Idaho Bills

Amends existing law to remove a provision regarding the preparation of ballots for general elections.

RS33584 / H0872 This bill is a slight modification to Idaho code 34-906 concerning general elections. When the general election ballot contains a constitutional amendment or another issue, current law requires that a page break occur between the ballot and the issue, or that the issue be printed on a separate page from the rest of the ballot. This often causes portions of the ballot to be blank and wastes paper. This bill removes that requirement. This bill will allow the constitutional amendment or issue being considered to begin on the same page or on the back of the same page as the rest of the ballot.

Amends existing law to add certain requirements for an affidavit in lieu of personal identification.

This bill adds multiple new safeguards to the voter affidavit process, including additional information required from the voter and prior verification by poll workers and the county before issuing a ballot to the voter. This will ensure safe, transparent, but still accessible elections for all legally registered American citizens and Idaho voters.

States findings of the Legislature and calls on Congress to pass a constitutional amendment affirming the authority of states to govern their election processes.

This Joint Memorial is a petition to Idaho's Congressional delegation to take the lead in passing laws or an amendment that affirms the Tenth Amendment and Idaho's own Federalist spirit by giving states the authority to chart their own electoral course and adhere to the principles of state sovereignty and the principles of Federalism that are the foundation upon which our nation is built. The people of Idaho deserve an electoral system that is transparent, secure, fair, and free from outside influence. Giving states the authority to develop their own laws governing campaign finance, electoral transparency, and accountability are paramount to restoring public trust, confidence and fairness in our electoral and campaign finance systems.

Amends existing law to prohibit certain in-person instruction in schools on election day.

This legislation clarifies the following when public school buildings are used as polling places to ensure student safety: 1) No in-person student instruction in school district buildings designated as polling locations. 2) In-person instruction may occur in other school district buildings not designated as a polling place. To allow school boards to make necessary adjustments to school schedules, this bill takes effect on January 1, 2028.

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

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.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the filing of declarations of candidacy.

RS33628 / S1376 This bill would change where local election candidates file, from the clerk of the political subdivision to the county clerk. This change will allow a more efficient process as all filings flow up to the county clerk for approval, as well as many political subdivisions in smaller Idaho counties do not have regular hours of operation during the tight filing window, creating problems for candidates in these districts.

Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding certain election procedures.

RS33633 / H0873 2025 legislation established uniform dates and deadlines for county clerks ahead of elections. This bill cleans up three additional sections that were inadvertently missed, including (1) soil and water conservation districts, (2) sparsely populated precincts, and (3) canvassing timelines.

Amends and adds to existing law to include the office of the president of the United States into the state primary election and to move the primary election date to the Tuesday following the first Monday in May.

RS33722 / S1398 The intent of this legislation is to provide consistency, fiscal responsibility, and increase turnout in our primary election process. It seeks to amend several sections of Idaho election code to hold all primary elections, including the presidential primary, on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in May. This aligns the dates of the primary elections and general elections to the same Tuesday in the month exactly six months apart from one another.

Amends and adds to existing law to provide for a presidential primary election.

This legislation seeks to return the March primary for presidential elections. Bringing back the primary is the best way to ensure that Idaho voters have the best opportunity to practice their right to vote on the national level. In 2023, the state GOP passed resolution 2023-28 calling for the return of the presidential primary.