LEWISTON, ID – Local law enforcement officer and conservative Republican leader Nick Woods, of Lewiston, has announced he is running for Nez Perce County Commissioner for District 2, a seat currently held by Doug Havens.
In a statement released Thursday, Woods emphasized his commitment to smaller government, fiscal discipline, and a more accountable county administration. “I am running because Nez Perce County deserves a commissioner who shows up, listens, and makes decisions based on what is right,” he said. Among his proposals is moving commissioner meetings to the evening to allow greater public participation.
Born in Yakima, Washington, Woods holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Washington State University, where he operated the university’s nuclear research reactor and co-authored two publications in Analytical Chemistry. He also earned a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Fort Hays State University. Woods moved to Idaho after college, where he now lives with his wife, Erin, a paralegal, and their grown stepdaughter, Kasi, an elementary school teacher in Lewiston.
Woods has more than a decade of experience in law enforcement, including service with the Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office, the Nez Perce County Sheriff’’s Office, and is currently employed as a detective by the Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office. His duties have included major criminal investigations, training new deputies, and serving as a hostage negotiator with the local SWAT team.
In addition to his law enforcement career, Woods volunteers with local boards and animal rescue groups and serves as Region 3 Chairman on the Idaho Republican Party Executive Committee. He said his campaign will focus on public safety, supporting working families, and protecting taxpayers, as well as meeting with businesses to discuss deregulation and engaging directly with county voters, many of whom he says are concerned about high property taxes.
Havens, first elected Nez Perce County Commissioner in 2010, has not yet announced whether he will seek reelection. The primary election is May 19, 2026.
