Government
Utah's State Capitol is in Salt Lake City, the capital since 1856.Utah is governed under a constitution adopted in 1895, effective in 1896. Executive officers are the governor, lieutenant governor, state auditor, state treasurer, and attorney general. All of these officials are elected to four-year terms.
The legislature consists of a senate of 29 members who serve four-year terms and a house of representatives with 75 members who are elected for two years. The legislature meets annually.
Judicial power rests with a supreme court of five justices, a court of appeals, district courts, and various other courts. Supreme court justices and district court judges are initially appointed by the governor and later run for retention.
Utah has 29 counties. It is represented in Congress by two senators and three representatives.
| Governors of Utah | |||
| Name | Party | Term | |
| Heber M. Wells | Republican | 1896-1905 | |
| John C. Cutler | Republican | 1905-1909 | |
| William Spry | Republican | 1909-1917 | |
| Simon Bamberger | Democratic | 1917-1921 | |
| Charles R. Mabey | Republican | 1921-1925 | |
| George H. Dern | Democratic | 1925-1933 | |
| Henry H. Blood | Democratic | 1933-1941 | |
| Herbert B. Maw | Democratic | 1941-1949 | |
| J. Bracken Lee | Republican | 1949-1957 | |
| George D. Clyde | Republican | 1957-1965 | |
| Calvin L. Rampton | Democratic | 1965-1977 | |
| Scott M. Matheson | Democratic | 1977-1985 | |
| Norman H. Bangerter | Republican | 1985-1993 | |
| Michael O. Leavitt | Republican | 1993-2003 | |
| Olene Walker | Republican | 2003-2005 | |
| Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. | Republican | 2005- | |
