(Boise, Idaho) – Secretary of State Phil McGrane announced that two recent arrests in Ada County are the direct result of a statewide initiative to strengthen the security of Idaho’s elections and ensure that only eligible citizens are voting.
The arrests stem from charges under Idaho Code 18-2306, following a coordinated investigation led by the Secretary of State’s Office, in collaboration with the Idaho State Police, the Idaho Division of Motor Vehicles, Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, and county clerks across the state. While Idaho conducts routine voter list maintenance to ensure the accuracy of its voter rolls, Governor Brad Little’s 2024 Executive Order enacting the Only Citizens Will Vote Act launched a full statewide review of Idaho’s voter rolls prior to the 2024 Presidential Election by the Secretary of State’s office.
“These arrests demonstrate that Idaho takes election integrity seriously,” said Secretary McGrane. “We led this effort, and because of that work, ineligible voters were identified, removed from the rolls, and are now being held accountable.”
The two individuals charged in Ada County are:
- Tino Hermann Kleiss, charged with registering and voting as a non-citizen.
- Mursal Hamadi Dahiri, arrested for registering and voting while on felony probation, without his civil rights restored.
These arrests are the first in a series of cases expected in the coming months across the state. All cases involve ineligible voting activity that occurred prior to 2024. Importantly, none involve tampering with voting machines or vote tallying systems.
“Let’s be clear, Idaho’s voting systems are secure,” McGrane said. “These were isolated cases, identified and pursued because of our proactive approach. This is exactly how election security should work.”
The investigation began over a year ago, with the goal of verifying the eligibility of every registered voter in Idaho. Through cross-referencing voter registration data with state and federal records, the Secretary of State’s Office was able to identify and remove a small number of ineligible voters prior to the 2024 Presidential Election.
“Our message is simple: if you’re eligible, we want you to vote. If you’re not, we will find out and we will act,” McGrane said. “Election security is not a slogan in Idaho. It’s something we prove through action.”
Secretary McGrane expressed his deep appreciation for the many partners involved in the effort, and specifically praised Ada County Clerk Trent Tripple and his team for their outstanding work on these two cases.
“Clerk Tripple and his elections team did an exceptional job in identifying and helping build the cases that led to these arrests,” said McGrane. “Their professionalism and diligence are exactly what makes Idaho’s election system one of the most trusted in the nation.”
McGrane praised the cooperation between state and county officials, including Idaho State Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Idaho.
“I’m grateful for the incredible work of our county clerks, law enforcement partners, and election staff who made this possible,” he said. “Protecting our elections is a shared responsibility and Idaho is leading the way.”
