By Secretary of State Phil McGrane
Highlights from the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office
6/12/2026
The Idaho Model: Clear Rules, Timely Results, Trusted Elections
This week, Idaho certified the results of our May 19 primary election.
For most Idahoans, that probably wasn’t news. That’s exactly the point.
Trust in elections is built quietly, through transparency, consistency, and results that arrive when people expect them to. In elections, what the public believes about the process matters. Confidence is not just about getting the count right. It is also about making sure voters understand the rules, the deadlines, and the process from start to finish.
California elections have been in the news lately, with coverage focused on delays in reporting results for high-profile races, including the Los Angeles Mayor’s race. The prolonged count —and the skepticism it creates — should concern anyone who cares about public trust in elections.
As Idaho’s chief election official, I’ve watched the drawn-out process with genuine concern, not for California’s results, which I have no reason to doubt, but for what extended uncertainty does to public trust in our democratic system. I know those election workers are putting in hours around the clock. I know, because I’ve experienced countless election nights that stretched well into the following afternoon.
The time, place, and manner of holding elections are left to the states. While there are shared standards, including federal certification of machines and collaboration on cybersecurity, each state makes its own policy choices. That means there are 50 different ways of running elections, with even more variation from one jurisdiction to the next. In my career in government, I’ve learned to identify best practices, and elections are no different. Good policy matters.
In Idaho, we’ve worked hard to get the policy right. Our approach to elections draws national attention for the right reasons. Some of the debate happening in other states treats timely results and accessible elections as competing priorities. I’d argue they aren’t. Idaho’s 12 Principles of Elections are built on the premise that you don’t have to choose between timely results, access, integrity, and transparency. A strong election system can provide all four.
What is Idaho doing right?
Timely Results
Idaho law provides clear, consistent deadlines. Whether you vote in person or by absentee, your ballot is due by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Full stop. Clear deadlines are easy to understand, easy to communicate, and they hold everyone to the same standard.
Access
Idaho provides voters with options to make the process accessible: voting on Election Day, in-person early voting, and absentee voting. Voteidaho.gov makes it easy to register, find a polling place, request an absentee ballot, and view a sample ballot, and more.
Integrity
A government-issued ID is required to register and vote. Idaho offers a free ID, available to anyone who doesn’t have a driver’s license or passport. Idaho issues absentee ballots only on request, and signatures are validated on every absentee ballot.
Transparency
In Idaho, there’s a paper record for every vote. Following each primary and general election, we randomly select counties to conduct audits, hand-counting paper ballots to verify election night results. We welcome the public to observe.
That balance matters.
Idaho elections work because the policy behind them is sound. Clear rules create clear expectations. Clear expectations make it easier for voters to trust the outcome.
I’m proud of the work Idaho’s county clerks, election workers, and volunteers do every election. I am also proud that our state continues to conduct elections with transparency, consistency, and accountability.
The best election systems are the ones voters can understand, election workers can administer, and the public can trust. That’s the Idaho Model.
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.
