By Secretary of State Phil McGrane
Celebrating Idaho’s Local Elections and the People Who Make Them Work
On Tuesday, Idahoans from Sandpoint to Bear Lake turned out to vote on local issues and candidates. Behind every ballot was a months-long effort by an army of county clerks, election staff, and poll workers who make our elections possible.
Since taking office, I’ve visited 27 of Idaho’s 44 county election offices, and I’ve loved meeting clerks and their teams on their home turf. Every visit makes me think of Idaho’s incredible diversity, from rural hand-count counties to large operations managing nearly 200 precincts and thousands of voters.
This past Election Day, I traveled to Idaho City in Boise County. The hour-long drive from Boise felt like a journey back in time. There I met with Clerk Mary Theresa Prisco and her outstanding team. Boise County has seven precincts, and three levies and two city council seats appeared on their local ballots. As Idaho’s chief elections nerd and history buff, I was surprised and delighted when Clerk Prisco pulled an original 1890 ballot from the county vault — the very first ballot issued after Idaho became a state. On it were names like A.J. Pinkham, one of my predecessors as Secretary of State, and George Shoup for Governor. We stood in a courthouse that first opened as a general store in 1871, talking about how far we’ve come.
While there, I also had the chance to meet Jackie Birdwell, a 30-year election worker and former mayor of Idaho City. People like Jackie, seasoned, civic-minded, and devoted, are the backbone of Idaho elections.
I’m grateful to these stalwarts across Idaho, some of whom worked past 3 a.m. Wednesday morning to ensure every ballot was properly counted and every voice heard. The 12 principles of Idaho Elections, that our elections are easy, secure, and accurate, aren’t just words. They’re the result of countless dedicated Idahoans making our system of elections work. I’m grateful for their service, and I look forward to visiting the rest of Idaho’s counties as we continue to strengthen trust in our elections.
Phil McGrane
About Phil McGrane
Phil McGrane was elected Idaho’s twenty-eighth Secretary of State and took office on January 2, 2023. McGrane served as elected Clerk of Ada County from 2019-2022. McGrane holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy, a juris doctorate, and a Master of Public Administration. As a fourth-generation Idahoan, Phil has dedicated his career to making elections in the state of Idaho accessible, secure and transparent.
