Shelby Rognstad

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Shelby Rognstad

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

May 17, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

University of Idaho, 1998

Personal

Birthplace

Lewiston, Idaho

Profession

Business executive

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

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Campaign YouTube

Personal LinkedIn

Shelby Rognstad (Democratic Party) ran for election for Governor of Idaho. He lost as a write-in in the Democratic primary on May 17, 2022.

Rognstad completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Shelby Rognstad was born in Lewiston, Idaho. Rognstad earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Idaho in 1998. His career experience includes working as the principal of Rognstad Enterprises and owning and operating Common Knowledge Bookstore and Cafe. Rognstad has served on the board of the Association Of Idaho Cities.

Elections

2022

See also: Idaho gubernatorial election, 2022

General election

General election for Governor of Idaho

The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Idaho on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brad Little (R)	60.5	358,598
		Stephen Heidt (D)	20.3	120,160
		Ammon Bundy (Independent)	17.2	101,835
		Paul Sand (L)	1.1	6,714
		Chantyrose Davison (Constitution Party)	0.9	5,250
		Lisa Marie (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	46

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 592,603
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Robert Dempsey (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Idaho

Stephen Heidt defeated Shelby Rognstad and David Reilly in the Democratic primary for Governor of Idaho on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stephen Heidt	78.8	25,088
		Shelby Rognstad (Write-in)	21.2	6,736
		David Reilly (Write-in)	0.1	21

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 31,845
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Melissa Sue Robinson (D)
• Bob Dempsay (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Idaho

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Idaho on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brad Little	52.8	148,843
		Janice McGeachin	32.2	90,857
		Ed Humphreys	11.0	30,878
		Steven Bradshaw	1.9	5,470
		Ashley Jackson	1.1	3,172
		Lisa Marie	0.4	1,120
	Submit photo	Ben Cannady	0.3	804
	Submit photo	Cody Usabel	0.2	680

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 281,824
= 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Chris Hammond (R)
• Jeff Cotton (R)

Constitution primary election

Constitution primary for Governor of Idaho

Chantyrose Davison defeated Ryan Cole in the Constitution primary for Governor of Idaho on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Chantyrose Davison	61.9	346
	Submit photo	Ryan Cole (Write-in)	3.9	22
		Other/Write-in votes	34.2	191

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 559
= 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.

Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for Governor of Idaho

Paul Sand defeated John Dionne Jr. in the Libertarian primary for Governor of Idaho on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Paul Sand	60.2	427
	Submit photo	John Dionne Jr.	39.8	282

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 709
= 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.

Endorsements

To view Rognstad's endorsements in the 2022 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Shelby Rognstad completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rognstad's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Shelby is Sandpoint’s first two-term mayor in half a century. He is a small business owner of 17 years. He's been in public service for 15 years. He's a fourth generation Idahoan from Lewiston.

He serves on the boards of the Association of Idaho Cities and the Bonner County Economic Development Corporation. He's blessed to be married to a brilliant woman and be the proud father of two beautiful children aged 10 and 12. He and his wife Katie have served on numerous non-profit boards over the years supporting education, environment, sustainability and the arts. As a family man who has lived most of his life in Idaho, he's concerned about the growing rise in extremism and its direct impact on our democracy, quality of life, public safety and politics in Idaho. It’s ripping apart our communities, our places of work and worship and is driving good people out of public service and leadership. This spells death to our democracy, business growth and the Idaho way of life. Idaho needs leadership that stands up for our values, our future and represents all Idahoans.

His priorities: education, affordable health care and housing, managing growth and protecting public lands.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Restore balance back to the state capitol. Idaho is being overtaken by extremism that is impacting our way of life, our opportunities, our liberties and our democracy. Idaho needs a strong leader who is able to restore the checks and balances that are necessary for our democracy to thrive.
• Idaho needs to prioritize excellence in education. This is how we create lasting prosperity for Idaho families and Idaho businesses.
• Health care needs to be accessible and affordable for all Idahoans. We also need to ensure our public lands remain protected as they always have been. Public lands are one of Idaho's greatest assets that not only offer unparalleled quality of life, but attract business and the workforce we need to be successful.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Workforce housing needs to be prioritized so kids can afford to live in the towns they grew up in. Idaho has always been affordable, but we are losing that. If Idaho is to continue to be a place that offers a high quality of life to families, if it's going to be a state that attracts jobs and job creators, it has to remain affordable to working class families. Housing and healthcare are two of the greatest expenses of most households and they need to be affordable for everyday Idahoans. This also means Idaho needs to provide tax breaks to working class people, not just the wealthy. It has to invest in infrastructure that can lower the cost of living for working families. It has to offer education and workforce training opportunities that lead to good paying jobs and meet the needs of Idaho's growing businesses.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I have a lot of heroes. The Obamas are two great examples of humanity, brilliance and public service. Cecil Andrus was a model governor for Idaho. My friends Fred Cornforth, former Chair of the Idaho Democratic Party, and Larry Larocco, former Democratic congressman for Idaho, have both been mentors for me. I look up to them in how they lead. Fred really brings people together and inspires them. Larry is tough, knows how to chart his own course and really gives his all to people and causes he believes in. They both really lift people up around them.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, integrity, empathy, ability to listen.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I listen, I value other people's opinion, I'm driven by principles, not ideology. I have integrity and I'm honest. I'm a good communicator and I have empathy.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like Idaho to strive for excellence in education and become a leader in the nation. I want Idaho to be a leader in entrepreneurship and technology and protect and enhance our public lands and waters for future generations. I want Idaho to be a state where working class families can afford to live, enjoy a high quality of life and lasting prosperity.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember Ronald Reagan winning the election in 1980. I was 6. It was a big deal for my dad it seemed and was certainly a big transition for our country.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I started mowing lawns when I was 13. My dad would drive me around with the lawnmower because I was too small to load it into and out of the truck myself. I did that from junior high through high school. I had several other jobs as well, from bussing tables at a restaurant, to baby sitting to picking the driving range at the local golf club. I tried a lot of different things and was always active and industrious. I learned to work hard and make my own work from my parents.

