Kootenai County commissioners nix voter guide advisory question

COEUR d’ALENE — Two out of three Kootenai County commissioners rejected a request this week to put an advisory question on the ballot regarding a state-issued voter guide.

County commissioners have the authority to place an advisory question on the ballot pertaining to any issue. Coeur d’Alene resident Tom Sanner asked commissioners to consider the following question: “As Idaho taxpayers, should we be entitled to a voter guide?” 

He said the request was prompted by Senate Bill 1273, which would have required the Idaho secretary of state to mail a new informational voter guide to every household in the state every other year, 30 days before an election. The guide would replace and expand upon the voter pamphlet already produced and distributed by the state every other year. 

Though the Idaho Senate voted 22-13 to pass the bill in February, the House State Affairs committee never took it up. 

Sanner said he was frustrated that the bill died in committee. 

“It should’ve been put before the House to vote on,” he said. 

For that reason, Sanner took it upon himself to contact commissioners in each of Idaho’s 44 counties. 

“I’m in favor,” Commissioner Bill Brooks said Tuesday. “The more information we can provide for voters, the better.” 

Commissioners Bruce Mattare and Leslie Duncan disagreed. They declined to put the question to voters. 

Mattare said he “doesn’t see any point” in a statewide voter guide and questioned how the information submitted by candidates would be vetted for accuracy. 

“Since when has the government ever engaged in information campaigns that we could count on as being honest, accurate and truthful?” he said. “I think something like this is really not an endeavor the government should be looking into.” 

Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane told legislators in February that the proposed voter guide would have “uniform information about issues, measures and candidates to be voted on.” Candidates could submit a photo, a statement and campaign contact information. The state would need to create a policy for the guide, McGrane said. 

Duncan echoed Mattare's sentiment. 

“Coming from California, we had a voter guide but I didn’t really find it extremely helpful,” she said. “You should do your own research.” 

Indeed, many Western states, including California, Washington and Oregon, produce state-issued voter guides. 

In an email to Sanner, Duncan elaborated on her position.

“I could not support the ballot question because I don’t believe tax dollars should pay for voter guides,” she wrote.

Elections manager Asa Gray told commissioners that this November’s general election may not be a practical time for such a question. Between federal races, local races, a proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution that would prohibit non-U.S. citizens from voting in Idaho elections and the open primary ballot initiative, Gray said many Kootenai County voters will have two-page ballots. 

“While I don’t like to throw this argument out as an option very often, voter fatigue could very quickly become a thing if we start adding more and more questions to this year’s ballot,” he said.