Idaho Voting Guide
Freedom Is Not FREE! Vote in 2026 Idaho Republican Primary. May 19, 2026. Tips and links for Idaho Voters, especially Conservative Voters. PLEASE SHARE 🗳️ Updated frequently.
Last Update 04/27/26 (Stand for Health Freedom Voter Guide)
Voting Guide (short URL, revised 04/28/26): https://tinyurl.com/hfptxsu2
Related Substack Note: https://substack.com/profile/68304299-big-e/note/c-248465872
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NOTE: We did a massive cleanup on this voting guide and will continue to refine it over time. Please let us know in COMMENTS if you find an error. We sincerely hope this guide will help Idahoans and beyond.
Our Voting Guide offers many tools to help you do your own research, sniff out misinformation and bias, identify PACS that might mislead you, and find recommendations from trustworthy information sources.
This guide is not just a “vote for this guy or that gal” document; it’s for voters — especially conservatives — who are serious about casting an informed vote.
Disclaimer #1: General Disclaimer (gotta have one!)
Disclaimer #2: We have done our best to ensure accuracy of links provided (please let us know if you find any errors). Specific candidate recommendations are personal opinions. Personal opinions are like, well, you know. Recommended candidates in this Guide are personally known or carefully observed by the author unless otherwise noted. You can find additional voter guides in Part 1.
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Quick Index
Click any link to jump to the related section!
Part 1 — Our Recommendations & Other Voter Guides
Part 2 — Key Dates & Resources
Part 3 – General Information (All Idaho Voters)
Part 4 – Idaho Conservatives & Constitutional Conservatives
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Why We Created this Guide
Our state is under attack by those who want to turn it into a leftist paradise, as they have CA, WA, OR, CO, and so many other formerly conservatives states.
We were fooled before moving to Idaho by all the “R” designations in the state legislature, so surely many others have been as well. We hope this voting guide will help you see through the political fog of war.
We’ve been working on this guide since we arrived in Idaho late in 2021. At first, this guide was a personal project to help us figure out how voting works. But over the years, we expanded its content and scope and now offer this guide to anyone who truly cares about voting with as much knowledge and integrity as possible.
Our goal is to help others learn about the available tools, resources, people, and decisions needed to Keep Idaho IDAHO and America AMERICA — with liberty and justice for all!
We hope you find this Idaho Voting Guide useful and will share it widely.
The “R” after a candidate’s is no guarantee of conservative values or voting!
Having an “R” after one’s name does not guarantee a conservative or principled approach! In Idaho, especially, many “R” Republican legislators often are philosophically closer to and vote with Democrats; but these less-principled people know they must be an “R” to win elections so they claim Republican affiliation. This is why your vote in the Idaho PRIMARY was so important.
Thank you from BigE’s Bigmouth Substack
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Part 1 — Our Recommendations & Other Voter Guides
(2026 Primary)
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State Legislators, County Officers, Mayor, City Council, Fire Commissioner, School Board, Precinct Committeemen & Other Local Officials Matter — A LOT! Vote for the best candidates to keep your state, county, and cities strong and your government under control.
REMEMBER: Primary Elections are Key in Idaho
Conservative voters who sat out the primaries helped all Idahoans move to the socialist states of California, Oregon, and Washington without hiring a van! Electing principled people in the primaries is the best way to avoid becoming a blue state: Find Out How Your Legislators Voted
Many legislators support socialistic principles and bills! Don’t just rely on the party affiliation and misleading mailers; look at the individual candidate.
Please study the candidates and issues CAREFULLY before you vote! Write down your choices and reasons for them BEFORE casting your ballot.
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Our Recommendations
Disclaimer: Specific candidate recommendations are personal opinions. Personal opinions are like, well, you know. We’ve done our best to provide accurate information. Please let us know in COMMENTS if you find an error.
General
We included REPUBLICAN primary candidates only.
We FAVOR those with high scores on the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) Legislator Scorecard (similar to other conservative scorecards) and low scores in the Votes with Dems list (sort by Fewest Votes with Dems).
See also Idaho Insider Scorecard Explorer and 2026 Freedom Index download
We OPPOSE those with high scores on the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry (IACI) Legislative Scorecard. | Why you should avoid IACI endorsed candidates
We HAVE NOT EVALUATED ALL RACES.
See Who’s Running in Idaho? for all federal, statewide, state legislature, county, judicial, local, and precinct committeemen candidates: https://run.voteidaho.gov/search.
Also see Ballotpedia Sample Ballot Lookup tool: https://ballotpedia.org/Sample_Ballot_Lookup.
We OPPOSE property tax levies, especially permanent ones.
About Our Recommended Candidates
Are personally known, carefully observed, or have good voting records on various conservative scorecards.
Are omitted if running unopposed. (We wish some unopposed candidates had challengers. Others we like very much.)
Are bold italicized and underlined with links to their websites if available.
If we haven’t evaluated all candidates running for a seat, we:
Included all names.
Marked incumbents with *.
Marked recommendations from other conservative groups in bold.
Included Idaho Freedom Foundation A-F scores for 2026 unless otherwise noted (first score = Freedom ~ second score = Spending).
Evaluating on Your Own
When evaluating candidates on your own, be sure to plug in scores from your favorite legislative scorecards and use Idaho Primary Pulse to help you find more information about state legislature primary candidates.
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US Federal Idaho Representatives
Percentage scores indicate alignment with National GOP.
Senate: Joe Evans | Jim Risch* (88.06%) | Josh Roy | Denny LaVe
House District 1: Joseph P Morrison | Russ Fulcher* (89.73%) | Andy Briner
House District 2: Mike Simpson* (66.67%) | Perry Shumway | Brian Keene
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Governor - Idaho
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4th District Judge, Seat A (Ada, Elmore, Boise, and Valley Counties)
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Idaho House of Representatives & Senate by District
Voter guide resource used below if we don’t personally know a candidate: ConservativesOf
We have not listed Republican candidates running unopposed in the Primary election.
