Is Idaho Purple?
Everyone says Idaho is red. Maybe it is. Or maybe it only looks that way because the people who want a change split their votes or stay home. Let’s run the experiment on Nov 3.
The hypothesis
Idaho is more competitive than it looks if non-Republican voters team up behind the one candidate in reach in each race.
We say that out loud. We publish the method, every source and every number. If the hypothesis fails, we’ll publish that too.
Featured races
What about your power bill?
+$12.13
a month for a typical Idaho Power home since Jan 1, 2026.
Idaho Public Utilities Commission, Dec 30, 2025+$3.64
a month more since June 1, 2026, from approved annual adjustments.
Idaho PUC, May 4, 2026 · PCA order · FCA orderData centers are on both parties’ minds. In 2026 a data-center tax-break bill (H0897), with Republican and Democratic sponsors, passed the House 68-0 and the Senate 34-0, then died on the last day when the House never voted on the Senate’s changes. Another law (H0911) did pass: since July 1, new loads of 50 megawatts or more must pay their own full cost of service. H0897 · H0911
Why “purple”?
Closed
Only registered Republicans can vote in Idaho’s Republican primary. Anyone who wants a say there has to register as a Republican, so registration may overstate the party’s strength in November.
Idaho Secretary of State: primary electionsThree steps before Oct 23
- Check your registration. One minute on VoteIdaho.
- Request an absentee ballot or plan to vote early.
- Vote the whole ballot and return it so it arrives by 8 p.m. Nov 3.
Join the experiment
Coming soon: a verified count of Idahoans testing whether this state is as red as everyone says. No prizes, no bets, no mailing list unless you ask to be on one.