Frasure running for Secretary of State

Former Idaho state Sen. Evan Frasure, of Pocatello, says he is offering voters a non-Boise-area alternative for the office of Secretary of State.

The current high school social studies teacher and former grocery store owner-operator, real estate broker and political campaign staffer is running now that Ben Ysursa isn't seeking another term.

Frasure, a 62-year-old Republican, spent two years in the state House and 10 years in the state Senate, where he chaired the Transportation Committee and served on the Resources and Environment Committee. He was in the Legislature from 1990 to 2002.

In part, he's drawn to the Secretary of State's office because of the state land board, which he would serve on with the governor and other statewide elected officials. The board needs the perspective of somebody from outside the greater Boise area, he said.

"You need somebody fairly aggressive in the Secretary of State's office to really maximize what we're doing with our state lands," he said. His service on the Senate's Resources committee gives him experience to draw from, he said.

Additionally, Frasure wants to maximize the Secretary of State's role as "state civics teacher," he said.

He was disappointed to see fewer than 15,000 people who were 22 years old and younger voting in the Republican primary two years ago.

If elected, he would use his experience as a high school government teacher to get more kids interested in the topic. He promised to ramp up instruction of constitutional rights, and would put together lesson plans that could be used statewide.

"If people are apathetic and never even bother to vote, (and) don't get involved, that's when you run into problems as far as government is concerned," he said.

The current Senate Majority Leader, Bart Davis, is one of his primary supporters, and the one who convinced Frasure to run.

Prior to serving in the state Legislature, Frasure worked as a campaign regional director for southeastern Idaho for Steve Symms' U.S. Senate race against Frank Church. Before Symms, Frasure served as a statewide staffer for Jim Jones in his successful campaign for Idaho attorney general. Jones now is on the Idaho Supreme Court.

"I've supported some pretty good candidates in my early career," he said. "I had a lot of involvement in helping to elect Republicans."

He said his experience working on other candidates' statewide campaigns, and his own campaigns for the state Legislature, give him the elections experience needed to serve as Secretary of State.

"I've covered every facet of the office," he said. "I'm custom built for the job."

He is married with four children and is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also is involved in Boy Scouts in Pocatello.