How did legislators vote regarding cloud seeding and weather engineering? Candidate Survey.
Check back often for new/revised recommendations. Avoid early voting to have latest information.
Retain incumbents who rank highly on IFF and similar scorecards (see Idaho Insider Scorecard Explorer). See Idaho Primary Pulse for details on any Idaho state legislature candidate listed (includes websites if available). Find your district.
District 1
House A: Jane Sauter
House B: Cornel Rasor*
Senate: Scott Herndon
District 2
House B: Dale Hawkins*
District 3
House A: Vito Barbieri*
District 4
House B: Elaine Price
District 6
House A: Colton Bennett | Cindy Agidius
Senate: Dan Foreman* (D+ ~ F) | Lori McCann (F ~ F) formerly House, now Senate candidate
District 7
House A: Kyle Harris* (B+ ~ C+) | Michael Collins
House B: Charlie Shepherd* (C+ ~ F) | Maureen Anderson
District 8
House A: Rob Beiswenger
House B: Faye Thompson
Senate: Christy Zito
District 9
House A: John Shirts* (D- ~ F) | Heidi Smith-Takatori
House B: Judy Boyle* (D- ~ F) | Gregg Diacogiannis
Senate: Brandon Shippy* (C ~ D-) | Michael Erwin
District 11
House A: Kent Marmon (Substack) | Website
House B: Lucas Cayler
Senate: Chris Trakel
District 12
Senate: Ben Adams* (F ~ F) | Shaun Simmons
District 13
House B: Steve Tanner* (B+ ~ A-) | Kody Daffer
District 14
Senate: Scott Grow* (D- ~ F) | Mac Raslan
District 16
Senate: LeeJoe Lay | Geoffrey Surbeck
District 20
Senate: Josh Keyser* (C ~ B-) | Russell Spencer | Richard Marsh
District 22
House A: Greg Ferch
Senate: Lori Den Hartog* (F ~ F) | Josh Haver
District 23
House A: Chris Bruce* (B+ ~ B-) | Melissa Durrant
District 24
House A: Clint Hostetler
House B: Steve Miller* (F ~ F) | Chance Requa | William Mostoller
Senate: Glenneda Zuiderveld
District 25
House A: Grayson Stone | Andrew Messer | Zaine Newberry | Josh Callen
House B: David Leavitt
Senate: Josh Kohl
District 26
House A: Mike Pohanka* (F ~ F) | Jeff Emerick
District 28
House A: Rick Cheatum* (F ~ F) | James Lamborn | Mike Saville
Senate: David Worley
District 29
House B: Tanya Burgoyne* (B- ~ D) | Jennifer Miles
District 30
House B: Ben Fuhriman* (F ~ F) | Julianne Young (C+ ~ F, 2024 )
Senate: Julie VanOrden* (F ~ F) | Ethan Neff
District 31
House B: Rod Furniss* (D+ ~ F) | Karey Hanks
District 32
House A: Stephanie Mickelsen* (F ~ F) | Kelly Golden
House B: Erin Bingham* (F ~ F) | Brian McKellar
District 33
House A: Barbara Ehardt* (C+ ~ F) | Connor Cook
House B: Marco Erickson* (F ~ F) | Jilene Burger
District 34
House B: Britt Raybould* (F ~ F) | Larry Golden
District 35
House A: Mike Veile* (F ~ F) | Chad Christensen
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Boise County (see Other Voter Guides for additional counties)
Our own recommendations (excludes those running unopposed). See Boise County Voting Guide (2026) for official recommendations of Boise County Republican Central Committee.
County Commissioner (District 1): Bob Callahan
County Commissioner (District 2): Phil Daigneau (change)
Related article about District 2 Candidate Dylan Stocker, by Brian Almon (04/24/26)
Clerk of the District County (County Clerk): Eva Polizzi
County Coroner: Thelma Medina
Precinct Committeeman:
Placerville: Brian Davies
Garden Valley Fire Protection District * Special Tax Levy (still undecided, leaning YES)
GVFPD Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.gvfdidaho.com/media/questions-and-answers.pdf
Official Ballot Language: https://www.gvfdidaho.com/media/official-ballot-language-may-2026-election.pdf
Video Presentation: https://youtu.be/pwYLsMMAvNQ
Levy Calculator: https://www.gvfdidaho.com/levy-calc.html
Summary (unofficial):
Asks whether to authorize district’s Board of Commissioners to increase its budget through a permanent property tax levy of up to $186,150 annually, beginning in fiscal year 2026–2027.
– Additional revenue used to fund stipends for volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians.
– Increased amount would become part of the district’s base budget for future years.
– Estimates cost to taxpayers at approximately $15.50 per $100,000 of taxable assessed property value per year.
– Mark either “in favor of” or “against” the proposed levy increase.
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Other Voter Guides
Resources:
How Did My Legislator Vote (rankings and analysis)
Who’s Running in Idaho? (federal, statewide, state legislature, county, judicial, local, precinct committeemen): https://run.voteidaho.gov/search
Idaho Insider Scorecard Explorer (scorecards from several different organizations): https://gemstatechronicle.com/scorecard-explorer/
Idaho Primary Pulse — Republican Legislative Candidates: https://gemstatechronicle.com/primary-pulse/
Idaho Republican House Members: https://www.idahohouserepublicans.org/about
Idaho Senate Republican Members: https://www.idahosenategopcaucus.com/caucus-members
Note: Many Idaho Republican Party Central Committees publish voter guides for their counties. Some of our favorites are listed below, especially those in bold text. List of all Central Committees by County.
Gem State Heist (North Idaho)
Idaho Republican Primary Voting Guide
The Idaho GOP voter guide does not endorse candidates, but it does provide information to help you decide who you want to represent you.
The Voter Guide includes:
Integrity in Affiliation Statements (for all Republican candidates who submitted one)
2026 Federal Republican Primary Candidates
2026 Statewide Republican Primary Candidates
Each candidate detail page includes a photo, the office he or she is seeking, biography and background, top 3 issues, and whether the candidate has submitted an Integrity in Affiliation statement. Near the top of each detailed entry are link icons for the candidate’s email, Facebook, YouTube, and website.
Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC) Voting Guide
Stand for Health Freedom (updated 04/27/26)
Votes with Dems.com (from Stop Idaho RINOS)
Sort by Fewest Votes with Dems to view incumbents who are most likely to support conservative values.
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Part 2 — Key Dates & Resources
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Key Dates
Full Election Calendar — Deadlines for Clerks, Candidates, and Voters
Secretary of State Election Calendar (lists all dates; don’t miss deadlines, or you will miss out!): https://voteidaho.gov/calendar/list/
Printable 2026 ELECTION CALENDAR: https://archive.voteidaho.gov/download/2026-election-calendar.pdf
Pre-Registration Deadline
Deadline is 5 p.m. for paper applications handed in or mailed to county clerk’s office, or until midnight for online applications.
Primary: May 8, 2026
General: October 23, 2026
Absentee Ballot Application Deadline
Applications must be received by county clerk by 5 p.m. local time.
Primary: May 8, 2026
General: October 23, 2026
Early Voting
Early voting may begin on dates listed below. Not all counties allow early voting; check with your county clerk for dates and locations
Primary: April 27, 2026 (ends May 15, 2026)
General: October 13, 2026 (ends October 30, 2026)
Election Day – Ballots must be returned by specified date
Polling places — and the county clerk’s office — to be open 8 a.m.–8 p.m.
Primary: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Candidate Filings for Primary election: https://run.voteidaho.gov/search
REMEMBER: Primary winners usually win in the General election. VOTE IN THE PRIMARY!
General: Tuesday, November 3, 2026
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Registration, Early & Absentee Voting, Sample Ballots, and other Resources
Idaho Secretary of State (Vote Idaho)
What’s on the Ballot? – Vote Idaho (does not provide links to details): https://voteidaho.gov/ballot-listing/
Secretary of State Website: https://voteidaho.gov/
Voter Information Lookup (sample ballot, polling place, absentee ballot status, and your voter information): https://elections.sos.idaho.gov/ElectionLink/ElectionLink/VoterSearch.aspx
Register to Vote: https://voteidaho.gov/voter-registration/
Casting Your Ballot: https://voteidaho.gov/casting-your-ballot
Who’s Running in Idaho? (federal, statewide, state legislature, county, judicial, local, precinct committeemen): https://run.voteidaho.gov/search
Latest Election Results: https://voteidaho.gov/election-results/
Sunshine Report (Explore political campaign funding in Idaho: Search candidates and committees, races, donors, PACs and more): https://sunshine.voteidaho.gov/login
Search information by lobbyists, clients / employers, lobbyist expenditures, and bills monitored: https://sunshine.voteidaho.gov/lobbyists
Filings: https://sunshine.voteidaho.gov/public/cf/publiccandidate
Note: Sunshine may not tell the entire funding story. See Who’s Really Behind WinAg’s Attacks?
Data and Dashboards (Idaho’s voting patterns, historical trends, and demographic information with the interactive charts, graphs, and maps): https://voteidaho.gov/data-and-dashboards/
Voter Explorer Interactive Map: https://voteidaho.gov/data-and-dashboards/voter-explorer/
Idaho Controller’s Office — Transparent Idaho (find out where your local and state tax dollars are going and how much is going to various government entities): https://transparent.idaho.gov/
County Websites: https://idahostatewebsite.com/
County Republican Central Committee Websites: https://idgop.org/county-parties/
County Clerk Websites: https://voteidaho.gov/county-clerk/
City Websites: https://idahocities.org/page/Cities
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Idaho Candidates & Ballot Measures
Who’s Running in Idaho? (federal, statewide, state legislature, county, judicial, local, precinct committeemen): https://run.voteidaho.gov/search
How Did My Legislator Vote (rankings and analysis)
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Quick Voting Tips for Idaho & Beyond
This section offers quick tips for voting. To find more details, check out the Index.
More resources: Read
Don’t Skip It!
CONSERVATIVES — Do NOT skip ANY election! The opposition and special interests will vote in droves. Conservatives must as well. Choose the most conservative candidate in the primary, or you could end up with a non-conservative in office. Be Active! Do you want a small number of active voters to drown out your voice? If not, then please cast your ballot.
Primaries are Key in Idaho. The May primary matters most for conservatives. The primary typically decides the outcome of the November general election. Vet each candidate carefully. Avoid voting early if you haven’t had time to thoroughly study the candidates and issues. Then vote in the primary on May 19, 2026.
Avoid mail-in / absentee if at all possible. Absentee ballots sent by U.S. postal service are first routed out of state. The U.S. postal service workers union endorsed the Democrat for President in 2024. Draw your own conclusions.
Be a poll worker or poll watcher.
Be a poll worker (select your county): https://voteidaho.gov/poll-workers/
Poll watchers:
Idaho Statute: https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/Title34/T34CH3/SECT34-304/.
Poll watcher FAQs (see also your county clerk’s website): https://voteidaho.gov/faq/
If you see something, say something. Contact your county clerk, election judge, or email ElectionLaw@JudicialWatch.org
Research Carefully!
Ignore the lies! As the elections approach, you will be subjected to lies, misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation from traditional media, social media, radio and TV news and ads, slanted flyers, campaign signs, government “official sources,” special interests, and even friends and family. (See Misleading Mailers.)
Funding Matters. Look carefully at who paid for the ads and flyers! Find out who funds them (individuals vs. big corporations and PACs). They will — or should — work for YOU. Search the Sunshine Reports.
Meet candidates in person. Most post in-person “meet and greet” events on their campaign websites. We have posted a few here. Ask questions. Be discerning. Be analytical. Be informed. Vote in person. Do NOT vote mail-in / absentee if at all possible. Be a poll worker or poll watcher. Support good candidates with your time, money, and by spreading the truth about them.
