginning on March 4, 1917, and ending on March 4, 1923. Representatives in Congress—From the admission of the state until 1912 Utah had but one representative in Congress. Since the general election of 1912 the state has had two representatives. Those elected since the admission of the state were: Clarence E. Allen, 1895; William H. King, 1896; Brigham H. Roberts, 1898 (seat refused by Congress and William H. King elected at a special election on April 2, 1900); George Sutherland, 1900; Joseph Howell, 1902 (re-elected at each succeeding election to 1910) ; Joseph Howell and Jacob Johnson, 1912; Joseph Howell and James H. Mays, 1914; Milton H. Welling and James H. Mays, 1916 (both re-elected in 1918). [Source: Utah since statehood: historical and biographical, Volume 1; Edited by Noble Warrum; Publ. 1919; Transcribed and submitted by Andrea Stawski Pack.]



©2012 Genealogy Trails