There are 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 Ballotpedia began tracking this data in 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) is higher than the average for election cycles from 2010 to 2022. In 2024, there are 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%.
Idaho has been a Republican trifecta since 1995. Republicans have held the governorship and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature since then.
Idaho’s state legislative primaries are scheduled for May 21.