What you ask for, you’ll pay for. It’s not enough to complain about bad government and high taxes if we continue to ask for more services that cost money. Expenses and taxes increase — sometimes exponentially — with every ask.
Think critically. Don’t just listen to what candidates say or what the opposition or the opposition’s backers say. Get to know your candidates — in person, through town halls, and through their behavior and voting records. The rest is just NOISE and it could destroy our state. The choices usually are obvious for voters with the best interests of the state of Idaho and the United States at heart.
Use your own independent thinking skills.
Research widely. DO NOT rely on out-of-context snippets.
About those RINOS (Republicans in Name Only): Many “Republican” candidates calling themselves conservatives actually are liberals who donate to liberals or liberal causes, vote with liberals, or who are backed by liberals. Example here. PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK!
About Party Affiliation The party affiliation letter after a candidate’s name rarely matters these days. Candidates often choose the letter that will get them elected, not necessarily the letter that reflects their principles or future actions. Character, integrity, and their past, present, and future actions matter most. Do not presuppose a certain set of principles based simply on party affiliation, the size of a campaign sign, or clever slogans.
Rules of Thumb
Vote AGAINST the Democrat. You’ve seen what the extreme wing of the Democrat Party has done to America and to Idaho. This is NOT the same Democrat party your parents and grandparents knew. Reject today’s Democrat Marxist, Communist, Socialist policies and vote for freedom, justice, and fiscal responsibility. Some prominent Democrats have awakened to reality and switched parties! Ballots are secret, so traditional Democrats can vote their consciences.
Vote FOR Conservatives who are running for federal, state, and local offices. Generally, these will be Republicans, but sometimes they will be Independents, Constitutional, or Libertarian party members.
Vote FOR Constitutional Sheriffs. As the only ELECTED law enforcement officers, they can stand between you and tyranny.
Vote NO on Idaho Magistrate Judges Retention. Unless you know the judge is excellent. A non-retention vote creates a vacancy and a new judge will be appointed.
Vote Principle over Party! “Principle over party” is most important in the primaries, when your vote has the best chance to make a difference. But it’s still important in the General Election. Vote for the most principled candidate who can win. First principles matter: Declaration of Independence, US and Idaho Constitution, Pledge of Allegiance to US Flag, and Golden Rule.
Vote NO on Property Tax Levies. Idaho voters can encounter property tax levies on ballots several times per year. These supplemental levies are proposed by local taxing districts (e.g., schools, fire districts, sewer districts) for voter approval, beyond automatic annual levies.
Levy writers are clever and will tug at your heartstrings, but in general, tax levies ask too much from those who own property and nothing from those who don’t. Property tax levies are inherently UNFAIR and force a great burden on a small segment of the population. Be especially wary of tax levies that ask for PERMANENT levy increases rather than requiring renewal votes every two years.
The Idaho Republican Party Platform Preamble (page 2) and Section 2 (page 3) support voting NO on tax levies.
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Part 3 – General Information (All Idaho Voters)
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General Voting Tips
Avoid recommendations from biased media and social media that suppress dissenting views or distort the truth. Learn how to identify media bias:
NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology) Library: https://researchguides.njit.edu/evaluate/bias
AllSides: https://www.allsides.com/media-bias (Includes several nifty tools)
Media Bias / Fact Check: https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/
Follow the money/funding. Watch who is endorsing or funding a candidate! Click here.
Use your independent thinking skills! Be appropriately skeptical.
Do not fully trust traditional news, social media, commercials, campaign signs, mailers, staged photos of candidates, etc. They typically are biased and designed to inflame. (See Misleading Mailers)
Do your own research using primary sources.
Review the official platforms and websites of each Idaho political party
Ask yourself how closely a candidate’s actions align with their party platform.
Read candidate websites carefully (but verify all claims, lies, and exaggerations).
Attend in-person events and town-halls with candidates.
Listen to podcast interviews with candidates.
Watch candidate town-hall videos.
Ask direct questions of the candidates and listen carefully to their answers.
Read proposed ballot measures / initiatives and bills yourself. Be aware that the titles, statements of purpose, and language can be misleading. Insist that measures be clear, honest, and concise! Are they misleading (many are)?
Don’t sign any petition unless you fully understand its implications.
Ask legislators whether they will propose and/or support medical liberty legislation and constitutional amendment here: https://icanlegislate.org/
Actions speak louder than words: Study voting records of incumbents and past actions of newcomers; never simply take on faith what they say they believe in or promise to do. See How Did My Idaho Legislator Vote?
Vote AGAINST long-time incumbents unless you truly like them and they are highly ranked by trusted sources (some trusted sources).
Do not vote for candidates whom you have not researched. NOTE: Election integrity will be better if you research and complete each box.
Vote AGAINST any ballot measure that you don’t fully understand.
Vote AGAINST tax levies, especially long-duration levies. Idaho’s property tax calculations are complicated, but ultimately the increases are up to YOU, the voter, and the people whom you elect to run your local government! The Idaho Republican Party Platform Preamble (page 2) and Section 2 (page 3) support voting NO on tax levies.
Contribute Money and Volunteer for a candidate you believe in. Campaign contributions are always welcome and much needed to spread the word. Door to door campaigning (door knocking and literature drops) is one of the most effective ways to reach voters. Also help with phone banking (calling or texting people), writing letters, or hosting a Meet & Greet in your neighborhood.
Note: Political campaign contributions are not tax deductible on US federal or Idaho tax returns.
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Misleading Mailers
Misleading Political Ads Explained
Mailers, radio, and TV ads often will seize upon a candidate’s vote(s), take it out of context, and twist the facts. Here’s how KVTB Channel 7 explained it in the video segment below, diving not only into the misinformation of the ads but also the people and organizations behind the ads.
