MCGRANE: Behind Every Idaho Election

By Secretary of State Phil McGrane

Highlights from the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office
August 14, 2026

Behind Every Idaho Election

Many people think of America’s elections as one big operation. In reality, they’re administered locally across more than 10,000 election jurisdictions nationwide.

In Idaho, we have 44, one for each county, and at the helm of each is an elected county clerk.

When I talk about the integrity of Idaho’s elections and the things our state does well, much of the credit belongs to these clerks and their dedicated teams of election staff and poll workers. Elections are personal for the people who administer them. Our clerks are locally elected. They live in the communities they serve, and trust is a very real currency. The election staff working behind the scenes and the poll workers greeting you on Election Day are your friends and neighbors.

I was reminded of that this past week when I had a chance to spend time with Idaho’s county clerks at the annual conference of the Idaho Association of County Recorders and Clerks in Lewiston.

I’m somewhat rare among secretaries of state, having served as a county clerk before taking on this role, and as Chief Deputy before that. In fact, I started my career in elections back in 2005, counting ballots and training poll workers. I’ve had the opportunity to see this work from nearly every level, and I can’t overstate the responsibility our county clerks take on.

And elections are only part of the job.

Idaho’s county clerks also serve as recorders, maintaining important public records such as marriage licenses and property documents. They also serve as county auditors, with responsibilities for county finances and the budget process. Their offices touch many of the basic functions of local government that Idahoans depend on every day.

Then there is the important, and often difficult, work that goes into running an election. Maintaining voter records. Preparing ballots. Testing equipment. Training poll workers. Managing polling places. Reconciling results. Undergoing audits. Much of it happens behind the scenes, but every step is crucial to running elections smoothly.

The work has become more complex and more scrutinized, but Idaho is fortunate to have dedicated people willing to take it on. They’re professionals. They’re neighbors. They care deeply about getting it right for the communities they serve.

The 44 clerks can’t do this alone. On Election Day, Idahoans across the state step up to help their neighbors vote. Consider being one of them.

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.

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