If you woke up the day after the vote and thought Idaho looked a little redder than usual, you weren't imagining things. Honestly, the Idaho 2024 election results didn't just maintain the status quo; they basically slammed the door on any immediate hopes for a "blue wave" or even a "purple ripple."
It was a massive night for the GOP.
Donald Trump didn't just win the Gem State—he dominated it. He walked away with 66.9% of the popular vote, which is actually a bigger slice of the pie than he got in 2020. Kamala Harris pulled in about 30.4%. While Boise (Ada County) and the resort towns usually show some resistance, the rural firewall in Idaho is essentially a mountain range of Republican ballots at this point.
The Ranked-Choice Voting Drama: Why Proposition 1 Failed
Everyone was talking about Proposition 1. It was the "Open Primaries" initiative. Supporters spent millions trying to convince you that Idaho needed to ditch its closed primary system and switch to a top-four ranked-choice voting (RCV) setup.
It didn't work. Like, at all.
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The measure was crushed. Nearly 70% of Idahoans said "no thanks." Basically, 618,753 people voted against it compared to just 269,960 who were on board. Why? Well, opponents like Attorney General Raúl Labrador and the state GOP chair Dorothy Moon argued it was too confusing. They called it a "California-style" system, and in Idaho, that’s usually the kiss of death for any policy.
Even former Governor Butch Otter’s endorsement couldn't save it. People seem to like knowing exactly who won on the first count without a computer algorithm "redistributing" votes. It turns out Idahoans are pretty protective of the way they vote.
The Legislative Bloodbath
For the first time in three decades, the Democrats actually ran a candidate in every single legislative district. That’s a lot of door-knocking.
It didn't pay off in seats.
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The Republicans actually padded their supermajority. They picked up two seats in the House and one in the Senate.
- In District 15 (West Boise), Codi Galloway unseated Democratic incumbent Rick Just.
- In District 26, the GOP's Mike Pohanka took out Ned Burns.
- In District 29 (Pocatello), Tanya Burgoyne won a House seat.
Now, only 11 out of 105 total seats in the Idaho Legislature belong to Democrats. That’s a tough spot to be in if you’re trying to block legislation. Most of the remaining Democrats are now huddled in Boise, with only a couple of outliers like Sen. James Ruchti in Pocatello and Sen. Ron Taylor in Hailey keeping the party alive outside of the Treasure Valley.
Congressional Holds and the Non-Citizen Voting Ban
The federal races were pretty much a foregone conclusion. Russ Fulcher and Mike Simpson sailed through their re-elections. Fulcher grabbed a massive 71% of the vote in the 1st District. Simpson had a slightly "closer" race—if you call winning by 30 points close. He ended up with 61.4% against David Roth.
Then there was Constitutional Amendment HJR 5.
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This was the one about prohibiting non-citizens from voting. Critics pointed out that it was already illegal for non-citizens to vote in Idaho, so the amendment was kinda redundant. But voters didn't care about the redundancy. It passed with 64.9% support. It's now officially written into the Idaho Constitution that you must be a U.S. citizen to cast a ballot here.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Turnout
You’d think with all the national noise, turnout would have broken records. Kinda, but not really.
Voter turnout was around 77.8% of registered voters. That’s high, sure. But it’s actually a tiny bit lower than the 81% we saw in 2020. Still, over 900,000 Idahoans showed up. One interesting tidbit: Teton County, which is usually a Republican stronghold or a toss-up, actually went for Harris. It was the first time that county ever voted for a Democrat who lost the presidency.
What This Means for Your Daily Life
Since the GOP now has an even tighter grip on the statehouse, expect some big moves in 2025.
- School Choice: With more conservative members in the seats, a private school voucher or tax credit system is almost certainly going to be back on the table.
- Abortion Laws: Don't expect any softening of Idaho's strict bans. The "mandate" from this election suggests the public is fine with the current direction.
- Property Taxes: This is always the big one. With a supermajority, the GOP has no excuses left if they can't find a way to lower your tax bill.
If you’re a political junkie or just a concerned citizen, your next move is to watch the committee assignments. The real power in Idaho isn't just in the "R" next to a name; it's in who chairs the Education and State Affairs committees.
Check your local district's new representative and send them an email. They just got a big win, and now is the time they’re most likely to listen to what you actually want them to do with that power. Keep an eye on the 2025 legislative session starting in January—it's going to be a wild ride.