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The Idaho League of Women Voters said Monday that it is endorsing an initiative petition to allow permanent absentee voting in Idaho.
The petition, formally designated as The Idaho State Permanent Absentee Ballot Law Initiative, will allow Idaho voters to automatically receive an absentee ballot for every election.
The initiative was filed by its sponsor, Idaho Vote by Mail, Inc., in June, 2009 and passed final review by the Idaho Secretary of State in August.
The group now has until February 2011 to gather the 51,712 signatures of registered voters necessary to place the measure on the November 2012 ballot.
In 2007, all 44 of Idaho's county clerks sponsored and supported a bill in the Idaho Legislature to provide for voting by mail in all elections, a system that is being successfully used in Oregon.
Legislative leaders expressed concern, however, and the bill was tabled and the issue has not been addressed by the Legislature since. The initiative will allow Idaho voters to place their name on a list with their county clerk to automatically receive an absentee ballot. Under current law, voters must ask for an absentee ballot for each election.
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