Three polls, same result: Idaho voters support ed choice tax credit

Public policy debates often generate more heat than light. That’s especially true when it comes to education, where rhetoric can quickly drown out the voices that matter most: voters and families. Fortunately, when it comes to Idaho’s new parental choice tax credit, the data tell a clear and consistent story.

Idaho voters support it—and they’ve said so repeatedly.

In December 2024, a statewide Idaho Poll found that 66 percent of voters supported a $5,000 parental choice tax credit. Critics dismissed the result as premature, arguing the policy was still theoretical and voters didn’t fully understand it.

Then came a second statewide poll in October 2025. This time, Idaho voters were asked about the actual, enacted parental choice tax credit. The result? Sixty-four percent approved. Again, opponents insisted the numbers would soften as the debate continued.

Now we have a third poll, the latest Idaho Poll, conducted January 2–9, and the result is unmistakable: 65 percent of Idaho voters support the parental choice tax credit.

One poll might be a fluke. Two polls might be a coincidence. But three independent polls—conducted over more than a year, before and after passage—all landing in the mid-60s is not an accident. It’s a pattern. And that pattern reflects broad, durable public support.

The details make the case even stronger. The stability of the numbers is remarkable.

Support isn’t shallow or narrowly concentrated. In the most recent poll, 27 percent of voters strongly favor the tax credit, compared with just 18 percent who strongly oppose it. In other words, voters who feel intensely supportive outnumber those who feel intensely opposed—a critical measure of political sustainability.

Support also spans demographic lines. Majorities of both men and women favor the policy. Voters under 55 support it by overwhelming margins, and even among seniors—often portrayed as skeptical of education reform—a clear majority remains supportive. This is not a niche issue driven by a single constituency. It’s a coalition issue.

That shouldn’t be surprising. At its core, the parental choice tax credit is about empowering families. It recognizes a simple truth: children are different, families are different, and education should not be one-size-fits-all. Whether a student thrives in a public school, a charter school, a private school, a hybrid model, or another learning environment entirely, families deserve the flexibility to choose what works best.

Opponents often frame parental choice as controversial or politically risky. The polling evidence says otherwise. Idaho voters understand that expanding educational options does not undermine public education—it strengthens the entire education ecosystem by focusing on outcomes rather than institutions.

Importantly, this support has held steady through every phase of the policy’s life cycle: before passage, during intense public debate, and now after enactment. That kind of consistency is rare in modern politics. It reflects not just agreement with a policy, but confidence in its purpose.

Elected officials frequently say they want to “listen to voters.” In this case, voters have spoken clearly, calmly, and repeatedly. They support parental choice. They support the tax credit. And they support giving families more control over their children’s education.

Three polls. Same result. Idaho voters believe in parental choice—and they expect policymakers to do the same.