MY TURN: Freedom to vote

Idahoans praise a lifestyle uncluttered by government overreach yet are allowing politicians to chip away one of our state’s most cherished freedoms. With each legislative session, the free exercise of our constitutional right to vote becomes more compromised. One of the first signs of this trend was a 2011 law that closed primary voting, allowing party bosses to hand-pick candidates. The law excluded voters who have not declared party affiliation, and disenfranchised over half of Idaho veterans who want to stay independent and choose candidates they feel are most qualified to represent them.  

A bill that became law last year prohibits the use of student ID cards for voting and contains roadblocks for the elderly and disabled whose driver’s license or passport has expired.  

This year’s “voter harvesting” law (HB599) now makes it difficult to deliver ballots for people with disabilities.  

Absentee voting is popular in Idaho and has proven here and in other states to be a safe and efficient means to vote. Yet legislation almost passed this session that would have limited absentee ballots, creating problems for voters who travel, who work on election day or who are in military service. Over the last 10 years, counties have discounted very few ballots. The conservative Heritage Foundation cites only three votes in the last 10 years of Idaho elections proven fraudulent, not one involving absentee voting or undocumented immigrants.  

Effective in July, a new law will cripple the tradition of obtaining signatures for initiatives the public wants to bring before voters. SB1377 imposes special rules making it hard for signature gatherers to do their job and may cancel many legitimately obtained signatures. 

While any one of these regulations may appear to be small, together they create complications for thousands of voters while purporting to “fix” non-existent problems. Many voter suppression ideas did not originate in Idaho but were brought in from other states. In May, the Arkansas Supreme Court invoked limits on absentee balloting, ballot return periods and certain voter ID use. Most chilling is a statement of the Kansas Supreme Court, which found that its residents “have no fundamental right to vote.”   

A current initiative seeks to return power to the citizens by re-opening primary elections. It would allow registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, to choose from a wider slate of qualified candidates. The initiative gained 97,000 signatures — more than enough to qualify it for the November ballot — and has been submitted for final verification. The initiative’s overwhelming support shows that Idahoans want to maximize their voting freedom and are tired of politicians narrowing our choices. 

Citizens may not know Idaho has a nationally respected Office of Performance Evaluations, a “non-partisan, independent office that can evaluate the cost-effectiveness of laws voters are asked to support." OPE is an essential piece of our voting freedom that helps prevent new legislation with hidden or undisclosed costs from taking root. Yet opponents in recent years have discussed ways to reduce its scope and authority. Constant vigilance is necessary to ensure this vital office remains strong. 

The right to vote, enshrined in the Constitution, is a bedrock of our democracy. Those who want to end these hard-won freedoms dishonor Idahoans who have fought and died for such rights. Idaho voters would do well to ask themselves why efforts to limit or suppress voting are rampant in Idaho right now. What is the real agenda behind these legislative efforts to take power away from voters?

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Lauren McCroskey is a member of the League of Women Voters Kootenai County.