This bill is sponsored by Sen. Jim Guthrie — the State Affairs Committee Chair who cast the deciding vote to kill HB 659, and who voted NO on the Parental Choice Tax Credit. Guthrie has a 2-0 bad vote record with The Idaho Ledger. His sponsorship of an election reform bill of this magnitude is worth noting — and watching.
Senate Bill 1398 would make two significant changes to Idaho's election system:
1. Include the presidential race in Idaho's state primary election — currently Idaho holds a separate presidential caucus/primary process. This would consolidate it into the state primary.
2. Move the primary date from the third Tuesday in May to the Tuesday following the first Monday in May — a one-to-two week shift that aligns more closely with other Western states' primary calendars.
The implications for Idaho's 2026 and future primary elections — including the May 19, 2026 primary that includes all the senators and representatives tracked by The Idaho Ledger — would depend on when this bill takes effect.