Registered voters mailed ballot request forms for May primary

BOISE — Ballot request forms for the May primary election will begin landing in registered voters mailboxes this week. The Secretary of State’s Office sent more than 550,000 forms statewide. All Idahoans will vote in the May Primary Election from home to protect voters, election workers and community members from the coronavirus. Voters who want to participate in the upcoming election must request their ballot.

“It has been exciting to see so many Idahoans request their ballots,” said Tamie Eberhard, Shoshone County clerk. “The coronavirus has obviously changed how we will vote in this election. However, based off of the number of ballot requests we are seeing each day, Idahoans are not going to let this pandemic keep them from voting.”

Many county election offices from across the state have also sent out ballot request forms to registered voters in their counties over the last few weeks and implemented other voter outreach efforts.

As of May 1, more than 185,000 Idahoans had requested their ballots, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

Idahoans have until May 19 at 8 p.m. to request their ballot. Voters can either return the ballot request form that was mailed to them or go online to request their ballot at www.IdahoVotes.gov. Voters must indicate if they want a Republican, Democratic or Non-partisan ballot. If voters have questions about the ballot type or the election, they should contact their local elections office.

Voters should be patient once they request their ballot. Requests are being processed as quickly as possible to give voters plenty of time to return their ballot by the 8 p.m. June 2 deadline.

Election offices across the state have processed thousands of ballot requests. Early numbers from the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office show the May Primary Election is on track to meet typical voter turnout numbers. Here is a look at ballot requests in the region as of May 1:

• Benewah County: 1,661

• Bonner County: 6,970

• Boundary County: 2,497

• Kootenai County: 23,113

• Shoshone County: 1,134

Ballots will be counted and election results will be released on June 2.