Election resources for Idaho residents
If it's your first time voting in Idaho, or you just need a refresher, we have you covered. Below are all the dates and deadlines you need to know, as well as other information like how to register to vote and how to request an absentee ballot in Idaho.
Dates You Should Know:
- Absentee ballot request deadline for Primary Election: May 10
- Primary Election: May 21
- Absentee ballot request deadline for General Election: October 25
- General Election: November 5
Click here or email your questions to kbsxnewsroom@boisestate.edu.
Register/Updating Voter Registration
If you need to register to vote or update your existing voter registration, you can do so online or by mail.
If you are registering to vote or updating your existing voter registration online, you will need to have a Driver’s License or identification card issued by the Idaho Department of Motor Vehicles.
If you are wanting to register to vote by mail, fill out this form and mail it to your county elections office. If you do mail it in, it must be postmarked by the 25th day before an election, and if you are a first-time voter in Idaho, a copy of current and valid photo identification and a copy of a current utility bill, paycheck, bank statement or another document that shows your name and address must be submitted with the form or shown at the polls before voting.
You can register to vote at the polls on Election Day if you miss the deadline. Online and mail voter registration reopens the day after an election.
How to vote in-person
The most important thing here is knowing where to go to vote. Your polling placemay have changed recentlyand you can find your polling place online. Once you enter your home address, the website will give you your polling location and the option to email or text the directions to your voting location.
When you get to your voting location, you have to present a photo ID or sign a Personal Identification Affidavit. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. If you have any questions on Election Day, ask a poll worker.
How to vote with an absentee ballot
You can request an absentee ballot up until 11 days before any election. You do have to be a registered voter to submit an application and you have to have an Idaho Driver’s License or State Identification Card and the last four digits of your social security number.
If you don’t have the required ID numbers, you need to download a paper application and mail it to your county clerk or visit your county elections office. VoteIdaho.Gov recommends you use Google Chrome to fill out the application.
You can also request an absentee ballot by mailing in a paper request form, requesting a paper form from your county clerk’s office or submitting a written request to your county clerk with the following information:
- Name
- Residence address in Idaho
- Mailing Address
- Your signature
When you get your absentee ballot, make sure to fill in the rectangle completely with a blue or black ink pen and vote only for the appropriate number of candidates in each race.
Before you send in your ballot, remove the stub from the top of the ballot and put the ballot inside the yellow secrecy sleeve, then the return envelope. You have to sign the back of the outer return envelope and your signature will be verified when it is received. Envelopes without a valid signature will not be counted.
To return your absentee ballot, you can mail it but make sure to include the required postage. There are also ballot drop boxes located throughout Ada County and at the Ada County Elections Office. Ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day, regardless of the postmark date if you are mailing them in.
Here are the places where you can drop off your absentee ballots in Ada County. The drop boxes are available for deposit 24/7 and are monitored by cameras.
- Ada County Elections
- Meridian City Hall
- Boise City Hall
- Eagle City Hall
- Kuna City Hall
- Star City Hall
Early Voting
In Ada County, there are several locations people can go to vote early, regardless of where they live.
- Boise City Hall
- Meridian City Hall
- Eagle Public Library
- Ada County Elections
Early voting locations are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is also a mobile voting center in Ada County, which is a part of early voting and designed to make voting easy for residents. The mobile voting center goes to high-traffic areas in Ada County and prints ballots for anybody who wants to vote ahead of the election.
Here are the locations and dates for the Mobile Voting Unit:
- Library! at Bown Crossing - 5/6-7
- Star Library - 5/8-9
- Garden City Library - 5/10 & 13
- Kuna Library - 5/14-15
- Lake Hazel Library - 5/16-17