TallyIDAHOLegislative Tracker
H08102026 Regular Session

Amends existing law to provide certain physical presence requirements for state representatives and senators.

ELECTIONS -- Amends existing law to provide certain physical presence requirements for state representatives and senators.

IntroducedIn CommitteeFloor VoteEnacted
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This legislation clarifies the requirement that a candidate be physically present in a legislative district to qualify for the Idaho House and Senate. Candidates must be registered electors for one year prior to the general election and physically live in the declared primary residence for at least 120 days in the year prior to the candidate filing date. Exemptions are provided for active military services or a religious mission.

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LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO
Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE BILL NO. 810
BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
AN ACT	1
RELATING TO ELECTIONS; AMENDING SECTION 34-614, IDAHO CODE, TO REVISE A PRO-	2
VISION REGARDING THE QUALIFICATIONS OF STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND SENA-	3
TORS; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.	4
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:	5
SECTION 1. That Section 34-614, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby	6
amended to read as follows:	7
34-614. ELECTION OF STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS -- QUALIFICA-	8
TIONS. (1) At the general election, 1972, and every alternate year there-	9
after, there shall be elected in each legislative district such representa-	10
tives and senators as they may be severally entitled.	11
(2) No person shall be elected to the office of representative or sena-	12
tor unless he shall have attained the age of twenty-one (21) years at the time	13
of the general election, is a citizen of the United States and shall have, has	14
been a registered elector within the legislative district for one (1) year	15
next immediately preceding the general election at which he offers his can-	16
didacy, and has maintained a fixed habitation within the legislative dis-	17
trict boundaries for one (1) year immediately preceding the date such can-	18
didate files a declaration of candidacy for the office of representative or	19
senator. For the purposes of this subsection, "fixed habitation" means a	20
residence as defined in section 34-107, Idaho Code, at which the candidate	21
maintains actual physical presence and occupancy for at least one hundred	22
twenty (120) nights during the one (1) year period immediately preceding the	23
date such candidate files a declaration of candidacy for the office of rep-	24
resentative or senator. A candidate shall receive an exemption to the fixed	25
habitation requirement due to active military service or a religious mission	26
during the one (1) year period.	27
(3) Each candidate shall file his declaration of candidacy with the	28
secretary of state.	29
(4) Each candidate who files a declaration of candidacy shall at the	30
same time pay a filing fee of thirty dollars ($30.00) which shall be de-	31
posited in the general fund.	32
SECTION 2. This act shall be in full force and effect on and after Jan-	33
uary 1, 2027.	34

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Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for Printing