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Idaho State Senate elections, 2024
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2026 →
← 2022
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| 2024 Idaho Senate Elections | |
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| Primary | May 21, 2024 |
| General | November 5, 2024 |
| Past Election Results |
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| 2024 Elections | |
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Elections for the Idaho State Senate took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was May 21, 2024. The filing deadline was March 15, 2024.
All 35 seats in the Idaho State Senate were up for election in 2024. Republicans won one seat in the election, giving Republicans a 29 seat majority to Democrats’ six seats. Before the election, Republicans controlled 28 seats to Democrats' seven.
The Idaho State Senate was one of 85 state legislative chambers with elections in 2024. There are 99 chambers throughout the country.
Party control
| Idaho State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 5, 2024 | After November 6, 2024 | |
| Democratic Party | 7 | 6 | |
| Republican Party | 28 | 29 | |
| Total | 35 | 35 | |
Candidates
General election
Primary
Idaho State Senate primary 2024 |
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| Office | Other | ||
| District 1 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 2 |
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| District 3 |
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| District 4 |
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| District 5 |
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| District 6 |
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| District 7 |
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| District 8 |
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| District 9 |
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| District 10 |
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| District 11 |
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| District 12 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 13 |
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| District 14 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
Did not make the ballot: |
Constitution Party |
| District 15 |
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| District 16 |
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| District 17 |
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| District 18 |
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| District 19 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 20 |
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| District 21 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
Libertarian Party |
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| District 22 |
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| District 23 |
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Constitution Party |
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| District 24 |
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| District 25 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 26 |
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| District 27 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 28 |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 29 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 30 |
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| District 31 |
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| District 32 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 33 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 34 |
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| District 35 |
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Voting information
- See also: Voting in Idaho
General election race ratings
The table below displays race ratings for each race in this chamber from CNalysis.
Incumbents who were not re-elected
Incumbents defeated in general elections
One incumbent lost in general elections. This was more than the average of 0.6 incumbent defeats per cycle from 2010 to 2022.
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Rick Just | Senate District 15 |
Incumbents defeated in primaries
Five incumbents lost in primaries. This was higher than the average number of Idaho Senate incumbents who lost in primary races from 2010-2022 (2.6).
There were no retiring incumbents in 2024.[1] The average number of retirements in each election cycle from 2010 to 2022 was five..
Primary election competitiveness
This section contains data on state legislative primary election competitiveness in Idaho. These totals include data from all regularly-scheduled House and Senate elections. For more information about Ballotpedia's competitiveness analysis of state legislative elections, please click here.
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all state legislative districts up for election in Idaho in 2024. Information below was calculated on April 15, 2024, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
There were 105 state legislative seats up for election this year in Idaho. Across those, six incumbents (two Democrats and four Republicans) did not file to run for re-election. That's the fewest number of retirements since at least 2010. From 2010 to 2022, the average number of retirements per cycle was 19. In 2022, 31 incumbents (six Democrats and 25 Republicans) did not run for re-election.
The total number of contested primaries (with more than one candidate) was higher than the average for election cycles from 2010 to 2022. In 2024, there were 56 contested primaries (four Democratic and 52 Republican) out of a possible 210, a rate of 26.7%. The average for the previous seven election cycles was 23.8%. In 2022, the decade-high, there were 71 contested primaries (all Republican) for a rate of 33.8%.
All 35 Senate seats and all 70 House seats were up for election in 2024.
Open seats
The table below shows the number and percentage of open seats in the Idaho State Senate from 2010 to 2024.[2]
| Open Seats in Idaho State Senate elections: 2010 - 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2024 | 35 | 1 (3%) | 34 (97%) |
| 2022 | 35 | 12 (34%) | 23 (66%) |
| 2020 | 35 | 6 (17%) | 29 (83%) |
| 2018 | 35 | 4 (11%) | 31 (89%) |
| 2016 | 35 | 2 (6%) | 33 (94%) |
| 2014 | 35 | 2 (6%) | 33 (94%) |
| 2012 | 35 | 9 (26%) | 26 (74%) |
| 2010 | 35 | 1 (3%) | 34 (97%) |
Legislative referrals
- See also: Legislative referral
A legislative referral, or legislatively referred ballot measure, is a ballot measure that appears on the ballot due to a vote of the state legislature. A legislative referral can be a constitutional amendment, state statute, or bond issue.
As of the 2024 election, a two-thirds vote was required during one legislative session for the Idaho State Legislature to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounted to a minimum of 47 votes in the Idaho House of Representatives and 24 votes in the Idaho State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments did not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
At the time of the 2024 election, Republicans held a 28-7 majority in the Senate and a 59-10 majority in the House. Republicans held the minimum votes necessary to put a legislative referral on the ballot without Democratic votes. Republicans needed to lose five Senate seats and 13 House seats to lose that ability. Democrats needed to win 17 Senate seats and 37 House seats to have the same ability.
