Biography
Phil McGrane is Idaho's Republican Secretary of State and is seeking a second term. A lawyer who began as an elections specialist in the Ada County Clerk's office, he rose to chief deputy and then served as Ada County Clerk from 2019 to 2023 before taking statewide office.[1][2][3]
McGrane was born in Pocatello, Idaho, grew up in the Boise area and lives in Hidden Springs.[2][3] He 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 law degree from the University of Denver in 2010 and a master's degree in public administration from Boise State University in 2014.[2]
His career experience includes co-founding Boiler Room Chats, Inc. and serving as its president, and working as a pitmaster with Phil & Lou BBQ.[2] He worked in the Ada County Clerk's office as an election specialist and later served as chief deputy clerk.[2][3] McGrane was Ada County Clerk from 2019 to 2023.[2][3]
He was elected Idaho's 28th Secretary of State and took office on January 2, 2023.[2][3] He advanced from the May 19, 2026 Republican primary and faces Democrat Shawn Keenan in the November 3 general election.[1]
- 1.Idaho Secretary of State election, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-10-19 Reference
- 2.Phil McGrane · Ballotpedia Reference
- 3.Meet Secretary McGrane · Idaho Secretary of State · 2026-10-19 Official record
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.
On the ballot
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