Idaho May 19 primary is a go, but you get to stay home to vote

With the entire state under a stay-at-home order, coronavirus still surging and Idaho’s primary election just seven weeks away, Gov. Brad Little and Secretary of State Lawerence Denney announced Monday that the election will take place as scheduled with one caveat: People must vote by mail.

All Idaho voters will cast their ballots absentee — by mail — instead of gathering at polling places.

Absentee voting has long been an option for Idaho voters, but for the May 19 primary, it will be the only option.

The reason for a vote-by-mail-only primary is twofold: concerns about virus spread and a lack of polling places and poll workers.

Denney had asked Little to postpone the election, but Little decided against that.

“While the coronavirus situation may change how we practice our right to vote in this primary election, it is important to keep our election dates in place,” Little said Monday in a news release. “I urge all voting Idahoans to request their absentee ballots as soon as possible so they can vote from home this year.”

State officials will work with Idaho’s 44 counties to fine-tune the process, including processing ballot requests and setting voter registration deadlines. Since this is a primary election, voters will need to specify which party’s ballot they want to receive, unlike a general election, where all voters receive identical ballots. This is one reason why ballots cannot be automatially sent to voters in the primary election—there are three different ballots: Constitution, Democrat and Republican.

“Voting absentee is the right thing to do under these circumstances, and my office has already set up a website that allows Idaho voters to register and request an absentee ballot,” Denney said.

Idahoans can request an absentee ballot at idahovotes.gov.

Larger counties, like Ada and Canyon, need hundreds of poll workers and and dozens polling places to conduct an election, and they must staff county offices and other locations for early voting, which typically takes place during the two weeks preceding an election.

“Idaho’s county clerks appreciate the move to absentee to keep voters and poll workers safe,” said Kristina Glascock, Twin Falls County Clerk and president of the Idaho Association of County Recorders and Clerks. “We are prepared to carry out this election and ensure the people of Idaho can exercise their right to vote.”

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 one and two, prosecutor and sheriff.

This story was originally published March 30, 2020 at 5:11 PM.