Two-term Fremont County coroner voted out in tight primary race
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ST. ANTHONY – After two terms as the Fremont County Coroner, Brenda Dye has been voted out of office. Erin Benson defeated her in the Republican primary Tuesday and will appear on the ballot in November.
Benson secured a narrow victory with 53% of the vote (1,412 votes). Dye earned 47% of the vote, or a total of 1,263 votes.
In the absence of a Democratic challenger in the general election, Benson is expected to occupy the seat in January.
In a conversation with EastIdahoNews.com, Benson says this is her first time in public office and she’s “excited for the opportunity to serve Fremont County.”
“There still is a possibility someone could challenge me before the election in November,” Benson notes. “But I’m excited to provide a good service to Fremont County. I look forward to working with law enforcement and the commissioners to do the best we can.”
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Benson has worked in healthcare for the last 25 years. In her responses to EastIdahoNews.com’s candidate questionnaire, she said she recently earned her master’s degree and is now a board-certified nurse practitioner.
Giving back to the community is something she’s considered for a while now, and felt that her extensive education in human anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology could be valuable. To her, running for coroner seemed like a natural fit.
Dye was first elected coroner in 2019, becoming the county’s second female coroner. Her predecessor, Bonnie Burlage, was the first. She occupied the seat for eight years. When Benson assumes office, she will be the county’s third female coroner.
During Dye’s time in office, she was involved in one of the most high-profile death investigations in the state’s history. That case was the death of Chad Daybell’s wife, Tammy, and Lori’s kids, 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow. Dye told EastIdahoNews.com in 2023 that this was “by far the most difficult” case she’s ever been involved in. Watch the interview in the video above.
Dye was not immediately available for comment on Wednesday.
Benson was not the only woman to win the nomination for a coroner’s position in this election. Bonneville County Coroner Shante Sanchez, who was appointed to fill the remainder of Rick Taylor’s term in 2024, secured a narrow victory over her opponent on Tuesday.
RELATED | Bonneville County coroner survives tight GOP primary battle
It’s not clear how many women currently serve in this role statewide, but in 2023, the Idaho State Association of Coroners reported 10 out of Idaho’s 44 counties had female coroners.
- The coroner is the only local office with the authority to arrest a sheriff. Idaho Code sections 31-2217 and 31-2220 — which were enacted in 1863 before Idaho was a state — gives them that authority if the sheriff commits a crime. The coroner can also perform other duties of a sheriff when there isn’t one, or if the sheriff is unable.
- The coroner role dates back to the 9th century. A recent article from the Coeur d’Alene Press reports sheriffs were assigned to collect taxes for the king at the time. The king didn’t always trust them to hand over the money so he appointed a coroner to keep the sheriff in check. During the reign of Henry II in the 12th century, coroners were given the authority to arrest the sheriff on the king’s behalf.
- It’s unknown whether it’s ever happened in Idaho, but WHNT News notes that in August 2021, Alabama’s Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely was convicted of felony theft and ethics violations. County Coroner Mike West became acting sheriff.
- Like sheriff’s, coroner’s are one of the few political offices that requires training. In March 2025, the Idaho Legislature passed SB 1101, which requires coroners across the state to follow standardized procedures for determining when to perform autopsies. It also establishes mandatory training requirements before they can begin practicing.
The general election is on Nov. 3.