[5] Paulette Jordan was born into a ranching and farming family in northern Idaho, where she still holds timber and farmland.

[7] She is a descendant of the 19th-century chiefs Moses and Kamiakin, and 20th century Colville leader Lucy Friedlander Covington (1910 – 1982).

[8] She completed an Executive Certificate at the University of Idaho College of Business and Economics Energy Policy Planning and Development Program, and earned a certificate in the Harvard Kennedy School Senior Executives in State and Local Governments Program.

[11] While in Seattle, she held a variety of leadership roles in community activism and became involved in local city politics, also serving as an Advisor to the President of the university.

[7] In 1969, ATNI passed a resolution honoring Jordan's great-grandmother Lucy Covington for her work opposing termination of the Colville Tribe.

[12] When legislator Tom Trail of Moscow decided to seek a seat on the Latah County Commission after redistricting in 2012, Jordan became a candidate for the legislature.

In addition, Jordan was selected to serve on Legislative Council, which oversees management of the Capitol and permanent staff.

In early May it was announced that she and Kristin Collum, running for lieutenant governor, were a de facto joint ticket,[23] and she received the endorsement of the Idaho Statesman in a split decision.

[30] The statewide collapse of the Division of Motor Vehicles's information technology on the vendor side became a significant issue in September, with Jordan calling the $10.8M contract a "... boondoggle that is failing our state."