Idaho State Senate District 17

Idaho State Senate District 17 is represented by Carrie Semmelroth (D).

As of the 2020 Census, Idaho state senators represented an average of 52,611 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 44,957 residents.

About the chamber

Members of the Idaho State Senate serve two-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Idaho legislators assume office on the first day in December following the general election.^[1]

Qualifications

See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

Article III, Section 6 of the Idaho Constitution states: "No person shall be a senator or representative who, at the time of his election, is not a citizen of the United States, and an elector of this state, nor anyone who has not been for one year next preceding his election an elector of the county or district whence he may be chosen."^[2]

According to the Idaho Secretary of State, candidates must be 21 years old.^[3]

Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

State legislative salaries, 2024^[4]
Salary	Per diem
$19,913/year	For legislators residing within 50 miles of the capitol: $74/day. For legislators residing more than 50 miles from the capitol: $221/day.

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures

If there is a vacancy in the Idaho State Legislature, the governor is responsible for appointing a replacement.

The political party committee that last held the vacant seat has 15 days after the vacancy occurs to submit a list of three recommended candidates to the governor. The governor makes the selection based on the recommendations.

If any party committee fails to submit a list of recommended candidates after the 15-day deadline, the governor has five days to appoint a person from the political party that last held the seat. The person appointed to the seat serves for the remainder of the unfilled term.^[5]

See sources: Idaho Code §59-904A

District map

Redistricting

2020 redistricting cycle

See also: Redistricting in Idaho after the 2020 census

On November 12, 2021, the Idaho Independent Redistricting Commission formally submitted its final legislative map to the secretary of state. On November 10, 2021, the commission voted 6-0 in favor of the final legislative map.^[6] The commission had earlier voted in favor of the map on November 5, 2021, but chose to recast their votes on November 10, 2021, due to concerns regarding Idaho's open meetings laws.^[6]^[7]^[8] Idaho has 35 legislative districts, each of which elects one senator and two representatives.

How does redistricting in Idaho work? In 37 states, legislatures are primarily responsible for drawing congressional district lines. Seven states have only one congressional district each, rendering congressional redistricting unnecessary. Four states employ independent commissions to draw the district maps. In two states, politician commissions draw congressional district lines.

State legislative district lines are primarily the province of the state legislatures themselves in 37 states. In seven states, politician commissions draw state legislative district lines. In the remaining six states, independent commissions draw the lines.^[9]

In Idaho, an independent commission is responsible for drawing both congressional and state legislative district lines. The commission is composed of six members.^[10]

One member is appointed by the majority leader of the Idaho State Senate.
One member is appointed by the minority leader of the Idaho State Senate.
One member is appointed by the majority leader of the Idaho House of Representatives.
One member is appointed by the minority leader of the Idaho House of Representatives.
The chairs of the state's two largest political parties each appoint one member.

According to the Idaho Constitution, no member may be an elected or appointed official while serving on the commission. The state constitution further requires that the commission produce draft congressional and state legislative maps within 90 days of the commission's formation. There is no explicit deadline for final plans.^[10]

The state constitution requires that state legislative districts "be contiguous, and that counties be preserved intact where possible." State statutes require that both congressional and state legislative districts meet the following criteria:^[10]

County lines must be maintained "to the extent possible."
Districts must "preserve traditional neighborhoods, communities of interest, and (if possible) voting precinct boundaries."
Districts should not be "oddly shaped."
In districts comprising more than one county or a portion thereof, "those constituent pieces must also be connected by a state or federal highway."

Idaho State Senate District 17
until November 30, 2022

Click a district to compare boundaries.

Idaho State Senate District 17
starting December 1, 2022

Click a district to compare boundaries.

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Idaho State Senate District 17

Incumbent Carrie Semmelroth defeated Benjamin Chafetz in the general election for Idaho State Senate District 17 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Carrie Semmelroth (D)	57.3	13,250
	Benjamin Chafetz (R)	42.7	9,879

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 23,129
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Idaho State Senate District 17

Incumbent Carrie Semmelroth advanced from the Democratic primary for Idaho State Senate District 17 on May 21, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Carrie Semmelroth	100.0	1,368

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,368
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Idaho State Senate District 17

Benjamin Chafetz advanced from the Republican primary for Idaho State Senate District 17 on May 21, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Benjamin Chafetz	100.0	2,185

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,185
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.