Jae Etchart

Jae Etchart: Democrat for Idaho House, District 15, Seat B

Jae Etchart is the Democratic nominee for Idaho House District 15, Seat B. She faces Republican incumbent Dori Healey on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot. Etchart won the May 19, 2026 Democratic primary unopposed, receiving 2,004 votes, or 100 percent, per CBS2/FOX9 election coverage.

Background

Etchart was born in South Pasadena, California, and has lived in Boise for 46 years. She is 69 years old, according to her Idaho Capital Sun voter guide response.

Her career runs through accounting, housing, and healthcare. She supervised accounting teams at Micron and worked at Mobex Communications, then spent 15 years in the Family Self-Sufficiency Department of the Boise City/Ada County Housing Authority. In that role, she worked with seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, immigrants, and families with limited incomes. She later owned businesses in real estate and property management. Today she works as a Medicare and Medicaid insurance agent, helping Idahoans navigate insurance decisions.

Her campaign site describes a long record of community volunteering. She has delivered food to families in need, volunteered at a homeless shelter, and served as a YMCA camp counselor. She currently serves on her church's Care Team. In party work, she is Vice Chair for District 15 with the Ada County Democrats. Her only prior run for office on record was a 2022 unopposed primary win for Ada County Precinct Committeeman, District 1502, per the Idaho Secretary of State's canvass records.

"I've called Boise home for 46 years, building a career in housing, healthcare, and helping people navigate the challenges of everyday life," her campaign site states. "I'm running to bring a practical voice to the Statehouse."

Where she stands

Her top three priorities, from door-knocking conversations across the district, are affordable housing, accessible healthcare, and protecting public lands from private out-of-state ownership. "Preserving these lands ensures future Idahoans can enjoy our state's natural beauty and outdoor heritage," she wrote in the Idaho Capital Sun voter guide.

On housing, she points to planning for growth as the core issue. She cites Senate Bill 1352, which addressed starter-home subdivisions, as the kind of policy she would advance. She also argues the homeowner's exemption should keep pace with rising home values so longtime residents are not left with an unfair share of the property tax burden.

On education, she supports repealing the 2025 private school tax credit. "I would support repealing the private school tax credit," she told the Idaho Capital Sun. "Idaho's education dollars should be focused on strengthening the public schools that serve the vast majority of our students."

On the proposed Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus, she backs continued exploration of nuclear research in Idaho but opposes moving forward without stronger protections. "Before any agreement is made, Idaho must secure clear, enforceable guardrails protecting our economy, public lands, water, and the Snake River Plain Aquifer," she wrote. "Until we have real answers and strong protections in place, I cannot support moving forward."

On the state budget, she opposes further cuts and links recent shortfalls to tax policy. "The top 1% received an average income tax reduction of more than $20,000, compared with about $450 for a median-income household," she wrote. "The wealthiest Idahoans should pay their fair share."

On Proposition 1, a reproductive-rights ballot initiative, she supports the measure. "I trust doctors, families, and people guided by their own faith and values to make the healthcare decisions that are right for them," she wrote in the Idaho Capital Sun voter guide. She added that if voters pass the initiative, "I will respect their decision and work to implement it."

Endorsement

The Idaho Education Association's Political Action Committee for Education endorsed Etchart in the 2026 cycle, according to Idaho Education News. The endorsement covered her race alongside fellow District 15 Democrats Steve Berch and Nancy Gregory. PACE endorsements followed a structured process that included candidate questionnaires, interviews, recommendations from local educators, and a vote by PACE members.

Campaign finance

Per the Idaho Secretary of State's Sunshine portal, Etchart's campaign has raised $35,120.76 this cycle. She has spent $17,169.10, leaving $18,951.66 in ending cash balance. Her committee reports $1,000.00 in outstanding debt.

Sources

• Jae 4 Idaho, her campaign site, for her biography, volunteer history, and why she is running
• CBS2/FOX9 (idahonews.com), 2026 general election survey responses for District 15B, published August 24, 2026
• Idaho Capital Sun, 2026 general election voter guide for House District 15B, her age, and her positions on housing, education, nuclear waste, the budget, and Proposition 1
• Idaho Education News, May 13, 2026 report on IEA PACE legislative endorsements
• Ada County Democrats, District 15 page, her Vice Chair role
• Idaho Secretary of State elections database, her 2022 precinct committeeman primary result