By Secretary of State Phil McGrane
Modernizing Candidate Filing in Idaho
For years, the opening of candidate filing meant one thing in Idaho: a road trip.
If you wanted to run for office, you either made the trek across a state nearly 80 times the size of Rhode Island, or you trusted your paperwork to the U.S. Mail and hoped it arrived on time and in order. From Bear Lake to Boise. From Dixie to Grangeville. Filing day often meant winter miles, careful planning, and a little bit of luck.
That was the reality until now. Like many government processes, it was ready for thoughtful modernization. This year, we’re delivering it.
Every candidate, from a local precinct committeeman in Salmon to a statewide officeholder in Coeur d’Alene, can now file at VoteIdaho.gov without leaving home.
This upgrade isn’t just about convenience. For the public, the list of filed candidates will be updated throughout the filing period, giving Idahoans immediate access to accurate information on who has filed. On the back end, it reduces the errors that can happen when paper forms are manually entered into a system, and it provides real-time verification of eligibility requirements, so any issues are caught immediately, not weeks later.
Important Deadline Changes
There are also important changes to the filing calendar this year.
Federal, Statewide and Legislative candidates now have a one-week filing window: February 23 at 8:00 a.m. MST through February 27 at 5:00 p.m. MST. The withdrawal deadline is March 6 at 5:00 p.m. MST.
County and local offices, as well as Precinct Committeemen, will file during the county filing period: March 2 at 8:00 a.m. local time through March 13 at 5:00 p.m. local time. The withdrawal deadline is March 20, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. local time.
My team is ready to help candidates with questions and guide them through the process. Complete information is available at VoteIdaho.gov.
Get Vote Ready
Of course, VoteIdaho.gov isn’t just for candidates. As we head toward the May 19 primary election, it’s also a good time for voters to confirm they’re registered at their current address, review their information, and learn more about voting in Idaho.
Whether you’re putting your name on the ballot or preparing to cast one, our goal is simple: make the process clear, accessible, and worthy of the trust Idahoans place in it.
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.
