Kelly Anthon


Kelly Arthur Anthon is a Republican Idaho State Senator since 2015 representing District 27.

Early life and education

Anthon was born in Burley, Idaho. He was raised on a family farm near Declo, Idaho, attending public schools in Declo and graduating from Declo High School in 1992. He served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Japan, and later graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology in 1998 and from the University of Idaho College of Law in 2002.

Career

Upon passing the Idaho bar, he worked as an attorney in private practice in Idaho's Mini-Cassia Area. In 2003 was appointed city attorney for Rupert, Minidoka, and Acequia. He also served as the City Attorney and Prosecutor for the City of Burley. In 2012, Anthon was hired as Rupert City Administrator.

Idaho Senate

When 24-year incumbent Senator Dean Cameron resigned his seat for an appointment as the director of the Department of Insurance, the Legislative District 27 Republican Central Committee met to fill the vacancy in the Senate seat, sending three names in order of preference to Governor Butch Otter: Anthon, Doug Pickett of Oakley, and Wayne Hurst of Declo. Governor Otter appointed Anthon to serve the remainder of Cameron's term. Anthon was subsequently elected in 2016 and reelected in 2018.

Senate Leadership

Idaho's Republican Senators, elected Anthon in 2017 as the Majority Caucus Chairman—one of four Republican leadership positions in the Idaho State Senate.

Committee assignments

Anthon previously served on the Education Committee in 2016; he also served on the Commerce Committee and the Health and Welfare Committees in 2017.

Elections

Personal life

Anthon and his wife, Joelle, have 5 children. They reside in Declo, Idaho.