The race for secretary of state just gets more and more crowded.

The newest name in the race: Pocatello Republican Evan Frasure. He tells the Idaho State Journal that he will formally announce his bid this week.

Frasure spent a dozen years in the Legislature before stepping aside in 2002 to run for secretary of state, losing to Ben Ysursa in the GOP primary. But Ysursa is retiring after a dozen years in the office, creating a congested race for a successor.

Frasure tells the Journal that his 12 years of experience teaching government and civics in Pocatello schools is a unique qualification for the job. The secretary of state is Idaho’s chief elections officer — although, as a member of the Land Board, the secretary of state also has a vote in public school endowment decisions.

Frasure joins state Rep. Lawerence Denney of Midvale and deputy Ada County Clerk Phil McGrane in the GOP primary; both have formally announced their candidacy. State Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d’Alene, and former state Sen. Mitch Toryanski, R-Boise, are both looking at running.

State Rep. Holli Woodings, D-Boise, is also considering the race.