Idaho candidates may now use campaign funds for child care

Candidates in Idaho will now be able to use campaign funds for child care when they are out doing election-related activities, following an inquiry from a Lapwai candidate.

The Idaho Secretary of State’s Office issued an advisory opinion on Oct. 11 in response to a question from District 6 candidate Trish Carter-Goodheart in collaboration with a national nonprofit that studies barriers to mothers participating in politics.

“I am elated that this barrier has finally been removed,” Carter-Goodheart said in a news release. “It’s an honor to leave a legacy that allows future candidates to focus on their campaigns without sacrificing their family’s needs. It sends a clear message: all candidates, regardless of their caregiving responsibilities, should have an equal opportunity to run for office.”

Carter-Goodheart, a Democrat, faces incumbent Rep. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston, in the Nov. 5 election. McCann told the Idaho Press she supports the change.

The Vote Mama Foundation was launched in 2019 to look into what is keeping mothers out of elected positions, Chief Program Officer Sarah Hague told the Idaho Press. Less than 9% of Idaho legislators are mothers to children younger than 18, Hague said, placing the Gem State 24th nationally for representation of mothers.

“One of the main things that comes up over and over and over again is the cost of child care,” Hague said. “Having to pay out-of-pocket for another reason to need child care for working-class families in America is just untenable.”

Idaho joined 35 states and Washington, D.C., to officially allow campaign funds to be used for this.

Hague noted that Congressional candidates had been able to do this since 2018.

The state advisory opinion signed by Campaign Finance Coordinator Peggy Caraway states the funds may only be used for when child care expenses are directly tied to campaign activities and not for personal use.

Hague said the foundation gathered its information by scouring publicly available data on women serving in state legislatures from biographies, interviews, and any other references to having children and the ages of their children to generate an estimate on the percentage with minor children.

“Structural barriers, like the inability to afford child care when campaigning full-time without a salary, force a lot of women to wait until their children are grown before they even consider stepping up to run for office,” Hague said.

When this option is available, candidates have been shown to use it, Hague said.

The foundation reported in January that since 2018, there’s been a 2,156% increase in funds spent by state/local candidates for child care.

Guido covers Idaho politics for the Lewiston Tribune, Moscow-Pullman Daily News and Idaho Press of Nampa. She may be contacted at lguido@idahopress.com and can be found on Twitter @EyeOnBoiseGuido.