Everything you need to know about ranked-choice voting in one spot.Click to learn more!

Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction election, 2026

From Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge-smaller use.png

U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Governor • Lt. Gov • Attorney General • Secretary of State • State executive offices • State Senate • State House • Supreme court • Appellate courts • State ballot measures • Municipal • All local elections by county • How to run for office
Flag of Idaho.png


2022
Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge.png
Election details
Filing deadline: February 27, 2026
Primary: May 19, 2026
General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times:

8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in Idaho

Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2026
Impact of term limits in 2026
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
Idaho
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant Governor
Attorney General
Secretary of State
Controller
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Treasurer

Idaho is holding an election forsuperintendent of public instruction onNovember 3, 2026. The primary is May 19, 2026. The filing deadline is February 27, 2026.

Candidates and election results

Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia definesofficial candidates as people who:

  • Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
  • Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies

General election

The primary will occur on May 19, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction

IncumbentDebbie Critchfield is running in the Republican primary for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction on May 19, 2026.


Ballotpedia Logo

Incumbents arebolded and underlined.

Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

Candidate profiles

There are currently no candidate profiles created for this race. Candidate profiles will appear here as they are created. Encourage the candidates in this race to completeBallotpedia's Candidate Connection survey so that their profile will appear here.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

No candidate in this race has completedBallotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia is seeking 100 percent participation so voters can learn more about all the candidates on their ballots.

Voting information

See also:Voting in Idaho

Election information inIdaho: May 19, 2026, election.

What is the voter registration deadline?

  • In-person: May 19, 2026
  • By mail: Received by May 8, 2026
  • Online: May 8, 2026

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

Yes

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

  • In-person: May 8, 2026
  • By mail: Received by May 8, 2026
  • Online: May 8, 2026

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

  • In-person: May 19, 2026
  • By mail: Received by May 19, 2026

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

April 27, 2026 to May 15, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (MT/PT)


Past elections

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2014.

2022

See also:Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction election, 2022

General election

General election for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction

Debbie Critchfield defeatedTerry Gilbert in the general election for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Debbie Critchfield
Debbie Critchfield (R) Candidate Connection
 
69.8
 
404,549
Image of Terry Gilbert
Terry Gilbert (D) Candidate Connection
 
30.2
 
175,076

Ballotpedia Logo

There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 579,625
Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction

Terry Gilbert advanced from the Democratic primary for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction on May 17, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Terry Gilbert
Terry Gilbert Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
31,868

Ballotpedia Logo

There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 31,868
Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction

Debbie Critchfield defeatedBranden Durst and incumbentSherri Ybarra in the Republican primary for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction on May 17, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Debbie Critchfield
Debbie Critchfield Candidate Connection
 
39.7
 
105,070
Image of Branden Durst
Branden Durst
 
33.8
 
89,451
Image of Sherri Ybarra
Sherri Ybarra
 
26.6
 
70,431

Ballotpedia Logo

Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 264,952
Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

2018

See also:Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction election, 2018

General election

General election for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction

IncumbentSherri Ybarra defeatedCindy Wilson in the general election for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Sherri Ybarra
Sherri Ybarra (R)
 
51.5
 
305,977
Image of Cindy Wilson
Cindy Wilson (D)
 
48.5
 
288,488

Ballotpedia Logo

Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 594,465
Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction

Cindy Wilson defeatedAllen Humble in the Democratic primary for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction on May 15, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Cindy Wilson
Cindy Wilson
 
86.0
 
49,565
Allen Humble
 
14.0
 
8,051

Ballotpedia Logo

There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 57,616
Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction

IncumbentSherri Ybarra defeatedJeff Dillon in the Republican primary for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction on May 15, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Sherri Ybarra
Sherri Ybarra
 
58.9
 
103,071
Jeff Dillon
 
41.1
 
71,856

Ballotpedia Logo

Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 174,927
Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

2014

See also:Idaho down ballot state executive elections, 2014
Superintendent of Idaho, 2014
PartyCandidateVote %Votes
    RepublicanGreen check mark transparent.pngSherri Ybarra50.6%217,049
    DemocraticJana Jones49.4%211,483
Total Votes428,532
Election resultsIdaho Secretary of State

Election analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.

  • Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
  • Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
  • State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
  • Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.


See also:Presidential voting trends in Idaho andThe Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Cook PVI by congressional district

Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for Idaho, 2026
DistrictIncumbentPVI
Idaho's 1stRuss FulcherR+22
Idaho's 2ndMike SimpsonR+13

2024 presidential results by 2026 congressional district lines

2024 presidential results in congressional districts, Idaho
DistrictKamala HarrisDemocratic PartyDonald TrumpRepublican Party
Idaho's 1st26.0%71.0%
Idaho's 2nd35.0%62.0%
Source:The Downballot

2016-2024

How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential elections:Solid,Trending,Battleground, andNew. Click [show] on the table below for examples:

County-level voting pattern categories
Democratic
Status201620202024
Solid DemocraticDDD
Trending DemocraticRDD
Battleground DemocraticDRD
New DemocraticRRD
Republican
Status201620202024
Solid RepublicanRRR
Trending RepublicanDRR
Battleground RepublicanRDR
New RepublicanDDR


Following the 2024 presidential election,96% of Idahoans lived in one of the state's41 Solid Republican counties, which voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election from 2016 to 2024, and2.1% lived in one of1 New Republican counties. Overall, Idaho wasSolid Republican, having voted forDonald Trump (R) in 2016,Donald Trump (R) in 2020, andDonald Trump (R) in 2024. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Idaho following the 2024 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.

Idaho county-level statistics, 2024
Solid Republican4196.0%
New Republican12.1%
Solid Democratic11.3%
Trending Democratic10.6%
Total voted Democratic21.9%
Total voted Republican4298.1%

Historical voting trends

Idaho presidential election results (1900-2024)

  • 9Democratic wins
  • 23Republican wins
Year19001904190819121916192019241928193219361940194419481952195619601964196819721976198019841988199219962000200420082012201620202024
Winning PartyDRRDDRRRDDDDDRRRDRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.

U.S. Senate elections

See also:List of United States Senators from Idaho

The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Idaho.

U.S. Senate election results in Idaho
RaceWinnerRunner up
202260.7%Republican Party28.7%Democratic Party
202062.6%Republican Party33.3%Democratic Party
201666.1%Republican Party27.8%Democratic Party
201465.3%Republican Party34.7%Democratic Party
201071.1%Republican Party25.0%Democratic Party
Average65.229.9

Gubernatorial elections

See also:Governor of Idaho

The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Idaho.

Gubernatorial election results in Idaho
RaceWinnerRunner up
202260.5%Republican Party20.3%Democratic Party
201859.8%Republican Party38.2%Democratic Party
201453.5%Republican Party38.6%Democratic Party
201059.1%Republican Party32.9%Democratic Party
200652.7%Republican Party44.1%Democratic Party
Average57.134.8
See also:Party control of Idaho state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Idaho's congressional delegation as of October 2025.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Idaho
PartyU.S. SenateU.S. HouseTotal
Democratic000
Republican224
Independent000
Vacancies000
Total224

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Idaho's top four state executive offices as of October 2025.

State executive officials in Idaho, October 2025
OfficeOfficeholder
GovernorRepublican PartyBrad Little
Lieutenant GovernorRepublican PartyScott Bedke
Secretary of StateRepublican PartyPhil McGrane
Attorney GeneralRepublican PartyRaúl Labrador

State legislature

Idaho State Senate

PartyAs of October 2025
    Democratic Party6
    Republican Party29
    Other0
    Vacancies0
Total 35

Idaho House of Representatives

PartyAs of October 2025
    Democratic Party9
    Republican Party61
    Other0
    Vacancies0
Total 70

Trifecta control

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.

Year92939495969798990001020304050607080910111213141516171819202122232425
GovernorDDDRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
SenateRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
HouseRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

The table below details demographic data in Idaho and compares it to the broader United States as of 2023.

