With the general election scheduled for November 3, Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane and his staff are addressing common voter questions regarding ballot handling, write-in candidate requirements, and registration verification. Voters have expressed concerns about how to properly cast ballots and navigate online tools as the state prepares for Election Day.
Write-In Candidate Requirements
Idaho law requires prospective write-in candidates to file a “Declaration of Intent” with the Secretary of State’s Office. The deadline to submit this declaration was September 4. Votes cast for individuals who did not register as write-in candidates will not be counted.
Jacob Burnett, an independent gubernatorial candidate, is the only individual who filed a declaration for write-in candidacy this year. Voters may skip any race or question on their ballot without invalidating the rest of their selections.
“Voters are not required to vote in every race on their ballot for it to count,” said Joe Parris, an election official.
Ballot Measures and Signature Verification
The November ballot includes House Joint Resolution 4, House Joint Resolution 6, and Proposition 1. These measures offer only “yes” or “no” options. An advisory question regarding the selection of an official state gun provides six choices and does not allow for write-in responses.
Election staff verify signatures on all absentee ballots by comparing them against voter registration records, previous ballot history, and driver’s license files. Voters who have moved, changed their names, or have not voted in four years must update their registration information to ensure accurate verification.
Online Registration Tools
The VoteIdaho.Gov online lookup tool has stricter search requirements than previous versions. Officials emphasize that no voters are being removed from the rolls; rather, the search function requires more precise input.
“No one’s being removed,” said McGrane.
Users must enter their names exactly as they appear on registration records, avoiding extra characters or spaces. Polling location lookup tools may fail if users include periods in directional abbreviations, such as “W. Jefferson St.”
Initiative Petition Signatures
Conservative North Idaho blogger Summer Bushnell posted lists of petition signers for Proposition 1 by county. Initiative petition signatures are public records confirmed by the Secretary of State’s Office. The published lists contain unverified names, some of which may be duplicates or ineligible.
A signature is counted only once, even if a voter signed multiple times. Signatures may be rejected if they are duplicates, if the person was not a registered voter, or for other reasons of ineligibility.
Initiative Qualification Standards
Ballot initiatives in Idaho allow residents to propose and decide on new laws. To qualify an initiative for the ballot, supporters must collect signatures from at least 6% of registered voters statewide. Additionally, supporters must gather signatures from 6% of registered voters in at least 18 of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts.
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