Ad-Check: Political ad slamming Canyon County senators, KVTB Channel 7, 05/07/24 (6 min 22 sec): Watch
When you receive a flyer or mailer (or see or hear something on social media, TV, radio, etc.), find out who paid for the piece. Was it the candidate? Was it a special interest group (or PAC) acting to promote or oppose the candidate for their own reasons? Are claims backed by facts? These things matter. Be careful before making decisions based on possibly misleading information.
Check Idaho Insider, which takes you to various rankings for legislative candidates. More about How Legislators Voted and Trusted Information Sources.
Check Sunshine Reports for funding information. Note: Sunshine may not tell the entire funding story. See Who’s Really Behind WinAg’s Attacks?
See also PAC Impersonators, RINOS & Establishment Republicans
PACs & Campaign Finance Laws: PACs are not subject to the same campaign finance laws that candidates are and they do not have to consult with the candidates they are targeting — for better or for worse.
PACs can be sued, but good luck!
ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/share/69d2e996-5d64-832c-8501-1df1b0339ed7
Grok: https://grok.com/share/c2hhcmQtMi1jb3B5_51d41f66-305f-4afd-9261-1def1235c7d0
Lies & Smears on Social Media: No Due Process on Social Media. A note from the Gang of 8 – Don’t let social media tell you what to think. By Idaho Senator Christy Zito — Zito for Idaho (05/08/25)
Secretary of State: Campaign Finance “Paid for” Disclosure. Disclaimer must be included on all communications advocating for a candidate. Notice from Idaho Secretary of State (05/06/24) | Campaign Disclosure Manual (PDF)
Example 1
A tale of two mailers — a quick analysis from a past election, but applies to all (NOTE: We added the yellow arrows and removed address labels on the images below):
Geoff Schroeder and Matt Bundy: Paid for a third party, no contact information, and claims of “proven” but no source.
Christy Zito: Paid for by Christy Zito, contact info plus invitation to contact, financial facts sourced to Idaho Secretary of State.
Example 2
The flyers below, paid for by Idaho Liberty PAC, promote misinformation (past election example).
Example 3
Voter mailboxes are being bombarded with Lies, Smears, and Obfuscations ahead of Primary Elections. See the lying example against Faye Thompson above. This flyer comes from Conservative Accountability Project (501(c)(4), which just has a landing page website. Details about the smeary group:
Grok: https://grok.com/share/c2hhcmQtMi1jb3B5_f68a0887-d15f-4ed2-855c-4961abfac1ab
ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/share/69d3b94a-7c90-8332-9f93-a8c4a41db6d5
Example 4
Don’t Be Misled. Know the Truth. Freedom survives when citizens stay informed. By Idaho Senator Glenneda ZUIDERVELD (04/06/26)
Glenneda Zuiderveld critiqued her challenger’s mailer — showing several examples of misleading information and lies accusing her of not protecting livelihoods. Sen. Zuiderveld explains that leadership requires informing citizens with facts, not deception. She emphasizes her commitment to honesty, integrity, and principles despite personal costs to her livelihood. She will not lie or bend truth to win and aims to earn trust through truth.
More…
Who’s Behind the Attack Ads? After the Attorney General calls the ads “deceptive,” we take a closer look at who’s behind them. (It’s “Idaho Values First”) By IDAHO GANG OF EIGHT (04/17/26)
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Election Integrity
Idaho and other conservative states are under attack by groups who want to flip the state from red to blue. Many groups form a Political Action Committee (PAC) to support or smear candidates. Not all can be trusted to disclose their backers or indicate who is paying for a particular message. You must be vigilant.
Watch out for proper campaign finance “Paid for” disclosures and beware of PACs (Political Action Committees) that spring up suddenly, like mushrooms after a storm.
Poll workers and poll watchers help ensure fair and honest elections (election integrity); they are part of the county elections process.
Sign up to be a poll worker (including Chief Judge or District Judge) or a poll watcher.
Fight Election Fraud - Promote Election Integrity
Summary of Election Fraud in the 2020 Presidential Election in the Swing States: “Out of fraud no action arises.” Read Full Report
Lies, misinformation, disinformation, malinformation. As the elections approach, you will be subjected to lies, misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation from traditional media, social media, radio and TV news and ads, slanted flyers, government “official sources,” and even friends and family.
Use your own independent thinking skills. Research widely. Get to know candidates in person. PLEASE DO NOT BE LAZY. DO NOT rely on out-of-context snippets.
Avoid mail-in ballots if you can, even if they are convenient. “Dirty voter rolls” or otherwise ineligible voters and mail-in voting are key contributors to cheating in elections. We can resist using mail-in voting. Educate others about its dangers. Vote in person unless you are sick or certain to be out of town. “Convenience” is not a good excuse to vote by mail.
Vote in-person on Election Day at your official polling place. Or vote early (but beware: good information often comes in last-minute). Just be sure to vote! Read
Avoid unsecured, unmonitored, outside, or mobile ballot drop boxes.
Judicial Watch (JW) Your Election Integrity Watchdog! Support the work of non-profit Judicial Watch, which has been fighting for election integrity, clean voter rolls, and more since 1994. JW uses open records, freedom of information laws, and other tools to investigate, uncover, and litigate misconduct by corrupt politicians and government officials.
Verify: Idaho Secretary of State Encourages Voters to Identify Trusted Sources of Information: Read
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Idaho Election Integrity
Campaign Finance “Paid for” Disclosures Required. Disclaimer must be included on all communications advocating for a candidate. Notice from Idaho Secretary of State (05/06/24) | Campaign Disclosure Manual (PDF)
Idaho PAC Impersonators, RINOS & Establishment Republicans
Many groups include RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) or “Establishment Republicans” with left-leaning voting records and ideology. Some are Democratic front groups.
PACs are cropping up left (mostly left) and right and their names are designed to mislead you. Beware of new PACs whose names are similar to long-standing groups.
