BOISE, ID – Idaho voters will be asked whether the Idaho Constitution should be amended to declare English as the state’s official language.

The Idaho Legislature widely approved House Joint Resolution 6, the resolution that proposes the constitutional amendment. The amendment would also specify that English will be used in “all public proceedings, public documents, public instruction, and any other public acts of any public institution in the state of Idaho,” except as required by federal law. 

“This is a resolution that essentially says that language matters,” said Sen. Brian Lenney, R-Nampa, who cosponsored the resolution. “It speaks to who we are as a nation. It binds us together as a people. It ties us to our history, our heroes and our heritage.”

The Idaho Senate passed the resolution on a 30-5 vote on Tuesday, about two weeks after the House passed it on a 59-8 vote. The resolution needed two-thirds support in each legislative chamber to pass.

All but two of the 15 Democrats serving in the Idaho Legislature opposed the resolution. Sen. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, and Rep. John Gannon, D-Boise, voted for it.

Ruchti told the Idaho Capital Sun he saw the resolution as just acknowledging “what we already do.”

“The language of it was not restrictive of other languages being used in … the official government operations (in the) state of Idaho,” he told the Sun in an interview. “It was just acknowledging what I believe is already taking place, which is English is the primary language we use here. It’s used in our communications, in government agencies, things like that.”

On March 1, President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring English as the United States’ official language, the Associated Press reported. Idaho is in the United States.

Idaho’s constitutional amendment slated for 2026 general election

The proposed constitutional amendment is slated to be on Idaho’s November 2026 general election ballots. To pass, it would need a simple majority support from Idaho voters.

The proposed constitutional amendment will ask Idaho voters:

“Shall Article X of the Constitution of the State of Idaho be amended by the addition of a new Section 8, to provide that the English language shall be the official language for the state of Idaho, and to further provide that, except as required by federal law, English shall be used in all public proceedings, public documents, public instruction, and any other public acts of any public institution in the state of Idaho?” the resolution says.

Pursuing the constitutional amendment is expected to cost as much as $300,000, according to the resolution’s fiscal note. But if other amendments or ballot initiatives qualify for that election, the resolution’s fiscal note says those costs “will occur anyway.” 

Idaho Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, said she thought putting the amendment on the ballot was a waste of taxpayer dollars. She also worried it could impact court reporting and interpretations of court services.

“It’s pretty clear that English is our official language, and now we’re going to spend $300,000 to put it on the ballot — when we are struggling to pay the bills,” Wintrow said.

Idaho lawmakers who sponsored the resolution that proposes the amendment include House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, Sen. Lenney, Rep. Dale Hawkins, R-Fernwood, and Rep. Kyle Harris, R-Lewiston.

As part of the process of amending the Idaho Constitution, state legislators finalize arguments for and against the amendment to be distributed to voters through mailed pamphlets.

Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@idahocapitalsun.com.