By Secretary of State Phil McGrane
Highlights from the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office
May 29, 2026
Checking Our Work
Some were there in the room, others watching online, but everyone collectively held their breath as the raffle drum began to spin. Inside, tiles tumbled and rattled against the metal walls in what looked like a scene straight out of the Idaho Lottery.
But nobody was about to become a millionaire. When the drum stopped, Idaho had something else: the counties and precincts randomly selected for this year’s post-election audit. And for confidence in our elections, that’s worth far more.
Today, I joined Controller Brandon Woolf, a fellow member of the State Board of Canvassers, to conduct the public audit draw. Over the next week, audit teams will travel to county election offices in Franklin, Canyon, Lemhi, Gooding, Owyhee, Butte, Power & Ada to hand-count paper ballots from this month’s May Primary and compare them against the canvassed results.
I advocated for statewide post-election audits when I was a county clerk because audits not only give election officials an opportunity to check our own work, but also provide another opportunity for the public to observe how we work to keep elections secure and transparent. Audits are among the most important tools we have to verify the accuracy of election results and reassure voters that every ballot is counted as cast, and that the election results are secure and verified.
Post-election audits may not receive the same attention as election night results, but they are one of the most important parts of the process. They demonstrate that election integrity is not simply something we claim; it is something my office and every clerk in our 44 counties are working to guarantee. That commitment to accuracy, transparency, and accountability is how public trust is earned and maintained.
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.
