The latest attempt to upend Idaho’s no-excuse absentee ballot law died in a House committee Wednesday morning.
The bill from Rep. Joe Alfieri (R-Coeur d’Alene) would have required a voter to meet certain conditions to get an absentee ballot.
Those include if someone is sick, working, attending school, serving a religious mission, living at a second residence outside of their home county or if they’re 65 or older.
“I want you to have a conscience reason for applying for that absentee ballot rather than saying it’s a convenience factor,” Alfieri said during Wednesday’s House State Affairs Committee hearing.
He said his bill would help to reduce the possibility of voter fraud in Idaho — something elections officials have repeatedly said is not a problem in the state.
Even if it’s not a problem now, Alfieri said this would be a preventative measure.
“When you move into a house you don’t say, ‘Well, Idaho’s got a low crime rate. I don’t need locks on my doors,’” said Alfieri. “Of course you have locks on your doors.”
Most people who testified Wednesday opposed the bill, including Boise resident Mary Ruckh.
“There is absolutely no reason for me or any voter to have to justify how I choose to vote,” she said.
Secretary of State Phil McGrane, who also opposed the bill, said about two-thirds of people who vote using an absentee ballot would meet at least one of the criteria required.
McGrane agreed election integrity is a top priority. But election integrity efforts have to be balanced with voter access.
“I don’t think this legislation achieves the intended result. It doesn’t increase the security of absentee balloting at all. It merely reduces the access to absentee balloting.”
Alfieri’s bill ultimately died on a tie vote.
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