Secretary of State list of PACs: https://sunshine.voteidaho.gov/public/cf/publiccommitte
Non-Conservative PACs Operating in Idaho (many more exist)
12/03/25: Source info | Op-Ed: Voters, not PACs, should decide elections. By GOP Chairwoman Dorothy Moon (12/04/25)
Conservation Voters for Idaho: Left-leaning. Has backed Boise Mayor Lauren McLean. https://cvidaho.org/
Defend & Protect Idaho: Founded by former Ada County Sheriff Gary Raney to oppose Janice McGeachin and Ammon Bundy in 2022. Raney opposed constitutional carry. Received major donations from national groups including Virginia-based Article IV, Colorado-based Unite America PAC, National Association of Firefighters, and National Association of Realtors. https://www.defendandprotectidaho.com/
Idaho Liberty PAC: Associated with Governor Brad Little through the Friends of Brad Little PAC and Idaho Victory Fund. https://libertypacidaho.com/ | https://sunshine.sos.idaho.gov/?campaigns[0][value]=2512
Unite America PAC, based in Denver: Supports open primaries; opposes the Idaho GOP position. https://www.uniteamerica.org/
Way Back PAC: Donations to Defend & Protect Idaho. Focuses on community issues, defending democracy, and getting things done. Supports moderate Republicans, Democrats, and leftists. https://waybackpac.com/
Young Americans for Liberty: Texas based. Labeled newly elected legislators “traitors” because they didn’t agree with YAL’s agenda. https://yaliberty.org/
Washington County PAC Impersonators
Example: Several new PACs were set up in Washington County, Idaho (past election)
» The REAL Group: ConservativesOf: Washington County – Idaho (https://conservativesof.com/idaho/ Scroll down to Washington County). This small group has existed since 2021 and already has lost donations to the PAC impersonator group.
» The PAC Impersonators (Chair: John Jensen – type John Jensen into Chairperson box) – all set up in April 2024:
More Non-Conservative Idaho PACs…
More examples of non-conservative organizations are listed below (thanks to Jacyn Gallagher, Scott Herndon, and Brent Regan for many of these suggestions):
Conservative Accountability Project (see Dorothy Moon Op-Ed)
Gem State Conservatives
Idaho 97 Project
Idaho Association for Commerce and Industry (IACI) | IACI Board of Directors: https://www.iaci.org/board_of_directors.php
AVOID candidates with high rankings on IACI’s Legislative Scorecard. | Why you should avoid IACI endorsed candidatesIdaho Leaders United
Idaho Liberty PAC
Idaho Moms PAC
Idaho Victory Fund
Main Street Idaho Caucus
North Idaho Republicans
North Idaho Voter Services
Reclaim Idaho
Take Back Idaho
Veterans for Idaho Voters
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Between Elections
Contact Public Officials
Assess what the elected officials actually do vs. what they promised to do. Visit their websites and sign up for their newsletters. Watch what legislation they propose, support, and oppose. Contact them — calls and texts often work better than email — with your concerns as well as your praise. (Legislators especially appreciate when you support their efforts, not just complain about them.) See How Did My Idaho Legislator Vote.
When emailing or texting, make the subject line catchy but specific and pithy. If writing from a sample script, adjust the subject line so it will be different from other writers’ subject lines (but still specific and pithy).
Be sure to customize scripts; legislators are more likely to heed unique, heartfelt messages.
Federal
Contact the President and White House (includes phone, email, snail mail, and sample letters)
Contact US Senate Switchboard: (202) 224-3121
Contact US House Switchboard: (202) 224-3121
Find Your United States Legislators: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials.
Idaho
To quickly write to a legislative committee or to the entire house, senate, or both, go to Idaho Insider.
Contact Idaho elected officials: https://idaho.gov/government/#gsc.tab=0
Find Your Idaho Legislator: https://legislature.idaho.gov/legislators/whosmylegislator/
Find Your Idaho legislators by NAME, DISTRICT, COMMITTEE, DISTRICT MAP, INFORMATION CENTER, CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION: https://legislature.idaho.gov/legislators/contactlegislators/
Find Your Idaho County Officials: https://voteidaho.gov/county-clerk/
Find Your Idaho Cities Officials: https://idahocities.org/page/Cities
Find Public Health Districts in Idaho: https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/health-wellness/community-health/public-health-districts
Find Public Townhall Meetings in Idaho: https://townhall.idaho.gov/
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Learn about Idaho State Legislature
Thanks to Idaho Senator Christy Zito (LD 8) for providing these links so we could put them all in one place.
Idaho Legislature: https://legislature.idaho.gov/
Legislative calendar: https://legislature.idaho.gov/calendar/
Idaho in session watch online: https://www.idahoptv.org/shows/idahoinsession/Legislature/
Idaho Senate: https://legislature.idaho.gov/senate/
Senate members: https://legislature.idaho.gov/senate/membership/
Senate committees: https://legislature.idaho.gov/committees/senatecommittees/
Idaho House: https://legislature.idaho.gov/house/
House members: https://legislature.idaho.gov/house/membership/
House committees: https://legislature.idaho.gov/committees/housecommittees/
Idaho Legislature Bill Tracker: https://lso.legislature.idaho.gov/MyBillTracker/Registration_input.do | User Manual (PDF)
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How Did My Idaho Legislator Vote?
Find out how closely your legislators adhered to the Idaho GOP Platform. Check out voting records and rankings from groups below. (Alphabetical listing.)
Club For Growth (Congressional and State): https://clubforgrowthfoundation.org/projects/
CPAC (Congress, State Legislators, Governors): https://www.cpac.org/us/ratings
Freedom Index (Congressional and State Legislative scorecards based on the U.S. Constitution): https://freedomindex.us/
Honor Idaho “Votes With Democrats” Scorecard: https://voteswithdems.com/
Idaho Association Commerce and Industry: https://scorecard.iaci.org/
⚠️“IACI” is NOT a conservative group! Low scores typically go to conservatives; high scores go to Democrats and so-called “moderate” Republicans.
Idaho Freedom Action: 04/06/26: Hoping for new version soon.
Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) — a favorite among conservatives.
