Investigation of voter intimidation signs underway in Rexburg

UPDATE: Idaho officials say yellow warning placards at polling places in college towns are not meant to deter students from voting but simply spell out residency requirements for those seeking to register and vote on Election Day.

The signs raised eyebrows in Rexburg, where some voters said on social media Tuesday that they seemed intimidating. ALCU-Idaho community engagement manager Jeremy Woodson told the Idaho Statesman that the organization is concerned about voter suppression, and students who have lived in the county for at least 30 days can register to vote there.

Idaho Secretary of State Chief Deputy Tim Hurst says the two-page notices have been used for more than a decade in towns with significant college student populations, and notes students can lose residency status in their home states if they register to vote in Idaho.

The notice informs students they shouldn’t be registering to vote where their college is located just because they failed to do so at their “true” home and includes a section of Idaho Code.

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ORIGINAL:

American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho reports the Madison County Clerk is headed to a county precinct to investigate signs of voter intimidation.

ACLU of Idaho was first notified of this when Kristine A tweeted, “I just left my polling place in Rexburg and if this isn’t voter suppression and intimidation of local college students idk what is # IDpol“

I just left my polling place in Rexburg and if this isn’t voter suppression and intimidation of local college students idk what is #IDpol pic.twitter.com/v1uF7GzdVU

— Kristine A (@_Kristine_A) November 6, 2018

According to ACLU of Idaho, so far today they have received complaints regarding the use of Personal Identification Affidavit, Spanish translation access and lack of voter registration forms at the polls.

ACLU of Idaho says, “If you see similar signs of voter intimidation at your polling location, please call us at 208-344-9750.”