October 10, 2022 By CDHD Learn about voter accessibility in Idaho There are just 25 days until the November 5 elections. If you’re new to voting, or you’re looking to brush up on some of Idaho’s policies surrounding voter accessibility, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together a voting and accessibility guide to help ensure you have all the information you need to cast your vote come November. Voter registration To vote in any state or federal election, you must be a registered voter. This just means that you’re enrolled to vote. It’s a pretty easy process. To register in Idaho, you need to be: a US citizen 18 years or older living in Idaho for at least 30 days prior to the election. If you’re not sure if you’re registered, you can check your registration status by visiting the Voter Information Look-Up Tool on the VoteIdaho.gov website. There are a few different ways to register: Online: Complete the online application. Make sure you have your photo ID handy. By mail: request a voter registration form from your local election office or download the form (PDF) from the Vote Idaho website. Fill it out and return it to your office by the required deadline. Online and mail-in voter registration deadline: October 11, 2024. If you miss this deadline, don’t worry. You can still register to vote in-person on election day. Register in person Idaho is one of a handful of US states that allows in-person voter registration on election day. To register in person, all you need is your current photo ID and proof of residence. You can look up acceptable forms of ID and proof of residence on the VoteIdaho.gov website. You can also find more information about the new free ID to vote (PDF) through the Idaho Department of Motor Vehicles. Once you’re registered, you’re ready to cast your ballot! Early voting Many Idaho counties offer early voting in-person at the local County Clerk’s office. Generally, early voting opens approximately two weeks before election day. To check if your county offers early voting dates and times, contact your County Clerk’s office. Absentee voting Absentee voting allows you to cast your vote from your own home. This is a great option if going to the polls on Election Day is not feasible. To take advantage of absentee voting, you must be registered. Simply complete an absentee ballot request form – this can be done online or you can download the request form (PDF) and return it to your local election office. Absentee ballot request deadline: October 25, 2024 Your ballot will then be mailed to your home address. Complete it and return it to your local election office by the required voting deadline. For more information about absentee voting, check out the VoteIdaho.gov website. Voting in person on election day All Idaho voters have the option of voting in-person on Election Day. This includes voters who are not yet registered to vote. You may do so in-person – see ‘Register in person’ above. Where to vote To vote in person, visit your designated polling location in your voting precinct between 8 am and 8 pm on Election Day. If you’re not sure where your polling location is, don’t worry. You can use your street address to look up your polling place online. You may also call your local County Clerk’s office for information on voting locations. Polling location accessibility Polling locations used on Election Day and for early voting are required to be accessible for all voters both indoors and outdoors. This includes, incorporating: clearly marked accessible parking spaces level and clear paths from parking to the location entrance accessible entrance with suitable clear space and door handles a working elevator if voting stations are not located on the first floor clear paths of travel throughout the building appropriate signage. Voting accommodations All locations are required to provide accessible voting equipment to ensure all voters can cast their ballot with confidence. This includes setting up an ADA compliant voting machine. And, like all other voting stations, it must ensure voter privacy. Accommodations also include assistive technology such as: audio transcription of the ballot ability to enlarge or zoom in on text and adjust contrast adaptations for marking your ballot. You may cast your vote independently or you can bring someone with you to assist you in the voting process. If you’re not able to bring someone with you, but you would like assistance, you can request help from an election worker. This person may not choose your vote for you or try to influence your vote in any way. If you would like more information about voting assistance, you can contact your County Clerk’s office. Helpful resources Disability Rights Idaho’s voter toolkit provides helpful information on how to register to vote as well as how to make a plan to cast your vote. The toolkit is fully accessible, mobile friendly and available in Spanish. VoteIdaho.gov provides a lot of helpful information about voting in Idaho. This includes accessibility information as well as links to online services and downloadable forms. ADA.gov offers important information about voting and polling places, including accessibility in relation to voter registration, polling locations and Election Day.