Our 2020 voter guide on Southwest Idaho legislative races: Hear from the candidates
Idaho’s May 19 primary will be unlike any previous statewide election: 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 two-fold: concerns about coronavirus spread and a lack of polling places and poll workers.
How to vote in the May primary
First remember these two dates:
- May 19: Final day to request an absentee ballot and to register to vote, if not already registered.
- June 2: Absentee ballots must be received by the county clerk’s office by 8 p.m. Counties will begin releasing election results at 9 p.m.
Voters must request a ballot to participate in the election. Ballots are not automatically sent to voters.
The Idaho Secretary of State’s Office is sending all registered voters a postage-paid absentee ballot application via mail.
Since this a primary party election, the application asks which ballot the voter wants to receive — Republican, Democratic or non-partisan.
In Idaho, Republican primaries are closed, which means only registered Republicans can receive a Republican ballot. Unaffiliated voters who choose a Republican ballot will become registered as a Republican. The non-partisan ballot will only include judicial races, levies and ballot measures.
Once the application is completed, signed and returned, a ballot will be mailed to the voter.
Anyone who is not registered vote, or who has changed addresses and did not receive the application, can register to vote, request a ballot or learn more about Idaho’s May 19 primary process at idahovotes.gov or by contacting their respective county clerk’s office.
Any voters with accessibility needs or who have accessibility concerns should contact their county clerk’s office.
Southwest Idaho legislative races
All 105 seats in the Idaho Legislature are up for election this year.
Southwest Idaho is home to 16 legislative districts — nine in Ada County, four in Canyon County and three districts comprising more than 10 additional local counties. Each legislative district has one senator and two representatives.
To help voters learn more about the candidates running for these offices, the Idaho Statesman sent surveys to each of the candidates in contested primary races, and their responses are copied below, unedited.
ADA COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS
District 14 (Eagle, Star)
Senate Republican candidates:
House Seat B Republican candidates:
District 15 (West Boise)
Senate Republican candidates:
District 16 (Central Boise, Garden City)
House Seat B Democratic candidates:
District 17 (Central Boise)
Senate Democratic candidates:
District 18 (Southeast Boise)
Senate Democratic candidates:
District 19 (North End Boise)
House Seat B Democratic candidates:
House Seat B Republican candidates:
District 20 (West Boise, Meridian)
House Seat A Republican candidates:
District 21 (Meridian)
Senate Republican candidates:
House Seat B Republican candidates:
District 22 (Southwest Ada County)
House Seat A Republican candidates:
House Seat B Republican candidates:
CANYON COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS
District 10 (Caldwell area)
Senate Republican candidates:
House Seat A Republican candidates:
District 11 (Northern and southern Canyon County)
Senate Republican candidates:
House Seat A Republican candidates:
House Seat B Republican candidates:
District 12 (North Nampa area)
House Seat B Republican candidates:
District 13 (South Nampa area)
House Seat B Republican candidates:
OTHER LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS
District 8 (Boise, Custer, Gem, Lemhi, Valley counties)
Senate Republican candidates:
House Seat B Republican candidates:
District 9 (Adams, Canyon, Payette, Washington counties)
House Seat A Republican candidates:
District 23 (Elmore County)
Senate Republican candidates:
House Seat A Republican candidates:
Learn more about other local and state elections at Idaho Statesman Elections.
This story was originally published May 6, 2020 at 11:34 AM.