Bonner County, Idaho

Idaho House District 1 Seat A

2 candidates are tracked for Idaho House District 1 Seat A on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Karen Matthee and Jane Sauter. Candidate information follows official Bonner County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Karen Matthee (D), Jane Sauter (R) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Idaho House District 1 Seat A. The Idaho Legislature's membership roster shows no sitting member among these candidates. Party nominees were chosen at the May 19, 2026 primary, per the Idaho Secretary of State's candidate filing portal.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot.

Idaho › Bonner County › Idaho House District 1 Seat A

Karen Matthee

Top priorities

Lowering the cost of living for North Idaho families
Improving access to affordable health care
Funding aging public school facilities

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Karen Matthee earned a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a graduate degree from Northwestern University, and worked earlier in her career as a journalist before moving into nonprofit work, per her campaign site. She ran for the same District 1A seat in 2024 and is running again in 2026, per the Bonner County Daily Bee.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Jane Sauter

Top priorities

Fiscal responsibility and protecting taxpayer dollars
Educational choice and funding-formula modernization
Immigration enforcement and border security

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Jane Sauter has lived in Bonner County for about ten years and describes herself as a lifelong Republican who has been involved in the pro-life movement since her teens, per her campaign site. She prevailed over sitting Rep. Mark Sauter in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary election for the District 1 Seat A nomination, per the Bonner County Daily Bee, and her site lists fiscal responsibility, school choice, and immigration enforcement among her priorities. The Idaho Legislature's membership roster lists Mark Sauter as the sitting member for this seat, a different person with the same surname; Jane Sauter is not the incumbent.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotIdaho House District 2 Seat A

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Idaho House District 1 Seat A in 2026?

When is the Idaho House District 1 Seat A election in Idaho?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Idaho are on the Idaho election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Bonner County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Bonner County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Idaho election office, or see the full Bonner County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Bonner County ballot

12 tracked races in Bonner County, Idaho. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Idaho House District 1 Seat B Idaho House District 2 Seat B Bonner County Assessor See all 12 Bonner County races

Candidate profiles

Karen Matthee, full profile Jane Sauter, full profile Official Idaho election office