By Secretary of State Phil McGrane
Highlights from the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office
September 4, 2026
At the Heart of Idaho’s Elections
The day is long, beginning at least an hour before the polls open at 8 a.m. and not ending until well after the last voter’s name has been called out and the last ballot cast after 8 p.m. There is equipment to set up, signs to post, and stickers to hand out.
To most voters, poll workers make the process look effortless.
What you don’t see are the hours of training and the rules and procedures they learn to make Election Day easy, secure, and consistent for every voter who walks through the door.
And when the polls close, their work continues. The remaining unvoted ballots must be carefully accounted for against the number of voters who checked in that day. Records are completed, materials are secured and sealed, and everything is returned to the county elections office.
It is meticulous work. It is also an incredible act of public service.
This is the very heart of the democratic process. In Idaho, around 5,000 poll workers are needed to help Idahoans exercise their right to vote. They are your neighbors and community members, and many of them have other obligations they put on hold to serve at the polls.
In 2020, I had the distinct pleasure of celebrating one of those committed Idahoans. At age 91, June Pack was retiring after an impressive 55 years of continuous service that began in 1965. She became chief judge and tended to her precinct with the precision of a veteran and the care of someone who takes civic duty seriously. She passed away only a few months later, but I have never forgotten her or her service. She left a profound legacy: her daughter also volunteered at the polls and, after her retirement, took on June’s role managing the precinct.
June may have been exceptional in the length of her service, but the spirit behind it is something I see in poll workers across Idaho.
I’m living a version of it myself. I was a proud dad this week as my daughter served as a poll worker for a local school district election. If I’m a fourth-generation Idaho government nerd, she’s the fifth, and democracy runs in her blood. She loves to serve, and I love watching her confidently go about the work of elections that I love so much. Whether it’s someone serving for the first time or someone like June who returned election after election for more than half a century, our elections depend on Idahoans willing to step up and serve.
County election offices across the state are gearing up for Idaho’s November general election, and they need poll workers. It’s a long day, but it’s also a day spent alongside your neighbors, helping them take part in something bigger than themselves. Consider becoming a poll worker. I can almost guarantee the experience will leave you better than it found you.
Phil McGrane
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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.
