For Immediate Release: December 22, 2025
(Boise, Idaho) – Following a hand count conducted at the request of Secretary of State Phil McGrane and Elmore County Clerk Shelley Essl, a judge in Elmore County on Monday completed a judicial review of the November 4, 2025, Elmore County Consolidated Election and determined that the certified results stand.
The judicial review followed the discovery of procedural and operational errors that resulted in 388 ballots being processed on election night without all results being properly saved or reported. After the issue was identified, a hand count was conducted by teams from the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office under the direction of Secretary Phil McGrane. The result of the hand recount showed that no outcomes had changed previously reported results. Following the hand count, Secretary McGrane and Clerk Essl formally requested judicial review.
“The judicial review represents the final, independent examination of both the initial results and the hand count that followed,” said Secretary of State Phil McGrane. “We welcome this level of scrutiny, and we’re pleased to have results that voters and candidates can trust. I’m grateful to Deputy Attorney General Aaron Green and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office for their work throughout this process and for helping bring this matter to a timely resolution. This process worked, and all Idahoans should have confidence that their votes will count.”
Under Idaho Code 34-220, county clerks and the Secretary of State may request judicial review of an election in the weeks following certification. That process allows a judge to review all aspects of the election and determine whether a new election is warranted.
“We’re relieved to have this matter resolved with judicial oversight so that candidates and voters can be confident in the final results,” said Elmore County Clerk Shelley Essl. “I appreciate the assistance of Secretary McGrane and his team throughout this process, as well as the cooperation of the Elmore County Prosecutor and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office.”
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.
