Ysursa won’t seek 4th term as Idaho Secty of State

BOISE - Longtime Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa announced this afternoon that he’s decided not to seek a fourth term in the office, choosing instead to retire. Ysursa, 64, is something of an institution in the office, having served not only as the Secretary of State for the past 12 years, but as the chief deputy to the Secretary of State since the 1970s. Former Idaho House Speaker Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale, already has announced that he’s running for the post, at which point Ysursa said he was undecided about retirement; several other candidates also have expressed interest should Ysursa retire. “After careful thought and deliberation, I have decided not to seek reelection as Secretary of State, and will retire from public office at the completion of my third term in January 2015,” Ysursa said in a statement Friday afternoon. “It has been a distinct honor and privilege to serve the great people of the state of Idaho as Secretary of State and as Deputy Secretary of State for the last four decades, but it is time to step down.” He noted that he’ll continue to serve through the end of his term, which runs through the start of 2015. “My office has a tradition of fairness, efficiency, and service which will continue throughout the rest of my term,” Ysursa said. “I again thank the people of Idaho for having afforded me the privilege and opportunity to serve them as Secretary of State.” Ysursa is a 1971 graduate of Gonzaga University and holds a law degree from St. Louis University Law School. A Republican and a proud Basque, he first came to work in the Idaho Secretary of State’s office in 1974.