Governor Bangerter

1985-1993, Republican

About the Bangerter Administration

Norman H. Bangerter was elected governor in 1984. He served two terms leaving office in 1993. He was the first Republican governor elected in Utah in twenty years. Norman Bangerter entered politics in 1974, running first for a seat in the Utah House of Representatives. He unseated a Democrat and went on to serve four more terms before being elected governor. During this time he was Assistant Majority Whip, Majority Leader, and Speaker of the House. As Governor he chose to face issues head on and did not shy away from difficulties.

A keystone of the Bangerter administration was to encourage business-oriented government, focusing on ways government could help economic growth. Efforts were made to bring new firms to the state, and Governor Bangerter was a proponent of the newly established Utah Technology Finance Corporation that provided start-up funding to incipient high technology businesses. Layoffs at Geneva Steel and Kennecott Copper attracted the attention of state government including the focus of several job training programs to provide laid-off workers with new skills. Bangerter focused on improving the state's educational system. He significantly increased education funds and initiated statewide uniform student testing. Governor Bangerter also believed in the efficiency of government and fought to reduce the size and cost of state government. The rising water of the Great Salt Lake and other environmental issues were also concerns for Governor Bangerter. Norman H. Bangerter announced he would not seek a third term and in 1993 retired to private life.

Powell, Allan Kent, ed. Utah History Encyclopedia. Norman H. Bangerter, by Michael Christensen. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1994.

Cone, Alice Colleen and Steven R. Wood. Guide to Governor Norman H. Bangerter's Records. Salt Lake City: Utah State Archives, 1995.