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Voter Registration in Idaho
Exercise your right to vote! When you register to do so, you can become an active member of your community by voting on county, state, and federal issues. It's as easy as dropping an application in the mail (postmarked at least 25 days before an election) or registering at the polls on election day.
If you are eligible to vote and you have never voted in Idaho, or if you have moved or changed your name since the last time you registered, read below to see how easy it is register. Keep in mind, primary elections typically take place in May while general elections take place in November.
Who Can Vote?
When election day rolls around and you want to vote, you must be at least 18 years old, you must be a U.S. citizen, and you must have lived in the state (and the county) for 30 days. Your eligibility to vote is taken away if you are convicted of a felony and the government has not restored your civil rights, or if you have been convicted of a criminal offense that has landed you in jail.
For those who have been convicted of a felony: the state automatically restores your rights once you complete your sentence (including probation and parole).
How Do I Register?
You have three options: mail, in person at the county clerk's office, or at the polls on election day. No matter which way you decide to register, you must provide a driver's license number or, if you do not have a license, you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Your deadline to submit the registration application is 25 days before an election. If you'd like to register in person at your county clerk's office, make sure the trip takes place within this time frame. If you prefer to mail the application to the county clerk, be sure the postmark is dated at least 25 days before election day.
Once the county elections office receives your registration, it will mail you a card to notify you. The mail-in form also notifies the state that you have changed your name or your address.
If you are a first-time resident, you should also include a copy of a valid form of photo ID or a copy of your current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or a government document that displays your name and address. The same goes for election-day registration at the polls.
If you are an eligible voter, you always have the option to register at the polls the day of the election, as long as you show proof of county residence along with a photo ID, and you are voting within the precinct where you reside.
You must also fill out a registration card and take an oath using a form from the Secretary of State. The state accepts the following documents as proof of address:
- Valid Idaho driver's license
- Valid Idaho identification card
- A photo ID card and any document that displays a valid address within the precinct
- A photo ID card and a valid student ID card from your current post-secondary educational institution along with a current student fee statement that displays a valid address within the precinct
When Must I Re-register?
You must re-register if your registration is cancelled. The state will cancel your registration if you did not vote at least once during any primary or general election that followed the four years after you registered, if you move, or if you change your name.
Where Do I Vote?
Check with your county clerk's office if you are unsure. You can also consult local newspapers. They publish election notices, each precinct's polling places and the dates and times that they are open to registered voters.
Does Idaho Offer Absentee Voting?
Of course. If you are a registered voter, you can submit (in writing) an application to the county clerk. His/her office will then give you an absentee ballot.
Be sure that you include the elector's name, your Idaho residence address, and your mailing address if you need the ballot forwarded. Sign the application and mail it to the county clerk's office no later than six days before election day.
To learn more about voter registration, updates, detailed maps, current info on becoming a poll worker at the next election, and more, check out www.idahovotes.gov.
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