By Secretary of State Phil McGrane
Highlights from the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office
May 15, 2026
National Recognition for Idaho Election Innovation
Idaho is known for potatoes, blue turf, and, it turns out, award-winning election administration and innovation.
This year, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission handed out 46 national Clearinghouse Awards recognizing best practices in election administration from a record-breaking 200 entries. Idaho brought home four of them.
I’m proud that the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office earned two awards this year. One recognized the 12 Principles of Idaho Elections, a statewide commitment signed by all 44 county clerks to help voters better understand how Idaho elections remain secure, accessible, and accurate. The second recognized Transparent by Design: Idaho’s Interactive Election Data Initiative, featuring data and dashboards on VoteIdaho.gov that turn complex election and campaign finance data into transparent, engaging, and easy-to-use public tools.
What makes these awards especially meaningful is that they recognize ideas other election offices can actually use. The “Clearies” awards evaluate programs based on innovation, sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and their potential to serve as models for election offices across the country. Idaho is building election tools and programs worth copying.
I’m also proud that the team at Ada County Elections earned two awards of their own for their Ballot Verifier tool and their Sasquatch “I Voted” sticker design. At every level, Idaho is punching above its weight.
With the May 19 primary election just around the corner, I think it is worth remembering that the people running Idaho’s elections are thoughtful, hardworking, creative, and deeply committed to serving voters well. Idaho may be a smaller state, but time and again, we prove that big ideas and national leadership can come from right here at home.
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.
