The 12th Kedah state election was held on 8 March 2008. Polling took place in 36 constituencies throughout the Malaysian state of Kedah, with each electing a State Assemblyman to the Kedah State Legislative Assembly. The election was conducted by the Malaysian Election Commission. The state election was held concurrently with the 2008 Malaysian general election.

Mahdzir bin Khalid is a Malaysian politician and teacher who served as the Minister of Rural Development in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob from August 2021 to the collapse of BN administration in November 2022, Minister of Education, Deputy Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water in the BN administration under former Prime Minister Najib Razak and former Minister Maximus Ongkili from May 2013 to the collapse of the BN administration in May 2018, Chairman of the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) from May 2020 to October 2021, Member of Parliament (MP) for Padang Terap from May 2013 to November 2022, the 9th Menteri Besar of Kedah from December 2005 to March 2008, Member of the Kedah State Executive Council (EXCO) from March 2004 to his promotion to Menteri Besar in December 2005 and Member of the Kedah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Pedu from March 2004 to May 2013. He is a Member of the Supreme Council and Division Chief of Padang Terap of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the BN coalition. He has also served as the State Chairman of UMNO of Kedah since March 2023. He also served as the Vice President of UMNO from June 2018 to his defeat in the party elections in March 2023.