It's Election Day! Maybe you’ve been closely following the races and you know the issues and how you'll cast your ballot. But maybe you don’t actually know how or where or when to vote.
So, here are a few pieces of information to help you out.
Polls are open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.
You have 12 hours to cast your vote. It’s up to you to work that into your schedule. Unlike many states(including neighbors Utah, Nevada, Washington and Wyoming) Idaho does not have a law requiring employers to give workers time off to vote.
Where to go
If you don’t know where your polling station is, there are a number of online tools to help you find it. Idaho’s Secretary of State’s voting website, idahovotes.gov, has one. There is also this tool from theLeague of Women Voters. The Pew Charitable Trusts have also created some free poll-finding resources, including apps for iPhone and Android. If you still don't know where your polling place is located, call your county clerk.
How to register
You can register to vote at your polling station on Election Day. To do that, you must bring some documentation. Idahovotes.gov says you need one of these:
- A valid Idaho driver's license issued through the department of transportation
- A valid Idaho identification card issued through the department of transportation
- Any document which contains a valid address in the precinct together with a picture identification card
- Students may also use a current valid student identification card from a post secondary educational institution in Idaho accompanied with a current student fee statement that contains the student's valid address in the precinct together with a picture identification card.
ID
Despite if you're already registered, you need to bring photo ID to vote in Idaho. One of these will do.
- An Idaho driver’s license or Idaho photo identification card.
- A U.S. passport or Federal photo identification card.
- A tribal photo identification card.
- A current student photo ID, issued by an Idaho high school or post-secondary education institution.
If you don’t have an ID, you can sign an affidavit verifying your identity. You can vote that way, but not register.
Accessibility
If you need physical help casting a ballot, you may bring a person of your choice to the booth, or ask a poll worker for assistance. Each Idaho polling place should be equipped with a device to help elderly people, and people with visible impairments or disabilities.
Find Adam Cotterell on Twitter @cotterelladam
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