Shawn Keenan
Secretary of State
Shawn Keenan, Democratic candidate for Idaho Secretary of State
Shawn Keenan, a Democrat from Coeur d'Alene, is a candidate for Idaho Secretary of State in the November 3, 2026 general election. He filed on February 26, 2026, and the Idaho Secretary of State's filed-candidates search lists the filing as approved. He won the May 19, 2026 Democratic primary unopposed, with 43,133 votes, according to the Idaho Secretary of State's certified results. His opponent is Republican incumbent Phil McGrane, who defeated him in 2022.
Background
The Idaho Capital Sun reported in October 2022 that Keenan "was born and raised in North Idaho and earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston." The Sun reported that after college he volunteered on local, statewide and national Democratic campaigns in Idaho, including as a field organizer. It reported that an Idaho Democratic Party operative asked him if he was interested in running for Secretary of State. In February 2026 the Idaho Capital Sun described him as living in Coeur d'Alene and as having unsuccessfully run as a Democrat for Secretary of State in 2022.
Election history
According to the Idaho Secretary of State's election database, Keenan won the May 2022 Democratic primary for Secretary of State unopposed, with 31,807 votes. In the November 8, 2022 general election McGrane received 418,945 votes (72.1%), Keenan 159,189 (27.4%) and write-in candidate Garth G. Gaylord 2,778 (0.5%).
His statements
In 2022 Keenan told the Idaho Capital Sun: "I'm not for people who project misinformation and disinformation purposely to rile up and mislead voters. I think it's completely disingenuous and also hurtful to our democracy." He also said: "A solid, uniform election delivery system needs to happen, and that means proper training is done."
HuffPost quoted him in a May 17, 2022 article on far-right influence in Idaho politics, speaking of the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee: "They have completely rebranded what it is to be a conservative here in north Idaho." The article quoted him adding: "It's a bit of a purge. A big purge."
The Democratic Association of Secretaries of State, a Democratic political action committee, lists Keenan on its Idaho 2026 page. The page, which is the committee's own writing, says: "Shawn Keenan is running to give Idaho voters a clear choice and ensure elections are administered with fairness, transparency, and respect for every eligible voter."
The 2026 campaign
The Idaho Capital Sun's 2026 voter guide for Secretary of State lists "This candidate did not respond to the questionnaire" beneath Keenan's name for each question. CBS2 reported on its Secretary of State survey page: "Keenan did not respond to the survey in time."
In its October 2022 profile the Idaho Capital Sun wrote that Keenan's "profile throughout the election cycle has remained low," without a campaign website or social media presence and with few media interviews.
Campaign finance
The Idaho Secretary of State's Sunshine campaign finance system showed $0.00 in contributions, $0.00 in expenditures and $0.00 in cash on hand for the 2026 cycle on October 2, 2026, for the committee Shawn Keenan for Idaho. The Idaho Capital Sun listed him at $0 and McGrane at $426,694 as of September 30, 2026.
Sources
- Idaho Secretary of State, filed candidates search, his filing
- Idaho Secretary of State, May 2026 certified results, the Democratic primary vote
- Idaho Secretary of State, 2022 Democratic primary results
- Idaho Secretary of State, 2022 general election results
- Idaho Capital Sun, October 28, 2022, his background and statements
- Idaho Capital Sun, February 27, 2026, the 2026 field
- HuffPost, May 17, 2022, his statements about the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee
- Democratic Association of Secretaries of State, Idaho 2026
- Democratic Association of Secretaries of State, its description as a 527 political action committee
- Idaho Capital Sun, 2026 voter guide for Secretary of State
- CBS2, 2026 Secretary of State candidate survey
- Idaho Sunshine, 2026 campaign finance totals
- Idaho Capital Sun, October 2, 2026, statewide fundraising totals
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 Shawn Keenan running for?
- He is the Democratic candidate for Idaho Secretary of State in the November 3, 2026 general election. His opponent is Republican incumbent Phil McGrane.
- Has Shawn Keenan run for Secretary of State before?
- Yes. He was the Democratic nominee in 2022 and received 159,189 votes, or 27.4%, to McGrane's 418,945, according to the Idaho Secretary of State's election database.
- What is Shawn Keenan's background?
- The Idaho Capital Sun reported that he was born and raised in North Idaho, earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Lewis-Clark State College and volunteered on Democratic campaigns, including as a field organizer.
- Where does Shawn Keenan live?
- The Idaho Capital Sun described him in February 2026 as living in Coeur d'Alene.
- Did Shawn Keenan respond to the 2026 candidate questionnaires?
- The Idaho Capital Sun's voter guide lists that he did not respond to its questionnaire, and CBS2 reported that he did not respond to its survey in time.
- How much money has Shawn Keenan raised?
- Idaho Sunshine showed $0.00 in contributions for the 2026 cycle on October 2, 2026, and the Idaho Capital Sun listed him at $0 as of September 30, 2026.