Idaho Seventh District Judicial Race Draws First Contested Election in More Than a Decade
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — Voters in Idaho’s Seventh Judicial District will have a rare choice to make at the ballot box on May 19, when incumbent District Judge Steven Boyce faces a challenge from Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney Randy Neal in what will be the first contested district court judicial race in the area since 2014.
The two candidates appeared at a public forum hosted by Stand Up for Idaho at the Snake River Events Center, where they answered questions from community members and laid out their competing visions for what a district court judge should be.
Experience on the Bench vs. Accountability to Voters
Judge Boyce opened by emphasizing the depth of his judicial experience and the administrative responsibilities he has taken on during his tenure. According to Boyce, his fellow district judges unanimously selected him to serve as administrative judge — a role that carries responsibility for judge assignments and administrative matters across the entire district.
“Currently I was voted unanimously by our district judges as the administrative judge,” Boyce said at the forum. “There’s seven of us in the state. We’re in charge of all assignments of other judges and administrative matters for the entire district. So I spent a lot of time in the Supreme Court working on those administrative issues.”
Boyce also noted that he serves as chair of the magistrate commission for his district, a body that selects new magistrate judges in coordination with attorneys, citizens, county officials, and local mayors. He cited the recent selection of three new magistrates in Jefferson County as an example of the commission’s ongoing work.
Neal, who has served as Bonneville County’s elected prosecuting attorney for two terms, took a different approach — centering his opening on the principle that judges should be directly accountable to the voters they serve, rather than arriving on the bench solely through gubernatorial appointment.
“I think that the fact that we have a principle embodied in our state constitution that our judges are elected — we bring the idea that we are accountable to the community,” Neal said at the forum.
Neal also pointed to a lengthy legal and law enforcement background. He described 18 years in law enforcement before transitioning to a legal career, now spanning 23 years as an attorney. “Law is my second career,” he noted.
Appointed Seats, Elected Choices
The race highlights an important distinction in Idaho’s judicial system. While district judges can be appointed by the governor when a vacancy occurs mid-term, Idaho’s constitution provides that voters ultimately choose who fills those seats at the ballot box. The nonpartisan nature of judicial races, however, often means they go uncontested — making Tuesday’s upcoming matchup a genuine exception to recent norms.
The Seventh District Judicial Court’s May 19 election marks the first time since 2014 that voters in the district have had a competitive choice for a district judge seat. The rarity of such a contest underscores the significance of the race for voters in the region who may rarely consider judicial elections as hotly contested as legislative or executive races.
For voters who value both judicial competence and democratic accountability — core principles of a functioning constitutional republic — the Boyce-Neal matchup presents a genuine deliberation between two distinct philosophies of what the bench should represent.
Residents can view the full candidate forum, including responses to audience questions, through Stand Up for Idaho’s website. The nonpartisan race will appear on ballots May 19.
Idaho voters also have other competitive races on their radar this spring. A retired Marine challenging a first-term Idaho senator in a District 11 Republican primary rematch is among the contested contests drawing attention across the state heading into the May election cycle. For broader statewide election coverage, readers can follow updates at Idaho News.
What Comes Next
The Seventh District Judicial Court race will be decided on May 19 in a nonpartisan election open to all registered voters in the district. No party affiliation will appear on the ballot. Voters are encouraged to review candidate backgrounds and the full forum recording before heading to the polls. Results will determine who serves on the district bench going forward — a seat that carries significant responsibility for the administration of justice across one of Idaho’s busiest judicial districts.