Idaho Voting Guide

When is Idaho's voter registration deadline?

Online: 25 days before Election Day

By mail: Postmarked 25 days before Election Day

Idaho has same-day voter registration so if you fail to register by the deadline, you can register at your polling place if you bring required identification. If you wish to use an absentee ballot, you will need to be registered in advance.

If you are mailing your voter registration form, you will need to include a copy of a current, valid photo ID or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows your name and address.

How do I request an absentee ballot in Idaho?

• Idaho residents requesting an absentee ballot can do so using this form. You will need to complete the form, print it, sign it and deliver it to your county clerk's office.
• If you wish to have an absentee ballot mailed to you, you must ask the county clerk's office for it by the 11th day before the election.
• You can cast an absentee ballot by mail or in person at your polling place (usually your county clerk's office) up until 5 p.m. the Friday before the election.
• If you are a military member or are living overseas, use the FVAP website to request an absentee ballot.

What do I need to bring to the polls in Idaho?

Voters must present a valid photo ID. Acceptable forms of ID include:

• Idaho driver's license
• Idaho ID card issued by the Idaho Transportation Department
• Passport or a photo ID issued by an agency of the U.S. government
• Tribal photo ID card
• Student ID card, including a photograph, issued by a high school or accredited institution of higher learning within the state of Idaho
• Concealed carry weapon license issued by a county sheriff in Idaho

If you do not have an acceptable ID, you will be given the option to sign a Personal Identification Affidavit. You will be required to swear your identity under penalty of perjury, and then you will be issued a regular ballot. (Idaho does not have provisional ballots.)

What special accommodations are available?

Idaho offers a variety of accommodations for voters with disabilities or illnesses.

If voting in person, you can use an accessible voter assistance terminal. There is one available at every polling place in the state. Using this terminal, visually impaired voters can use headphones to listen to an audio ballot and make their vote selection on a touchscreen or a braille keypad. The terminal also has a zoom feature for those with visual impairments. Learn more about the voting assistance machines available in your county.

Voters can get assistance with marking their ballot by asking a poll worker. If you have difficulty walking or standing and would like to vote from your car, you can request curbside assistance by calling your county clerk in advance. You may also request someone to deliver the ballot to your home.

Voters with special needs often find absentee voting or early voting to be easier. Request an absentee ballot in advance and then mail it from home before Election Day.

What do I do if I see something illegal at the polls?

Federal law protects voters from intimidation and harassment, which includes questioning or challenging people at the polling place or photographing or videotaping them.

Federal law also identifies fraudulent election activities that can damage the integrity of an election, such as buying and selling votes, altering vote tallies, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes.

Report suspected illegal activity to the poll workers at your polling station. Or make a complaint to the District of Idaho Civil Chief at (208) 334-9120 or the Civil Rights Division's Voting Section in Washington, D.C. by phone at 1 (800) 253-3931 or (202) 307-2767. You can also report voting law violations to the U.S. Department of Justice.

If you feel your personal voting rights have been violated, contact an Idaho lawyer experienced in voting law.