Demographic Data for Idaho
IdahoUnited States
Population1,839,106331,449,281
Land area (sq mi)82,6443,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White83.3%63.4%
Black/African American0.7%12.4%
Asian1.3%5.8%
Native American1.1%0.9%
Pacific Islander0.1%0.4%
Other (single race)4.9%6.6%
Multiple8.4%10.7%
Hispanic/Latino13.3%19%
Education
High school graduation rate91.7%89.4%
College graduation rate31.2%35%
Income
Median household income$74,636$78,538
Persons below poverty level10.6%12.4%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau,"Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau,"American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2018-2023).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the censushere.


See also

IdahoState Executive ElectionsNews and Analysis
Seal of Idaho.png
StateExecLogo.png
Ballotpedia RSS.jpg
Idaho State Executive Offices
Idaho State Legislature
Idaho Courts
20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Idaho elections:20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Party control of state government
State government trifectas
State of the state addresses
Partisan composition of governors

External links

Footnotes

Flag of Idaho
v  e
State ofIdaho
Boise (capital)
Elections

What's on my ballot? |Elections in 2026 |How to vote |How to run for office |Ballot measures

Government

Who represents me? |U.S. President |U.S. Congress |Federal courts |State executives |State legislature |State and local courts |Counties |Cities |School districts |Public policy

Education officials
Alabama (board of education)Arizona (superintendent)California (superintendent)Colorado (board of education)Colorado (board of regent)District of Columbia (board of education)Georgia (superintendent)Guam (education board)Idaho (superintendent)Kansas (board of education)Louisiana (board of education)Michigan (board of education)Michigan (board of regent)Michigan (board of trustees)Michigan (board of governors)Nebraska (board of education)Nebraska (board of regents)Nevada (board of regents)New Mexico (board of education)North Dakota (superintendent)Northern Mariana Islands (board of education)Ohio (board of education)Oklahoma (superintendent)South Carolina (superintendent)Texas (board of education)U.S. Virgin Islands (board of education)Utah (board of education)Wyoming (superintendent)
Commissioners
Alabama (agriculture)Alabama (public service)Arizona (corporation)Arizona (mine inspector)Arkansas (public lands)California (board of equalization)California (insurance)Florida (agriculture)Georgia (agriculture)Georgia (labor)Georgia (insurance)Georgia (public service)Guam (utilities)Hawaii (Hawaiian affairs)Iowa (agriculture)Kansas (insurance)Louisiana (public service)Massachusetts (governor's council)Montana (public service)Nebraska (public service)New Hampshire (executive council)New Mexico (public lands)North Dakota (agriculture)North Dakota (public service)North Dakota (tax)Oklahoma (corporation)Oklahoma (insurance)Oklahoma (labor)Oregon (labor)South Carolina (agriculture)South Dakota (public lands)South Dakota (public utilities)Texas (agriculture)Texas (public lands)Texas (railroad)U.S. Virgin Islands (board of elections)
Elections
20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010
Elections
20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010
Ballotpedia
Editorial Content
Josh Altic, Director of ContentDaniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & DataCory Eucalitto, Associate Director of FeaturesRyan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot MeasuresMandy McConnell, Managing Editor of NewsDoug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local ExpansionAbbey Smith, Managing Editor of ElectionsJanie Valentine, Managing Editor of LawJoel Williams, Managing Editor of EventsJoseph Greaney, Managing Editor of PolicyAndrew BahlJaclyn BeranMarielle BrickerJoseph BrusgardEmma BurlingameKelly CoyleJon DunnVictoria EdwardsThomas EllisNicole FisherThomas GrobbenBrianna HoseaMolly KehoeTyler KingGlorie MartinezNorm Leahy, Senior EditorNathan MaxwellJimmy McAllisterBrandon McCauleyAndrew McNairEllie MikusMackenzie MurphyKaley PlatekSamantha PostAdam PowellAnnelise ReinwaldSpencer RichardsonVictoria RoseBriana RyanMyj SaintylMaddy SaluckaEmma SoukupAlexis ThackerMina VogelSamuel WonacottTrenton Woodcox