Idaho General Election · November 3, 2026Find polling place
Republican

Phil McGrane

Phil McGrane

Secretary of State

Phil McGrane, Republican incumbent and candidate for Idaho Secretary of State

Phil McGrane, a Republican, is Idaho's Secretary of State and a candidate for re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election. He filed on February 25, 2026, and the Idaho Secretary of State's filed-candidates search lists the filing as approved. He won the May 19, 2026 Republican primary unopposed, with 188,089 votes, according to the Idaho Secretary of State's certified results. His opponent is Democrat Shawn Keenan, whom he also defeated in 2022.

Background

The Secretary of State's website says McGrane was elected Idaho's twenty-eighth Secretary of State and took office on January 2, 2023. His official biography says he was born and raised in Pocatello until he was five, when his family moved to the Boise area. It says he earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from the University of Washington and then worked as an Election Specialist in Ada County, where he trained poll workers. It says he later served as chief deputy and then as Ada County Clerk.

A Secretary of State press release says he served as elected Clerk of Ada County from 2019 to 2022. Another Secretary of State release says he holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy, a juris doctorate and a Master of Public Administration.

Election history

According to the Idaho Secretary of State's election database, McGrane finished second in the May 20, 2014 Republican primary for Secretary of State with 38,336 votes (27.9%), behind Lawerence Denney, who received 51,041 (37.1%). In the November 6, 2018 general election he won the Ada County clerk's race with 86,862 votes (48.2%) to Democrat Kelly Yvonne Mitchell's 78,059 (43.3%) and independent Graham Carter's 15,199 (8.4%).

In the May 2022 Republican primary for Secretary of State he won with 114,355 votes to Dorothy Moon's 109,959 and Mary Souza's 41,209. In the November 8, 2022 general election he received 418,945 votes (72.1%) to Keenan's 159,189 (27.4%).

Voter registration and the courts

The Idaho Legislature's record for House Bill 340 of 2023 shows that it was signed by the governor on April 4, 2023. The bill's Statement of Purpose lists McGrane among its contacts and says it requires that applicants "submit a completed application, show proof of identity, and show proof of residence, regardless of the manner of registration."

The Secretary of State's office reported that the Idaho Supreme Court affirmed the dismissal of a state-court challenge to the registration laws by Babe Vote and the League of Women Voters of Idaho on April 11, 2024. A federal challenge by March for Our Lives Idaho and the Idaho Alliance for Retired Americans was dismissed in September 2024, and the Ninth Circuit docket shows the appeal pending. The Idaho Capital Sun quoted the plaintiffs' lawyer, David Fox, calling the laws a "targeted strike on young voters."

Voter-roll checks and the Justice Department

In a March 14, 2025 letter to the Senate State Affairs Committee, McGrane wrote: "In July 2024, we cross-checked Idaho's 1,009,409 active voters against DMV records, identifying 678 potential noncitizens." He wrote that federal verification tools confirmed citizenship for 638 of them, that county clerks removed four through their own process, and that of the remaining 36, 34 were removed from the rolls before the November 2024 election.

The U.S. Department of Justice asked Idaho for its full voter registration list. In a February 2026 letter filed in court and reported by the Idaho Capital Sun, McGrane wrote: "my considered view is that no clear legal duty exists requiring my office to disclose Idaho's full unredacted voter registration list to the Department of Justice." The Idaho Capital Sun reported that the Justice Department sued him on April 1, 2026. On May 21, 2026, Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill granted McGrane's motion to stay the case, writing in its order that "The Ninth Circuit's ruling will almost certainly be dispositive." The case docket is United States v. McGrane.

The 2024 open-primaries initiative

In a July 3, 2024 letter to the Legislative Council about the Idahoans for Open Primaries initiative, McGrane wrote that replacing existing equipment "would likely cost at least $25M to $40M dollars." He also wrote: "Given my dual roles here, I am mindful of my outsized voice in the petition process and elections." The initiative qualified for the ballot and failed in November 2024, with 30.4% voting yes, according to the Secretary of State's canvass.

The Idaho Press reported that former Idaho Supreme Court Justice and Attorney General Jim Jones said the estimated price tag was a gross overestimation. The newspaper quoted McGrane saying: "The equipment Idaho currently has isn't capable of ranked choice voting."

