Family Life
Registering and Voting in Idaho: A Voter Guide
How to register to vote in Idaho, which IDs poll workers accept, and when and where to vote in person, with county clerk contacts and key dates.
Idaho voters register by mail, online, or at the polls on Election Day, and the state accepts several forms of photo and non-photo identification. In-person voting runs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time on Election Day, with early voting open at county clerk offices in the weeks before. The steps below cover registration, accepted IDs, and where to cast a ballot.
How do I register to vote in Idaho step by step?
Registration in Idaho is handled by the county clerk, not by a single state office. A resident can register in three ways: online through the Secretary of State’s voter registration portal, by mailing a completed form to the county clerk, or in person at the clerk’s office or at a polling place on Election Day. The deadline for online and mail registration is 25 days before the election. After that, same-day registration is still available at the polls.
To register, a person must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old by Election Day, and a resident of Idaho for 30 days before the election. The application asks for a name, date of birth, Idaho address, and an Idaho driver’s license or state ID number. Voters without either number can provide the last four digits of their Social Security number. A guide such as the Denney for Idaho civic information guide walks through the voter registration, Idaho, step by step process, including the documents clerks expect at each stage.
New residents who moved from another state should register again in Idaho; a previous registration does not transfer. Students who live in Idaho during the school year can register at their campus address or at their family home, but not both. The address on the registration determines which precinct and which ballot a voter receives.
Which forms of ID are accepted for voting in Idaho?
Idaho requires identification at the polls. The list is short and the rules are the same for every county.
- An Idaho driver’s license or Idaho state identification card, current or expired for no more than four years
- A U.S. passport or passport card
- A photo ID issued by a U.S. government agency, including a military ID
- A tribal identification card with a photograph
- A current student ID card from an Idaho high school, college, or university
- A current Idaho concealed weapons license
A voter who arrives without one of these documents can sign a sworn affidavit at the polling place. The affidavit confirms identity and residency, and the ballot is counted. Election workers may ask for proof of address, such as a utility bill or a bank statement, if the registration address does not match the ID.
| Situation | What to bring | Where it is handled |
|---|---|---|
| Registered voter, ID in hand | Driver’s license or state ID | Assigned polling place |
| Registered voter, no ID | Signed affidavit | Assigned polling place |
| Not yet registered | Photo ID and proof of address | Polling place or county clerk |
| Absentee voter | No ID at the polls | Mail ballot, signature checked |
When and where can I vote in person in Idaho?
Polls open at 8 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. local time on Election Day. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. is allowed to vote. Idaho has two time zones, so a voter in Coeur d’Alene and a voter in Boise both see 8 a.m. on the clock, but the Mountain and Pacific schedules run separately.
Early voting is set by each county. Most clerks open early voting at the county courthouse or a satellite site for the two to three weeks before Election Day, on weekdays only. Hours vary by county, and some rural counties offer only a few days. The Secretary of State’s office publishes a county-by-county list of early voting locations and hours.
On Election Day, a voter must go to the polling place assigned to the precinct where they are registered. The address is printed on the sample ballot mailed before the election and is listed on the Secretary of State’s voter lookup tool. A voter who has moved within the county can update the address at the polls and vote a regular ballot. A voter who has moved from another county may need to register again at the new address.
Common mistakes to avoid
A frequent error is assuming that a registration from another state carries over; Idaho does not share a single national voter roll, so a new resident must file a new application. Another is waiting until the 25-day deadline to mail a form, when a postmark after the cutoff means the application is late. Voters also forget that a student ID must be current, or that an expired driver’s license is only good for four years past its expiration date. Finally, some voters drive to the county courthouse on Election Day when their assigned polling place is a school or community center several miles away. Checking the sample ballot before leaving home avoids that trip.
What happens after the polls close
County clerks count ballots at the courthouse, and preliminary results are posted on county websites and on the Secretary of State’s election results page on election night. Absentee ballots that arrive after Election Day are counted if they are postmarked on or before the day before the election and received within the window set by state law. Canvassing boards meet in the days after the election to certify totals, and the Secretary of State certifies statewide results afterward.
Where to get help
Each county clerk’s office answers registration questions, replaces a lost voter card, and confirms a polling place. The Secretary of State’s office maintains the online registration portal, the voter lookup tool, and the list of early voting sites. Voters who need a ride, a translator, or curbside assistance can call the county clerk before Election Day to arrange it. Idaho law allows curbside voting for voters who cannot enter the polling place, and poll workers can bring a ballot to the curb on request.