Idaho Bills
18 bills · 2022 Regular Session
Adds to existing law to provide for absentee ballot assistance at certain facilities and to prohibit certain actions.
Amends existing law to prohibit the use of drop boxes to collect absentee ballots.
Priscilla Giddings · HD-007A
Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the sealing and storage of ballots in the event of a challenge, recount, or contest.
This legislation would allow a County Clerk or Secretary of State to inspect ballots after they have been canvassed if there is a challenge.
Priscilla Giddings · HD-007A
Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the order of candidate names on a ballot.
34 – 0
Amends and adds to existing law to provide that a person's residence for voting purposes shall be the homestead for which the person claims a certain tax exemption and to provide for an investigation into candidate qualifications.
29 – 3
Adds to existing law to prohibit the collection of ballots and to provide exceptions.
This legislation addresses the issue of "ballot harvesting" - which is the practice of third party individuals and groups, many of them political activists or political parties, "harvesting" absentee or mail ballots from voters and then delivering them to election officials for processing and counting. This legislation would prohibit this practice by limiting ballot handling to those authorized to do so pursuant to Idaho law. Idaho does not currently experience significant problems with ballot harvesting. However, it has become a widespread practice in some other states, where its practice places many voters' ballots, and the sanctity of their vote, into the hands of those who may have a conflicted interest in the election's outcome. These individuals may have a political incentive to deliver to the county clerk certain ballots, but not others, based on the ballot harvester's perception or knowledge of the voter's choices. The specifics of this legislation are based on the recommendations of the bipartisan Commission on Federal Election Reform, in their 2005 report Building Confidence in U.S. Elections. The legislation would limit ballot handling to election officials, U.S. Mail carriers, employees of nationwide parcel delivery businesses, and acknowledged family members.
53 – 15
Amends and adds to existing law to revise provisions regarding identification for voter registration and voting purposes.
ThislegislationseekstoamendSection34,IdahoCode,byamending,addingandmodifyingcertainsubsections of the Elections Code.
Amends and adds to existing law to provide for postelection audits of selected paper ballots in certain elections by the Secretary of State.
This legislation would direct the Secretary of State to order a postelection audit of certain election results after a general or primary election, using procedures he would be required to provide to county clerks at least 60 days prior to the election. Conducting such an audit would increase public confidence in election results by checking the paper ballots, which exist for each and every vote cast in Idaho, against the election results that the counties tabulate and report for the audited precincts. Audit findings could result in the Secretary of State ordering the audit of additional ballots.
69 – 0
Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding when election results may be released to the public.
67 – 0
Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the numbering of ballot measures.
2 – 33
Amends and repeals existing law to revise provisions regarding election-related deadlines.
35 – 0
Amends existing law to prohibit the use of drop boxes to return absentee ballots.
37 – 33
Adds to existing law to require notification of boundary changes for election zones, districts, and subdistricts.
This legislation will require cities and special districts that are subject to election consolidation to provide the county clerk with adequate notification of any changes to their election zones, districts, or subdistricts. This will ensure that the county clerk is provided with adequate time to make the necessary changes to the streets and districts within the elections system, prior to the deadline for candidate filings.
35 – 0
Amends, adds to, and repeals existing law to provide for nonpartisan primary elections and ranked-choice voting in general elections.
This legislation establishes an open nonpartisan primary for county, legislative, state and federal offices other than president to replace the current political party primaries for these offices. The top four vote getters in the nonpartisan primary will be nominated and placed on the general election ballot. At the general election, voters will have the opportunity to rank their choices for each of these offices from first to fourth. If no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote in the first count of ballots for an office an instant runoff will be conducted to determine the winner.
Grant Burgoyne · SD-016
Amends HB692 to revise provisions regarding voter identification and to appropriate moneys to the Election Integrity Fund.
This legislation seeks to amend Section 34 , Idaho Code, by amending , adding and revising certain subsections of the Election Code
Adds to and amends existing law to allow the Secretary of State or a county clerk to petition for judicial review of an election when it appears that an error occurred in the administration of the election and the error might be sufficient to change the outcome of the election.
Due to the complex nature and many participants involved in the administration of elections, errors can occur. Currently, theonlyavailableremedytoaddressanerror, andtodetermineifanerrorwassufficienttochangethe result of an election, is for an elector of the district to contest the election in court pursuant to I.C. §34-2001 et seq. This places the cost and the burden of filing suit to address the error on a candidate or voter. If the secretary of state or a county clerk identifies an error, there is no legal means to seek an independent review of the impact of the error. This legislation grants the secretary of state or county clerks the authority to seek judicial review by the district court. It also grants the district court the authority to void and order a new election, if the error is found to be sufficient to likely change the results of the election.
33 – 0
Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding voter identification and registration.
Under current Idaho election law, voter ID requirements are confusing and inconsistent across the many methods to register and to vote. This bill cleans up the confusion and offers a consistent panel of acceptable voter ID in order to prove identity, age, residence, and citizenship. This bill also takes the following actions: 1. Requires an Idaho Driver’s License or Idaho State ID card produced by ITD. 2. Removes student IDs and military IDs due to lack of citizenship requirement. 3. Sunsets the use of Personal Affidavits in Lieu of photo ID on July 1, 2023. 4. Requires ITD to offer a free State ID card to those who cannot afford one. 5. Those registering to vote online or by mail must vote for the first time in person. 6. Removes the ability to send absentee ballots by fax or digital methods, with exceptions for military overseas voters. 7. Requires Absentee ballot envelopes to include both voter signature and last 4# of ID. 8. Requires the signature and last 4# of ID for any person carrying another voter’s ballot. 9. States that Absentee ballots must be returned by mail or hand delivered to the elections staff.
Amends, repeals, and adds to existing law to revise provisions regarding voter identification to register to vote and to cast ballots.
This legislation amends Section 34-404, Idaho Code, regarding registration of electors. Amends 34-408A, Idaho Code, to provide voter registration requirements and provides for the timing of voter registration. Amends 34-409, Idaho Code, modifies some issues of electronic registration. Amends Section 34-410A, Idaho Code, clarifies absentee registration for uniformed and overseas citizens. 34-411, Idaho Code, revises provisions regarding voter registration information. Amends 34-1106, Idaho Code, along with a new section 34-1114 provides for provisional ballots. Amends 34-1113, Idaho Code, removing a provision regarding voter identification at the polls. 34-217, Idaho Code, revises provisions regarding retention of county election records. The bill provides severability and declares an emergency.