House Joint Resolution 6: English as the Official Language
Statewide — all of Idaho
General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
- Placed on the ballot by the Idaho Legislature. HJR 6 passed the House 59-8-3 and the Senate 30-5-0 in March 2025.[2]
The question on the ballot
“Shall Article X of the Constitution of the State of Idaho be amended by the addition of a new Section 8, to provide that the English language shall be the official language for the state of Idaho, and to further provide that, except as required by federal law, English shall be used in all public proceedings, public documents, public instruction, and any other public acts of any public institution in the state of Idaho?”[1]
The official Statement of Meaning, Purpose, and Result says the amendment “would designate English as the official state language. All official speeches, meetings, and other proceedings of state and local governments, such as city council meetings and jury trials, would be conducted in English, and instruction in public schools would be provided in English. All documents of state and local government entities would be published in English. However, the amendment would allow languages other than English to be used when required by federal law.” The pamphlet text as retrieved does not include a fiscal-impact statement.[1]
A YES vote means
A YES vote would designate English the official state language of Idaho.
A NO vote means
A NO vote would make no change to Idaho’s Constitution, which currently does not designate an official state language.
The law today
The pamphlet says a NO vote “would make no change to Idaho’s Constitution, which currently does not designate an official state language.” The pamphlet's statement against adds that “state law already makes English the official state language”; the Idaho Capital Sun likewise reports that the designation exists in state statute but not in the constitution.[1][3]
Official fiscal estimate
The resolution's Statement of Purpose/Fiscal Note (prepared by its proponents) says: “There is an estimated cost of up to $300,000 for the Secretary of State to publish proposed constitutional amendments and arguments in a voter's pamphlet as required by law. The costs will occur anyway if any other amendments or ballot initiatives qualify for the November 2026 general election ballot.”[4]
Arguments made for
- Official voter pamphlet statement for the amendment: “The amendment could encourage non-English speakers to learn English to be able to better participate in public life. This could promote unity and create a stronger sense of community and shared identity. Non-English speakers would still have language assistance for critical government services, because that is required by federal law.”[1]
- Official voter pamphlet statement for the amendment: “The amendment could promote cost-efficient government by limiting the resources spent on communications in languages other than English.”[1]
Arguments made against
- Official voter pamphlet statement against the amendment: “The amendment is unnecessary because state law already makes English the official state language. The existing law is better than the amendment because the existing law is much more detailed. For example, the law allows public schools to teach foreign languages to interested students. The amendment, by requiring that all public instruction be conducted in English, might not allow this.”[1]
- Official voter pamphlet statement against the amendment: “The amendment could create social division by signaling to non-English speakers that they are unwelcome in the state and their communities.”[1]
On record in support
On record in opposition
- Sen. Melissa Wintrow (D-Boise), Senate Minority Leader, who said putting the amendment on the ballot was a waste of taxpayer dollars[3]
Research notes & limits
Ballot list confirmed against the Secretary of State's VoteIdaho.gov General Election page, which lists exactly four statewide items (HJR 4, HJR 6, Proposition One, and the State Gun advisory question). The pamphlet publishes statements for and against without named authors; both are quoted as official pamphlet text. No registered campaign committee for or against was found on a fetched page; campaign finance not added.
Sources · 4
Researched 2026-10-19. Green citations are official government records.
- 1.2026 Idaho General Election: ballot measures and Idaho Voter Pamphlet text · Idaho Secretary of State (VoteIdaho.gov) · 2026-10-19 Official record
- 2.House Joint Resolution 6 (2025): bill status and roll calls · Idaho Legislature Official record
- 3.English could become Idaho’s official language, under constitutional amendment · Idaho Capital Sun · 2025-03-25 News report
- 4.House Joint Resolution 6 (2025): Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Note · Idaho Legislature Official record