Idaho voter registration guide: How to register to vote, what to know for 2024
Election season has a way of sneaking up on us and can leave us scrambling to make sure we're still registered in the right place and have all the necessary paperwork. Idaho has multiple elections coming up, including primaries in the first half of 2024, meaning it's a good time to start thinking about what you'll need to have done before you can vote.
Presidential caucuses are set for March 2 and May 23, while non-presidential primary elections are set for May 21, and the party candidates who win the primaries will qualify to appear on the General Election ballot on Nov. 5. Voting for city council, mayor, school district trustee and more local elections are also slated for November.
While these dates may seem a bit far out, they tend to come faster than we think, especially if you've forgotten to update, change or submit your voter registration in the first place.
In anticipation of election season, make sure you know the important dates so you're all set to make your voice heard.
How to register to vote in Idaho
Idaho residents who want to register to vote must be U.S. citizens, have resided in the state for at least 30 days and be 18 years of age or older.
You can register online to vote at elections.sos.idaho.gov, by mail, or in person. Citizens may register via the county clerk up until 24 days before any election. Be sure to have an Idaho driver’s license number, Idaho identification card number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number when you go to register.
Online registration must be done 25 days before Election Day, while mail-in must be postmarked 25 days before Election Day.
Idaho also offers Election Day registration in person. To register on the day, bring a document with a valid address and photo identification when you go to your polling place. Valid forms of identification include:
Idaho driver’s license or identification card.
U.S. Passport or Federal photo Identification card.
Tribal Identification card.
Concealed weapons license issued by a County Sheriff in Idaho.
Idaho has new voter identification policies that require new voter registrations to have proof of address. Valid proof of address documents include:
Any of the above photo IDs with the correct residence address
Current proof of insurance
Deed of trust, mortgage, lease or rental agreement
A property tax assessment, bill, or receipt
A utility bill, excluding a cellular telephone bill
A bank or credit card statement
A paystub, paycheck, or government-issued check
An intake document from a residential care or assisted living facility 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.
A communication on letterhead from a public or private social service agency registered with the secretary of state verifying the applicant is homeless and attesting to the applicant’s residence for registration purposes.
How to check Idaho voter registration status
You can check your current voter registration status on the Idaho election website.
How to vote in Idaho: Early, in-person, absentee/mail-in options
Idaho offers various options for those looking to vote. Let's break them down.
Vote in person early
You can vote early in person before Election Day. To find out the location and time of early voting, which varies by county, contact your county clerk. Most counties use the county courthouse or elections office for early voting, which ends in all counties at 5 p.m. on the Friday before Election Day.
Vote in person on Election Day
If you plan on voting in person on Election Day, you can find your voting location options here.
Request a mail-in/absentee ballot
You may request an absentee ballot from your county clerk in writing. This entails submitting your name, residence address in Idaho, and the mailing address where you want your ballot mailed.
Your application must be mailed or delivered to your county clerk no later than 11 days before the election and you will then receive an absentee ballot in the mail. Your ballot must be returned to the county clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Important Idaho voting dates
The 2024 cycle has some important seats up for grabs, including the U.S. House of Representatives, State Senate, State House, State Supreme Court and Intermediate appellate courts. All 105 seats in the Idaho Legislature are up for election this year.
March 2, 2024: Republican Party-administered presidential caucus
May 21, 2024: State primary elections
May 23, 2024: Democratic Party-administered presidential caucus
Nov. 5, 2024: General election
What is a caucus?
According to USA.gov, caucuses can be described as "meetings run by political parties that are held at the county, district, or precinct level .... Each candidate’s group gives speeches and tries to get others to join their group. At the end, the number of delegates given to each candidate is based on the number of caucus votes they received."
Basically, voting is run and counted by the involved political parties, not by state or county officials. Some caucuses use secret ballots to choose candidates, while others divide participants into groups according to the candidate they support.
Idaho's caucuses are different from the Idaho 2024 primary election, taking place May 21. These primary elections will not include presidential voting but will include legislative primary races.
Can active-duty military participate in Idaho caucuses?
For the Republican Party’s presidential caucus, there is no absentee voting or other voting options for active-duty military members or others who are unable to physically vote. Instead, all voters have to appear in person and be in line waiting by the time the caucus is scheduled to begin.
Democrats are looking into options to allow active duty military members to participate from a distance, Idaho Democratic Party Executive Director Jared DeLoof told local news outlets.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Idaho voter registration: How to register to vote, check registration
