BOISE, ID — The Idaho Secretary of State’s Office has completed its investigation into ballot reporting discrepancies in Elmore County, confirming that a procedural error — not equipment malfunction — caused 388 ballots to go unreported on election night. Despite the issue, officials say the recount results matched previously reported outcomes, leaving all Election Day results unchanged.
Secretary of State Phil McGrane and a team of election staff returned to Mountain Home on Tuesday to continue reviewing the November 4 Consolidated Election after hand recounts revealed the missing ballots. As part of the investigation, officials also re-ran the ballots through the same tabulation equipment used on election night.
According to the Secretary of State’s Office, the machine totals matched the hand count exactly, confirming the tabulators worked properly. The discrepancy was traced to “procedural and operational errors” in three precincts: Glenns Ferry, Mountain Home 1, and Mountain Home 8. In each of those locations, ballots were processed but the results were not saved or reported.
“Our top priority was getting accurate results to voters and candidates, and our team worked quickly to ensure that happened,” McGrane said, noting the need to understand the cause of the problem. “After re-running the ballots through the same machines and reviewing the process, I’m confident the equipment functioned correctly. The issue was procedural, not technical.”
The total number of ballots cast in Elmore County is now confirmed at 3,208, which includes the 388 previously unreported ballots. Officials clarified that while the total number of ballots was revised due to a calculation error, the outcomes of all races remain unchanged.
The Elmore County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to canvass and certify the hand count results on Wednesday, November 26, at 9 a.m. Additionally, the Secretary of State and County Clerk will seek judicial review of the election, as permitted under Idaho Code 34-220, ahead of the December 2 deadline. Judicial review allows for formal legal oversight and could, if necessary, result in a court-ordered new election.
