Why It Matters
Idaho voters will decide Nov. 3 between Republican Secretary of State Phil McGrane and Democratic challenger Shawn Keenan in a rematch for the state’s top election office. The secretary of state oversees elections, campaign finance compliance, business records and service on the Land Board.
What Happened
Keenan, a Coeur d’Alene mortgage broker and loan officer, is challenging McGrane for a second time after McGrane won their 2022 contest with more than 72% of the vote.
Keenan, 49, said he entered the race again because of concerns about misinformation and distrust surrounding election results. He has worked on several Democratic campaigns in North Idaho but has not worked in election administration.
“I wanted to be a voice for the truth: that they are indeed safe and secure and have been and always will be,” Keenan said.
Keenan also supports creating a state-issued voter guide that would mail information about candidates directly to voters. He said he and McGrane agree on that policy priority.
McGrane, 45, began working in election administration in Ada County in 2005. He later attended law school, operated voting equipment, trained poll workers and entered voter registration cards into the state system.
He was elected Ada County clerk in 2018 and became secretary of state in 2022. McGrane said his office has improved access to election information by updating its voter and candidate website, campaign finance dashboard and lobbying transparency website.
“I think I’ve had a long history of making sure that voting is easy, that voting is secure, and that Idahoans can have confidence in their elections,” McGrane said.
By the Numbers
Nov. 3 — date of the general election
Four years — length of the secretary of state’s term
$128,690 — annual salary for the office
More than 72% — McGrane’s share of the vote in the 2022 election
49 — Keenan’s age
Zoom Out
Idaho has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 2002, when voters chose a Democratic superintendent of public instruction. The state last had a Democratic secretary of state decades earlier.
Keenan acknowledged that history creates a difficult path for his campaign. He said his campaign has concentrated largely on digital outreach rather than traveling across the state, and the state campaign finance database showed no money raised by his campaign with less than three weeks remaining before the election.
What’s Next
McGrane and Keenan will remain on the ballot for the Nov. 3 general election. The winner will serve as secretary of state for a four-year term.