The Idaho GOP and the 2026 ballot language

In 2023 the Idaho Republican Party's chair, Dorothy Moon, asked McGrane's office to enforce a party rule on voter affiliation. The Idaho Capital Sun reported that he replied on November 16, 2023 that "your request is outside of my authority as secretary of state."

The Idaho Capital Sun reported in a story republished by the Bonner County Daily Bee that the yes and no effect statements for the 2026 abortion rights initiative were written by Attorney General Raúl Labrador and McGrane, and that on September 4, 2026 the Idaho Supreme Court ruled unanimously that they must be redrafted. KMVT reported that the court approved the revised statements 4-1. McGrane's September 9, 2026 statement said: "I appreciate the extraordinary effort by everyone involved, including the Supreme Court, the Attorney General's Office, and Idahoans United for Women & Families, to reach a resolution in time for us to meet critical election deadlines."

What supporters say

Chuck Malloy wrote in an Idaho Capital Sun commentary on December 23, 2022: "McGrane has been preparing for this job for a long time and he relishes the challenges that come with the job." During the 2022 campaign, Keenan told the Idaho Capital Sun of McGrane: "It gives me confidence knowing he cares a lot about elections, and he's been doing a great job in Ada County."

What critics say

Former state Sen. Scott Herndon, R-Sagle, criticized McGrane for endorsing incumbent legislators in the May 2026 primary. The Idaho Capital Sun quoted Herndon: "It clouds his impartiality." McGrane replied in the same story: "I'm a partisan elected official. I'm a proud Republican."

During the 2026 budget debate, Rep. Josh Tanner, R-Eagle, argued against the Secretary of State's appropriation bill and said McGrane was the only statewide elected constitutional officer who did not take part in across-the-board state budget cuts, according to the Idaho Capital Sun. The House defeated the bill 27-43 on March 18, 2026, according to the Legislature's record.

Melanie Folwell of Idahoans United for Women and Families said after the Supreme Court ruling on the effect statements, as reported by the Idaho Capital Sun: "Idaho voters deserve ballot language that tells them the truth, and I'm proud that we fought this battle."

Campaign finance

The Idaho Secretary of State's Sunshine campaign finance system showed contributions of $426,694.79 and expenditures of $265,275.26 for the 2026 cycle on October 2, 2026. It showed $184,137.69 in cash on hand and $0.00 in outstanding debt.

Sunshine's top-contributor list showed Todd Brinkmeyer and Angela Marozzo of Post Falls at $10,000.00 each, Idaho REALTORS PAC at $8,500.00, Clearwater Paper and the J.R. Simplot Company at $7,500.00 each and Idaho Power at $6,000.00. The Idaho Capital Sun listed him at $426,694 and Keenan at $0 as of September 30, 2026.

Sources

Profile published by IdahoVoters.com. Last updated October 2, 2026. This profile will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Frequently asked questions

What office is Phil McGrane running for?
He is the Republican incumbent seeking re-election as Idaho Secretary of State in the November 3, 2026 general election. His opponent is Democrat Shawn Keenan.
What is Phil McGrane's background?
His official biography says he was born in Pocatello, earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from the University of Washington, worked as an Election Specialist in Ada County and later served as chief deputy and Ada County Clerk.
Has Phil McGrane been elected before?
Yes. He won the Ada County clerk's race in November 2018 and the Secretary of State's race in November 2022 with 72.1% of the vote.
What did Phil McGrane do about the Justice Department's request for Idaho's voter list?
He wrote in a February 2026 letter that no clear legal duty requires him to disclose the full unredacted list. The Justice Department sued on April 1, 2026, and on May 21, 2026 a federal judge stayed the case pending Ninth Circuit rulings.
What was Phil McGrane's role in the 2026 abortion initiative ballot language?
The Idaho Capital Sun reported that he and Attorney General Raúl Labrador wrote the effect statements, which the Idaho Supreme Court ordered redrafted on September 4, 2026 and approved in revised form 4-1.
What do critics say about Phil McGrane?
Former state Sen. Scott Herndon said McGrane's endorsements of legislators cloud his impartiality, and McGrane replied that he is a partisan elected official. Rep. Josh Tanner criticized his budget stance, and the Idaho Press reported that former Attorney General Jim Jones said a 2024 cost estimate was a gross overestimation.
How much money has Phil McGrane raised?
Idaho Sunshine showed $426,694.79 in contributions for the 2026 cycle on October 2, 2026, with $265,275.26 spent and $184,137.69 in cash on hand.