Phil McGrane
2023 - Present
2027
1
Phil McGrane (Republican Party) is the Idaho Secretary of State. He assumed office on January 2, 2023. His current term ends on January 4, 2027.
McGrane (Republican Party) is running for re-election for Idaho Secretary of State. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.
Biography
Phil McGrane was born in Pocatello, Idaho, and lives in Hidden Springs, Idaho. McGrane earned an associate degree from Pierce College at Puyallup in 2002, a bachelor's degree in philosophy from the University of Washington in 2005, a juris doctor from the University of Denver in 2010, and a master's degree in public administration from Boise State University in 2014. His career experience includes co-founding Boiler Room Chats, Inc., and working as its president, a pitmaster with Phil & Lou BBQ, and an elections specialist with the Ada County Clerk's Office.[1][2][3][4]
Elections
2026
See also: Idaho Secretary of State election, 2026
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for Idaho Secretary of State
Incumbent Phil McGrane is running in the general election for Idaho Secretary of State on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Phil McGrane (R) | |
| ||||
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Endorsements
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2022
See also: Idaho Secretary of State election, 2022
General election
General election for Idaho Secretary of State
Phil McGrane defeated Shawn Keenan and Garth Gaylord in the general election for Idaho Secretary of State on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Phil McGrane (R) | 72.1 | 418,945 |
 | Shawn Keenan (D) | 27.4 | 159,189 | |
| Garth Gaylord (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.5 | 2,753 | |
| Total votes: 580,887 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Idaho Secretary of State
Shawn Keenan advanced from the Democratic primary for Idaho Secretary of State on May 17, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Shawn Keenan | 100.0 | 31,807 |
| Total votes: 31,807 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Idaho Secretary of State
Phil McGrane defeated Dorothy Moon and Mary Souza in the Republican primary for Idaho Secretary of State on May 17, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Phil McGrane | 43.1 | 114,355 |
 | Dorothy Moon | 41.4 | 109,959 | |
 | Mary Souza | 15.5 | 41,209 | |
| Total votes: 265,523 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Chad Houck (R)
2018
General election
General election for Ada County Clerk
Phil McGrane defeated Kelly Yvonne Mitchell and Graham Carter in the general election for Ada County Clerk on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Phil McGrane (R) | 48.2 | 86,862 |
 | Kelly Yvonne Mitchell (D) | 43.3 | 78,059 | |
| Graham Carter (Independent) | 8.4 | 15,199 | |
| Total votes: 180,120 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Ada County Clerk
Kelly Yvonne Mitchell advanced from the Democratic primary for Ada County Clerk on May 15, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kelly Yvonne Mitchell | 100.0 | 22,366 |
| Total votes: 22,366 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Ada County Clerk
Phil McGrane advanced from the Republican primary for Ada County Clerk on May 15, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Phil McGrane | 100.0 | 32,891 |
| Total votes: 32,891 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2014
- See also: Idaho secretary of state election, 2014
McGrane ran for Idaho Secretary of State in 2014.[5] He lost the Republican nomination in the primary on May 20, 2014. The general election took place on November 4, 2014.
Primary Election Results
- Republican primary
| Idaho Secretary of State, Republican Primary, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
 Lawerence Denney |
37.1% | 51,041 | ||
| Phil McGrane | 27.9% | 38,336 | ||
| Evan Frasure | 19.3% | 26,539 | ||
| Mitch Toryanski | 15.7% | 21,630 | ||
| Total Votes | 137,546 | |||
| Election results via Idaho Secretary of State. | ||||
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
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2022
Phil McGrane completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by McGrane's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I have made a career of running fair and secure elections in Idaho. Since 2005, I have been involved at almost every level of running elections, from training poll workers and counting ballots, to administering entire elections and being a candidate on the ballot. I currently serve as the elected Clerk in Ada County. In 2018, I helped to establish the first-ever Idaho Elections Conference. In addition to my Idaho elections experience, I served as a law clerk to the United States Election Assistance Commission in Washington, D.C. I have a Bachelor's degree from the University of Washington, a Master's degree in public administration from Boise State, a law degree from the University of Denver, and I'm a member of the Idaho Bar.
- Protect Our Elections: Idaho depends upon officials who are committeed to the accuracy, security, and transparency of our elections. Since 2005, I've been involved with almost every aspect of Idaho elections; from counting ballots to training counties. I know our election system from the inside out and will bring my expereince as the next Republican Secretary of State.
