Be on the lookout, Idaho voters: Forms for your primary election ballot are being mailed - East Idaho News
Politics

Be on the lookout, Idaho voters: Forms for your primary election ballot are being mailed

  Published at  | Updated at

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Idaho is getting ready to conduct its first statewide election by mail only. But not by choice.

Because of the coronavirus outbreak and concerns that some counties would not be able to secure enough polling places or poll workers, every voter who wants to cast a ballot in what’s still being called the May 19 primary must do so by mail. But they have until June 2 to get in their vote.

To accommodate this drastic change, Gov. Brad Little on Wednesday signed a proclamation changing statewide election rules for this primary.

The Idaho Secretary of State’s Office will be sending — within the next 10 to 14 days — an absentee ballot request form to all registered voters who have not yet requested the form. Once the form is completed, signed and returned, a ballot will be mailed to the voter, Secretary of State Lawerence Denney explained during a news conference Wednesday.

Because this is a state primary, voters will have to indicate which ballot they want to receive: Constitution, Democrat or Republican. Because Idaho’s Republican primaries are closed, only voters who have affiliated with the GOP may receive that ballot.

All ballot request forms must be submitted online or received by the county clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19. This is also the deadline to register to vote. All completed ballots must then be received by county clerks’ offices by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2.

Election results will be released starting at 9 p.m. June 2.

Registered Idaho voters can request an absentee ballot at idahovotes.gov. Not registered to vote? You can do that online.

Anyone who does not have internet access or has other accessibility issues should call their county clerk’s office for assistance. Ada County residents can call (208) 287-6860; Canyon, (208) 454-7562.

Up for election this year are three of Idaho’s four federal congressional seats and all 105 seats in the Idaho Legislature. Additionally, in each of Idaho’s 44 counties, four offices are up for election this year: county commissioner districts, prosecutor and sheriff.

SUBMIT A CORRECTION