New bill may bring back the presidential primary election in Idaho

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) - Idaho lawmakers are making a new push to bring a presidential primary back to the Gem state.

During Friday's Idaho Senate Legislation session, Bill 1415 was introduced which would reinstate the primary election. This new bill comes after the Idaho legislation eliminated the presidential primary last year, after passing a bill in an attempt to move the primary from March to May. 

While presenting the new bill, Senate President Chuck Winder said that bringing back the primary will allow more Idahoans to participate in the presidential primary election. 

“it is a statement that we want primaries," Winder said. "Hopefully it will bring people to the table over the next few years so we can get something that is actually a consensus.

"Who knows, maybe even get a unanimous vote off this floor. "

Since the state didn't reinstate the presidential primary election, both the GOP and the democratic party decided to schedule a presidential caucus instead, which was held last Saturday. 

Unlike a primary, during a caucus, voters can only cast their vote if they attend in person. Eliminating people's vote if they are out of town that weekend, sick, lack transportation to the caucus, or if they're away serving in the military.

As opposed to a primary where you have the option to request an absentee ballot and mail in your vote if you can't make it to a poll on election day.

The bill now heads to the Senate State Affairs Committee for a public hearing.