Idaho Freedom Foundation analyzes and rates hundreds of bills each legislative session on a wide variety of topics (typically rating more than half the bills printed during each session). IFF rates more bills than any other organization we know of. The ratings provide insights to freedom and spending in the Idaho legislature, with the goal of making state legislation transparent and readily accessible.
👍 IFF evaluates bills and measures them against published metrics, then scores legislators based on their votes. Low scores typically go to Democrats and so-called “moderate: Republicans; high scores go to conservatives.
Indexes: https://index.idahofreedom.org/
2026 Freedom Index download | Substack Note | Nowhere to Hyde — The Idaho Freedom Index Brings Authentic Accountability (04/20/26, video 10:05). How the Freedom Index is formulated and what the scores mean.
Institute for Legislative Analysis Rankings (State and Federal)
Limited government (all states): https://analysis.limitedgov.org/
National Republican Party Platform Adherence: https://www.gopscorecard.com/
Idaho GOP Platform Rating: https://idahogop.scorecard.limitedgov.org/lawmakers?state=ID
Idaho Insider: Legislative, Executive, Judicial Branch Snapshots (our favorite!)
Everything you want to know about your lawmakers — including Sunshine reports on campaign contributions — in a single place. Includes Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches! AI supported tools, brilliantly created By Brian Almon.
Scorecard Explorer: https://gemstatechronicle.com/scorecard-explorer/
Stop Idaho RINOS: Idaho GOP Scorecard: https://idgopscorecard.com/
Menu selections include Votes with Dems, Ratings (bills), Methodology. Produced by Stop Idaho RINOS (not the Idaho Republican Party, see disclaimer at bottom of website).
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Idaho Legislative District Maps, Counties & Municipalities
Idaho has two Federal (US) legislative districts with one US House member in each district.
Like all US states, Idaho has two US Senators (not district dependent).
Idaho is divided into multiple state legislative districts and multiple county districts.
Each state legislative district has two state representatives (Idaho House), designated as seat A or B, and one state senator (Idaho Senate).
Each county is divided into districts. Check your official county website for district and election information: County websites: https://voteidaho.gov/county-clerks/
Each county also includes municipalities (e.g., cities and towns). Check your official municipal website for election information: Municipal websites: https://idahocities.org/page/Cities
Idaho Legislative District Maps (Gem State Chronicle maps and representatives): https://gemstatechronicle.com/legislative-districts/
Federal Congressional Districts (2 Federal districts; enter your Zip Code in upper-right corner): https://www.house.gov/representatives
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Idaho Magistrate Judges
Magistrate Judges are initially appointed by commission, non-partisan election (Idaho Code Section 1-2205, 1-2207) Magistrate judges have an outsize influence on the daily lives of citizens who end up in their courts. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find out how well or poorly they adjudicate.
Recommendation: Vote NO on retention unless you know the judge is excellent (or you know the commission/person appointing the judge is excellent). A non-retention vote creates a vacancy and a new judge will be appointed.
Idaho Judges Selection Process:
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Bill Trackers & Sample Ballots: National + Idaho
See also How Did My Legislator Vote (rankings and analysis)
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National Bill & Legislation Trackers
Legiscan: Brings all legislative information together into a single uniform interface. Track bills in any state: https://legiscan.com/
Bill Track 50 (BillTrack50). Sign up for a free account or pay subscription fee for more features: https://www.billtrack50.com/info/
FastDemocracy. Sign up for a free account or pay subscription fee for more features. https://fastdemocracy.com/
Wonk (Mountain States Policy Center bill tracking; AI-based, Idaho, Washington, Wyoming): https://www.mountainstatespolicy.org/wonk
GovTrack.us (tracks United States Congress and White House activities): https://www.govtrack.us/
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Idaho Bill Trackers & Analysis
See also How Did My Legislator Vote (rankings and analysis)
2026 Idaho Bills By Number, Subject, Enacted Legislation, Vetoed Legislation, Weekly Bill Status: https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2026/legislation/
2026 Legislation by Bill Number (minidata): https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2026/legislation/minidata/
Idaho Legislature My Bill Tracker (requires username and password). A real-time web-based system for following and tracking Idaho bills throughout the legislative process: https://lso.legislature.idaho.gov/MyBillTracker/Login_input.do | User Manual
Gem State Brief Bill Tracker: https://gemstatebrief.com/legislative-tracker/committees?type=BILL&source=CROSS_CHAMBER
Idaho Freedom Foundation
2026 Freedom Index download | Nowhere to Hyde — The Idaho Freedom Index Brings Authentic Accountability (04/20/26, video 10:05). How the Freedom Index is formulated and what the scores mean.
Bill Tracker: https://index.idahofreedom.org/home-bills/
2026 Index Bill Analyses: https://idahofreedom.org/2026-index-bill-analyses/
Subscribe to Idaho Freedom Foundation’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@IdahoFreedomTV
Capitol Clarity Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsusozPKxiKHMavgsri3R9J1NvcIkEFQy
Citizens Alliance of Idaho Signal channel on Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/IdahoSignal | Idaho Signal LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/citizensallianceofidaho
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National and Idaho Sample Ballots
Ballotpedia Voter Toolkit (All the information you need to be informed about your next election.): https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Voter_Toolkit
Ballotpedia Sample Ballot Lookup (included in toolkit above): https://ballotpedia.org/Sample_Ballot_Lookup
Who’s Running in Idaho? (federal, statewide, state legislature, county, judicial, local, precinct committeemen): https://run.voteidaho.gov/search
Other: Check your county clerk and municipal (city) website.
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Part 4 – Idaho Conservatives & Constitutional Conservatives
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🗣️To be considered radical for simply desiring a return to the original constitutional form of what’s left of our Republic, the one gifted to us through the blood and treasure of our Founders, provides an important clue to how corrupt and debased our culture has become. ~ Gordon Petrie (c. 2024)
🗣️Remember, Republicans who stay home elect Democrats.
