In an effort to streamline voting requirements, the Idaho State Legislature passed numerous bills this year that affect voter eligibility for the Nov. 7 election.
Law changes dictate that all voters will need acceptable current photo identification and proof of residence before an individual is eligible to receive a ballot.
Out-of-state driver’s licenses will not be a valid form of photo identification. A free ID may be obtained from Driver’s Licensing for voting purposes only. This ID is for those who have no other identification or have not had a valid driver’s license for more than six months.
Student ID’s are no longer a valid form of identification for voter registration. They are still valid for check-in if a voter is already registered. Only the Nov. 7 election will allow student ID as option for check-in, which changes in 2024.
According to Idaho Code 34-411:
Voters must possess a current Idaho state driver’s license or identification card. In years’ past, out-of-state photo ID was acceptable for new residents of Idaho, which will not be the case this year.
Free identification cards for voting purposes are available at Idaho Driver’s Licensing. These may be useful for people who no longer drive who have an expired license and students who do not have a driver’s license.
Other acceptable forms of ID include current United States passport or Federal (military, etc.) photo identification card, Tribal photo identification card, and Idaho Concealed Weapons Permit.
In order to be eligible to vote, a voter must have lived in Idaho for at least 30 days. Acceptable proof of residency must display the applicant’s name and current Idaho physical address.
These include photo ID, current proof of insurance, a deed of trust, mortgage, lease or rental agreement, property tax assessment bill or receipt, utility bill other than a cellphone bill, bank or credit card statement, paystub, paycheck or government-issued check.
For voters residing in residential care or an assisted living facility, an intake document from the facility is required.
Students must provide enrollment papers issued for the current school year by a high school or an accredited institution of higher education located within the State of Idaho to register to vote.
Voters experiencing homelessness must provide communication on letterhead from a public or private social service agency registered with the Secretary of State to verify an applicant is homeless that attests to the applicant’s residence for registration purposes.
Safe Passage in Coeur d’Alene is the only local social service agency registered with the Secretary of State that can provide the proper documentation for someone experiencing homelessness.
If a voter cannot be present at a polling place to vote, an absentee ballot can be ordered. Go to Kootenai County Elections or access their website to fill out an absentee ballot application. The last day to request an absentee ballot for the Nov.7 election is Oct. 27.
On absentee ballots, signatures are checked carefully and if rejected, may require a trip to the elections office or a polling place to resubmit the ballot. Kootenai County Elections urges voters to update their voter registration card with a recent signature to prevent ballot rejection. If a voter’s absentee ballot is rejected due to their signature, elections will attempt to contact them to come in to validate their identification.
Submit absentee ballots as early as possible to allow for discrepancies. Voters often do not include their phone number on the registration card, which makes it more difficult for the Elections Department to contact the voter.
If the absentee ballot is received on the day of the election and the signature does not match, that voter’s ballot will be rejected with no opportunity to resubmit their ballot.
Early voting will be conducted from Oct. 23 to Nov. 3, with the election occurring on Nov. 7.
More information can be found at https://www.kcgov.us/329/Registration-Voting