- Protect Our Lands: In Idaho, our land is one of our greatest treasures. As a member of the Idaho Land Board, I'll work to protect our lands and invest in our children's education by working with the ranchers, loggers, miners, sportsmen, and recreationalists to maximize our state-owned land now and for future generations to come.
- Protect Our Values: As a 4th generation Idahoan, I was raised with the conservative values that have drawn so many to this great state. Self-sufficiency, fiscal responsibility, and the value of a hard day's work are all values he gained while being raised in Idaho and ones he hopes to pass down to his own kids. As Secretary of State, I'll fight to protect our conservative way of life so that future generations may be blessed as we have been.
Elections. The Secretary of State must ensure every eligible voter in Idaho has the opportunity to exercise their right to vote and have confidence that their vote counts. Idaho has a great track record of accurate, fair, and secure elections from the President all the way down to school boards. I have made a career running fair and secure elections for Idaho’s largest county and have been involved with almost every aspect of Idaho elections since 2005, including as a candidate and an administrator. As Secretary of State, I'll be committed to ensuring we continue this streak.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign website
McGrane's campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Protect Our Elections How we run our elections matters. When you and I vote we place our trust in the people and processes behind our elections system. As Idahoans, we should be proud. Where other states have struggled, we have triumphed. It is now more important than ever to protect Idaho’s elections from the influence of D.C. and beyond. Since 2005, I have been involved with almost every aspect of Idaho elections; from counting ballots to training counties. I know our election system from the inside out and will bring my experience as your next Republican Secretary of State.
In Idaho, our land is one of our greatest treasures. As a member of the Idaho Land Board, I will work to protect our lands and invest in our children's education through the Idaho Education Endowment. This means working with the ranchers, loggers, miners, sportsmen, and recreationalists to maximize our state-owned land now and for future generations to come.
As a 4th generation Idahoan, I was raised with the conservative values that have drawn so many to this great state. As a husband of 16 years and father of three amazing children I know the importance of family. Self-sufficiency, fiscal responsibility, and the value of a hard day's work are all values I gained while being raised in Idaho and ones I hope to pass down. As Secretary of State, I will fight to protect our conservative way of life so that future generations may be blessed as we have been.[6] |
” |
| —Phil McGrane's campaign website (2022)[7] | ||
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Phil McGrane completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by McGrane's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
My top three priorities as Clerk will be: 1) to expand access to services by taking advantage of technology; 2) to invest in a culture of service and innovation among the deputy clerks within the office; and 3) to play a key role in helping address growth in Ada County and how we adjust to provide services in the midst of it. With unprecedented growth and advances in technology, we are at a transition point in Ada County where we can either fall behind by failing to adapt or serve as a leader in helping define the future of our community. As public servants, it's important we recognize and step up to these challenges and opportunities as leaders.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I've spent the majority of my career, beginning in 2005, working in elections. I'm passionate about ensuring that the elections process is open, transparent and accessible to everyone. This is reflected well in our efforts to roll out mobile voting in Ada County, which was an idea I pursued in my current role. I have also worked hard to ensure voting and campaign finance information are open and available to the public. This helps build trust in the process, which in turn gives people confidence when voting. Trust is key in the operations of the Clerk's Office. During the past 8 years as the Chief Deputy Clerk I have worked hard to ensure that we live up to that trust.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Ballotpedia biographical submission form
The candidate completed Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form:
| “ | What is your political philosophy?
I believe that government is often at its best when it goes unnoticed. In the Clerk's Office, we strive to be skillfully unmemorable. It's often the sign of our very best work.[6] |
” |
| —Phil McGrane[4] | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
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Candidate Idaho Secretary of State |
Officeholder Idaho Secretary of State |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Phil McGrane," accessed November 30, 2022
- ↑ McGrane for Idaho, "About," accessed November 30, 2022
- ↑ Phil McGrane for Secretary of State Official campaign website, "About," accessed December 12, 2013
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Information submitted on Ballotpedia’s biographical information submission form on September 16, 2018
- ↑ Phil McGrane for Secretary of State 2014 Official campaign website, "Homepage," accessed December 12, 2013
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Phil McGrane, “Home,” accessed November 6, 2022
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Lawerence Denney (R) |
Idaho Secretary of State 2023-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Ada County Clerk 2019-2023 |
Succeeded by - |
 |
State of Idaho Boise (capital) |
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