~Dorothy Moon, Idaho GOP Chair
General Voting Tips for Conservatives
See also How Did My Legislator Vote (rankings and analysis)
First Principles: What guides a person? Does a candidate or incumbent have strong conservative first principles? Does he or she follow the Declaration of Independence, US and Idaho Constitutions, Pledge of Allegiance to the US Flag, and the Golden Rule? Does he or she promote small government and individual responsibility? Does he or she follow the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s Freedom and Spending Metrics? https://idahofreedom.org/metrics/ | 2026 Freedom Index download
Check voter registration deadlines carefully: https://voteidaho.gov/calendar/
Only Republicans can vote for Republicans in the PRIMARY. Party affiliation doesn’t matter for the GENERAL.
The vote of every Representative and Senator affects YOU, regardless of your legislative district. So even if great candidates are NOT in your district, you can support their campaigns with time, money, and by spreading the word.
Vote for a CONSTITUTIONAL County Sheriff! The County Sheriff is the only elected law enforcement official in America. He or she protects the people as a peacekeeper and guardian of liberty. The County Sheriff’s duty is to stop criminal and out-of-control government from killing, abusing, violating, robbing, and destroying its own people. Ask every County Sheriff and candidate one key question: “Will you stand against tyranny?” Read more
Be careful! Not all “R”epublicans or organizations with conservative sounding names are Conservatives or Constitutional Conservatives. Many are Democrats in Republican clothing.
Before the PRIMARY Election – Register Republican.
PRIMARY Election – Vote for the best, most conservative candidates among Republicans.
GENERAL Election – Vote for the best, most conservative candidates and ballot measures! NOTE: Leaving ballot items blank either due to ignorance or in protest can compromise election integrity, so it’s best to research and then vote.
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Trusted Information Sources
Constitutions & Other First Principle Documents
We are a Constitutional Republic. By Ammon Bundy (09/17/24, video 01:16): https://x.com/RealABundy/status/1836262726143815890
U.S. Declaration of Independence: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript
U.S. Constitution: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution
Idaho Constitution: https://sos.idaho.gov/elect/stcon/index.html
Pledge of Allegiance to the US Flag: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance
Golden Rule: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Rule
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Idaho Information Sources
AssembleXIdaho (on X/aka twitter): https://twitter.com/AssembleXIdaho
Citizens Alliance Idaho: https://www.citizensallianceidaho.org/
ConservativesOfPAC Voter Guides: https://conservativesof.com/state-voter-guides/
Gem State Chronicle, Substack, Report, Idaho Insiders, etc. (Brian Almon)
Gem State Chronicle (“News and analysis that empowers you to make positive change in Idaho” - website from Gem State Substack creator Brian Almon):
Gem State Substack (Brian Almon): https://gemstate.substack.com/
Idaho Insider: https://gemstatechronicle.com/idaho-insider/
Gem State Patriot News: https://gemstatepatriot.com/blog/
ICAN Legislate Medical Liberty Pledge: https://mlpledge.org/members/?filter=true&state=idaho
Idaho 2nd Amendment Alliance: https://www.idahosaa.org/
Idaho Freedom Caucus: https://idahofreedomcaucus.org/
Idaho Freedom Caucus Substack: https://idahofreedomcaucus.substack.com/
Idaho Freedom Action (501(c)(4) nonprofit dedicated to preserving freedom in the Gem State): https://idahofreedomaction.org/
Idaho Freedom PAC (founded in 2021 to combat wealthy special interest groups, hold politicians to their word, and reignite the flame of liberty): https://idahofreedompac.com/
Idaho Freedom Foundation: https://idahofreedom.org/
Nowhere to Hyde — The Idaho Freedom Index Brings Authentic Accountability (04/20/26, video 10:05). How the Freedom Index is formulated and what the scores mean.
Educational Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@IdahoFreedomTV/videos
Idaho Gang of Eight Substack: https://idahogangofeight.substack.com/
Idaho GOP (Republican Party): https://www.idgop.org
Platform (click OUR PLATFORM button): https://idgop.org/party-resources/
To be “true” Republicans, GOP candidates and incumbents must vote like Republicans and support the platform, or clearly explain which parts they do not support and why.
Idaho GOP Platform Rating (Legislators and Bills): https://idahogop.scorecard.limitedgov.org/lawmakers?state=ID
Idaho GOP County Parties: https://idgop.org/county-parties/
Idaho Primary Pulse — Republican Legislative Candidates
Republicans, start your research with Brian Almon’s Primary Pulse for one-stop information about every Republican legislative candidate: https://gemstatechronicle.com/primary-pulse/.
District maps show the areas of responsibility for each candidate.
“Insider” links on Pulse provide in-depth information and various ratings for incumbent candidates. Be sure to click Insider wherever it’s available.
“Sunshine” links show you who is sending money to each candidate.
Idaho Insider Scorecard Explorer (scorecards from several different organizations): https://gemstatechronicle.com/scorecard-explorer/
Idaho Secretary of State (SOS): https://voteidaho.gov/
Institute for Legislative Analysis (ILA) - US and State Rankings: https://www.limitedgov.org/
John Birch Society: https://jbs.org/
Keep the Republic with Dr. Daniel Bobinski: https://keeptherepublic.us/
Magic Valley Liberty Alliance: https://mvlibertyalliance.org/
State Freedom Caucus Network (Idaho is an officially recognized member): https://www.statefreedomcaucus.org/
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Videos
How Red States Become Blue! Idaho, don’t let this happen!
Rocky Mountain Heist | How 4 Rich Liberals Flipped Colorado from a Republican State to a Liberal Stronghold (video 45 min 26 sec): Watch | Alternate
The accompanying article by “Freedom Man” addresses the two elements needed to flip a state: The Unprincipled voter and the Apathetic voter. Read
The Texas Heist | Do Democrats Run The Texas House? (video 37 min 50 sec): Watch
Note to all. We reorganized the guide on 4/23/26. Part 1 now contains our recommendations (subject to change, of course ;-)
Looking for some voter guides for Canyon County .
I scrolled way down to Part 4 and I think think you have one posted yet