A governor is the top executive authority in his or her state. What does that mean do you?

The governer needs to represent all the constituents in his/her state. Today, the governor appears beholden to the wealthy and special interests. Everyday Idahoans and working class families get left behind.

I will be a governor that stands up for Idaho values, family values and democracy. I will represent all Idahoans and focus state priorities and resources on long term investments that will pay off for Idaho families and Idaho businesses.

Governors have many responsibilities, which vary from state to state. Which of those do you personally consider the most important in your state?

Investment in education, protection of public lands, protection of water quality, keeping Idaho affordable for working class families.

Different states require governors to have different degrees of responsibility for the state budgeting process. If it were your choice, what do you believe is the appropriate degree of gubernatorial involvement with this process in your state?

It is the governor's responsibility in Idaho to present a budget to the legislature.

In most states, governors have the power to make line-item vetoes. If that is true in your state, what would be your philosophy for how and when to use this power?

If a bill is unconstitutional, undemocratic or limits human rights it should be vetoed. If a bill favors special interests over the interests of most Idahoans, it should be vetoed.

If the governor's office in your state does not have the line-item veto power, do you believe it should? Why or why not?

It should. This is a proper and reasonable extension of executive authority.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

This should be an open, constructive relationship where civility and decency is the standard protocol and regular communication is honest, clear and consistent.

What do you love most about your state?

The forests, mountains, rivers and lakes. And of course the people that work hard everyday to make their community, their state and their country a better place to live.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Managing growth, impacts of climate change and managing the greater economic forces at play. We need to continue to be competitive attracting tomorrow's workforce and ensuring that we are able to provide the tools for Idahoans to be successful in the future.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign website

Rognstad's campaign website stated the following:

“	Community Health Care should be affordable and accessible for all. We need to invest in public safety and security in today’s world, not legalize private militias who are accountable to no one, not even sworn law enforcement. Fiscal responsibility: We need to use Idaho’s share of tax revenues responsibly, not give it away to other states. Idaho has always been about local government, local control. Government works best when it’s closes to those it represents. The current trend towards extremism takes away local control. Families For far too long Idaho has been ranked last in education funding. This short-changing of Idaho kids started in 2006. Then-governor Risch called a special session, shifted taxes and obliterated a stable source of education funding. Since 2006 Idaho schools have fallen behind. Each year Idaho plays “catch-up.” But each year of incremental progress leaves us in the same hole created by Jim Risch in 2006. Incrementalism and marginal changes have not brought us closer to meeting the constitutional test “to establish and maintain a general, uniform and thorough system of public, free common schools.” Idaho needs to commit to “Excellence in Education” across the board. I will be a governor that is not satisfied with incremental changes that have us treading water just to keep up. Why do I believe in Excellence in Education? Because Idaho kids deserve it. Every coach and every manager strives for excellence. We should too. Excellence in Education means fully funding every public school student. Supporting our libraries. Access to high quality learning starting at preschool. Paying our teachers what they deserve. Providing better mental health support to our kids. Public education is a fundamental cornerstone in our communities from preschool all the way to community colleges and 4 year universities and every student deserves high quality education. Including all day kindergarten. As Governor, I will not settle for incremental changes. Starting on day 1 of my administration we will work with leaders across the state to bring excellence back to our public schools. Jobs: If we invest in education, Idahoans will create more, better paying jobs. All day kindergarten: We need to make sure our kids are getting a good education right from the start. This is easier on mom and dad too as they can access better jobs. Research has shown that all day kindergarten results in much better outcomes for our kids. To keep good teachers in Idaho, we need to provide competitive benefits and pay. This leads to good education and good jobs. We need a leader who will stand up and protect our higher education institutions that are critical links to local jobs and the economy. North Idaho College is under attack from political extremists and in danger of losing its accreditation. This is completely unacceptable. Idaho’s working families need a break. Out of control housing costs, inflation and rising gas prices are squeezing Idaho families’ budgets. We need to provide tax breaks for everyday Idahoans, not just the wealthy. I would make that a top priority as governor. Idaho families can no longer afford to live in the town they grew up in. We need to create solutions for housing that is affordable for working families. Public Lands Wildfire is increasingly a threat to our security, we need to invest appropriate resources to ensure our homes and towns are protected. Protect public lands for the people, just as was done for us. As a 4th generation Idahoan I grew up on these lands fishing, hunting and recreating. It is critical we keep our public lands for the people of Idaho and not close off access and sell it off to the highest bidder. Salmon recovery: If we invest in our public lands and waters, it will pay off big in the long term as Idaho can increase food security and remain a recreation and lifestyle destination for generations. Freedom Protect our democracy: We need to put a stop to the voter suppression bills, protect our constitution and democratic participation. Extremist legislation like the effort to repeal the citizens initiative must be stopped. The Supreme Court ruled SB1110 was unconstitutional and called the bill that Governor Little signed, “tyrannical”. Protection from government overreach: Idaho used to be about local government, local control. State government is increasingly overbearing and authoritarian, threatening our democracy. We need to protect our democratic institutions from constant attack. State government is increasingly threatening individual liberties and personal choice. SB1309 eliminates women’s dominion over her health choice and is devastating to women, families and healthcare providers. State government should protect our freedoms, not take them away.	”
—Shelby Rognstad's campaign website (2022)

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2022 Elections

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