Process to become a candidate
See statutes: Title 34 of the Idaho Code
Political party candidates
A partisan candidate for a local office must file a declaration of candidacy and either pay a filing fee or submit a petition containing the required number of signatures with the relevant city, district, or county.[3] A candidate for a statewide, state legislative, or federal office must file a declaration of candidacy and either pay a filing fee or submit a petition containing the required number of signatures with Idaho Secretary of State.[3]
For a candidate collecting signatures to be filed with a declaration of candidacy, each signature sheet must contain the signatures of qualified electors from a single county and must be verified by the appropriate county clerk prior to being filed with the Idaho Secretary of State. This applies to candidates for all statewide offices, state legislative offices, and congressional offices. Filing fees and signature requirements vary according to the office sought and are set out in the table below.[3]
| Filing fees and petition signature requirements for partisan candidates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office sought | Filing fee | Petition signature requirements |
| United States Senator | $500 | 500 |
| United States Representative | $300 | 500 |
| Governor | $300 | 1,000 |
| Lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, state controller, attorney general, and superintendent of public instructure | $200 | 1,000 |
| State legislator | $30 | 50 |
Independent candidates
An independent candidate must file a declaration of candidacy and submit a petition containing the required number of signatures with the Idaho Secretary of State.[3][4]
Each petition signature sheet must contain the signatures of qualified electors from a single county and must be verified by the appropriate county clerk prior to being filed with the Idaho Secretary of State. This applies to all statewide, state legislative, and congressional offices.[3] Candidates must collect 1,000 signatures for any statewide office, including U.S. Senate, 500 for U.S. House, 50 for state legislative districts, and five for county offices.[4]
Write-in candidates
A write-in candidate must file a declaration of intent form with the Idaho Secretary of State. A write-in candidate seeking the nomination of a political party in the primary election also must pay the filing fee required of that office within 10 days following the primary election date. A write-in candidate must also receive a minimum number of votes in the primary election in order to advance to the general election. These vote thresholds are as follows: [5]
- 1,000 for any statewide office
- 500 for a congressional district office
- 50 for a state legislative office
A write-in candidate must file a declaration of intent form no less than 28 days before the primary or general election.[6]
Qualifications
Article III, Section 6 of the Idaho Constitution states: No person shall be a senator or representative who, at the time of his election, is not a citizen of the United States, and an elector of this state, nor anyone who has not been for one year next preceding his election an elector of the county or district whence he may be chosen.
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2025[7] | |
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| Salary | Per diem |
| $25,000/year | For legislators residing within 50 miles of the Capitol: $86/day. For legislators residing more than 50 miles from the Capitol: $253/day. |
When sworn in
Idaho legislators assume office on the first day in December following the general election.[8]
Idaho political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
Idaho Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas • Thirty one years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Presidential politics in Idaho
2020
- See also: Presidential election, 2020
Presidential election in Idaho, 2020
Candidate/Running mate |
% |
Popular votes |
Electoral votes |
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| ✔ |
| Donald Trump/Mike Pence (R) |
63.8
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554,119 | 4 |
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| Joe Biden/Kamala D. Harris (D) |
33.1
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287,021 | 0 | |
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| Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen (L) |
1.9
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16,404 | 0 | |
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| Ye/Michelle Tidball (Independent) |
0.4
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3,632 | 0 | |
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| Brock Pierce/Karla Ballard (Independent) |
0.3
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2,808 | 0 | |
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| Don Blankenship/William Mohr (Constitution Party) |
0.2
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1,886 | 0 | |
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| Roque De La Fuente/Darcy Richardson (Independent) |
0.2
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1,491 | 0 | |
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| Howie Hawkins (no running mate) (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
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407 | 0 | |
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| Brian T. Carroll (no running mate) (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
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163 | 0 | |
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| Gloria La Riva (no running mate) (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
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49 | 0 | |
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| Jade Simmons (no running mate) (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
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21 | 0 | |
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| Tom Hoefling (no running mate) (Unaffiliated) |
0.0
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7 | 0 | |
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| Shawn W. Howard (no running mate) (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
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4 | 0 | |
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| Todd Cella (no running mate) (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
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1 | 0 | |
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| Chris Franklin (no running mate) (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
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1 | 0 | |
| Total votes: 868,014 |
2016
- See also: Presidential election, 2016
| U.S. presidential election, Idaho, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine | 27.5% | 189,765 | 0 | |
| Republican | 59.3% | 409,055 | 4 | ||
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 4.1% | 28,331 | 0 | |
| Green | Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka | 1.2% | 8,496 | 0 | |
| Independent | Darrell Lane Castle/Scott Bradley | 0.6% | 4,403 | 0 | |
| Constitution | Scott Copeland/J.R. Myers | 0.3% | 2,356 | 0 | |
| Independent | Rocky De La Fuente/Michael Steinberg | 0.2% | 1,373 | 0 | |
| Independent | Evan McMullin/Nathan Johnson | 6.7% | 46,476 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 690,255 | 4 | |||
| Election results via: Idaho Secretary of State | |||||
Idaho presidential election results (1900-2024)
- 9 Democratic wins
- 23 Republican wins
| Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Party | D | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
See also
| Idaho | State Legislative Elections | News and Analysis |
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2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines a seat as open if the incumbent did not file to run for re-election or filed but withdrew and did not appear on any ballot for his or her seat. If the incumbent withdrew from or did not participate in the primary but later chose to seek re-election to his or her seat as a third party or independent candidate, the seat would not be counted as open. If the incumbent retired or ran for a different seat in the same chamber, his or her original seat would be counted as open unless another incumbent from the same chamber filed to run for that seat, in which case it would not be counted as open due to the presence of an incumbent.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Vote Idaho, "Running For Office," accessed February 26, 2025
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Idaho Statutes, "Title 34, Chapter 7, Section 708," accessed February 26, 2025
- ↑ Idaho Election Code, "Section 34-702," accessed February 26, 2025
- ↑ Idaho Statutes, "Title 34, Chapter 7, Section 702A," accessed February 26, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2025 Legislator Compensation," December 2, 2025
- ↑ Idaho Constitution, "Article III, Section 3," accessed December 18, 2019