Election 2020: Important dates to know
BANNOCK COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - With less than two months until the 2020 election, it's important to have a plan to vote safely this year.
Idahoans have the option to vote in-person or by mail in 2020.
Important dates for voting by mail
Oct. 9 - To vote by mail, you need to be registered to vote by Oct. 9. You can check your registration or register to vote online at idahovotes.gov.
Oct. 23 - You must request an absentee ballot no later than 5 p.m. on Oct. 23. You can request a mail-in ballot on idahovotes.gov or by paper request form to your county clerk.
Oct. 28 - Election officials are requesting voters mail their ballot as soon as possible. They recommend mailing your ballot before Oct. 28 in order to give it ample time to reach the clerk's office. If you forget or want to forego the mail altogether, you can drop off your ballot in the dropbox in front of the elections office or hand it to an elections official.
If you request a mail-in ballot and later decide to vote in-person, you have to bring the ballot you got in the mail with you to the polls. That's because there are measures in place to keep people from voting twice.
“If anybody were to vote in-person and then mail in their ballot later, when we go to scan their ballot it would say ‘already voted,’” said Bannock County elections manager Julie Hancock.
Important dates for voting in-person
Oct. 19 - Early voting start dates will vary for each county (Sept. 28 for Bannock County), but early voting will be available in all counties from Oct. 19-30.
Nov. 3 - There will be polling locations open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Election Day. You will need a valid Idaho ID card in order to vote. Voters will be asked to social distance and practice public health recommendations to avoid the spread of Covid-19.
Idahoans are allowed to register the same day they vote. Bring two pieces of mail and an Idaho drivers license to your polling center or elections office to register in-person.
You can find all this information, and track your mail-in ballot, on idahovotes.gov.
