Idaho’s November General Election Takes Shape After May Primary
With Idaho’s May 19 primary now decided, the state’s attention turns to November. All 105 state legislative seats and seven constitutional officer positions are on the ballot this fall, setting up what promises to be a busy general election season.
Not every race will be competitive. Eleven legislative incumbents will return to office without a challenger in November. On the other end of the spectrum, at least 16 seats are guaranteed to go to new faces, with no incumbent running in those districts.
Statewide Races
All seven statewide constitutional officers are Republicans, and the party has held a lock on those offices for years. Each will face at least one challenger in November.
Gov. Brad Little will have four opponents, one representing each of the other parties on the ballot. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield will face Democrat Becky Sundin Mitchell and Constitution Party candidate Teresa Roundy.
Democrats have not won a statewide Idaho office in a number of years, making the Republican nominees clear frontrunners heading into the fall.
What’s at Stake in North Idaho
North Idaho legislative districts are included in the statewide field of 105 races. Voters in Kootenai, Bonner, Boundary, Benewah, and Shoshone counties will have their own legislative contests to watch as the general election draws closer. The Kootenai County Republican Party has been active on the statewide stage this year, sending $64,000 to the Idaho GOP following its chairman’s removal from office earlier this spring.
The Idaho Secretary of State’s office began a countdown clock after primary results were posted. As of May 28, the general election is 158 days away.
Candidates appear on the ballot across five parties: Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Constitution, and unaffiliated. Full candidate listings by legislative district are available through the Idaho Secretary of State’s office.
The November election will determine the makeup of the Idaho Legislature for the next two-year session, along with who leads the state’s top executive offices.
