Meet
Phil McGrane
Idaho’s 28th Republican Secretary of State came by his happy, honest approach to government honestly. Explore his story below to see how those roots shape his service to Idaho today.
Idaho Roots
A fourth-generation Idahoan born in Pocatello and raised in Boise, Phil's character was forged early through Boy Scouts, Junior ROTC, and family. Today, those foundational Idaho values of self-sufficiency, fiscal responsibility, and respect for hard work shape both his leadership style and the traditions he passes down to his own children.
Leadership
Rooted in Service
Long before entering public office, Phil dedicated his time to service, spending a year with AmeriCorps leading volunteers to build over forty Habitat for Humanity homes in Alabama. Summers during college were spent working as a camp counselor for children fighting cancer in New Jersey.
Learning Elections
from the Ground Up
After earning a philosophy degree from the University of Washington, Phil found his calling in 2005 as an Ada County Election Specialist, training poll workers back when Idaho still used punch cards. His passion for the process led him to earn a law degree, eventually serving as a Law Clerk for the United States Election Assistance Commission and mastering election administration from the local precincts all the way to the national level.
Record of Service
Phil’s dedication to civic duty began early. That early foundation sparked a lifelong commitment to public service and a deep respect for the democratic process.
Since those early days, Phil has been deeply involved in every moving part of running elections in Idaho. His experience led to his service as elected Clerk for Ada County, the state’s largest county, where he managed the budget, the courts, elections and a staff of over 200, making it into the first government entity to be recognized as one of the best places to work in Idaho.
Now serving as Idaho’s Republican Secretary of State, Phil leverages that decades-long, ground-up expertise to protect and improve the state's election systems. By balancing security with accessibility, he ensures that Idaho remains a national leader in trusted, accurate, and transparent elections while continuing to serve voters in every corner of the state.
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