Idaho state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 12
- Early voting: Oct. 22 - Nov. 2
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: Photo ID required
- Poll times: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
| 2018 Idaho State Legislature elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | November 6, 2018 |
| Primary | May 15, 2018 |
| 2018 elections | |
|---|---|
| Choose a chamber below: | |
The Republican primary elections for the seats in the Idaho State Senate and the Idaho House of Representatives were on May 15, 2018. For information about the Democratic primary elections in Idaho, click here.
The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 9, 2018. In the state Senate, all 35 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 70 seats were up for election.
Incumbents who did not advance to the general election
Retiring incumbents
Nine Republican state House incumbents did not seek re-election in 2018:
- Eric Redman (District 2B)
- Don Cheatham (District 3B)
- Luke Malek (District 4A)
- Christy Perry (District 11B)
- Stephen Hartgen (District 24B)
- Maxine Bell (District 25A)
- Kelley Packer (District 28B)
- Dell Raybould (District 34B)
- Van Burtenshaw (District 35A)
Four Republican state Senate incumbent did not seek re-election in 2018:
- Shawn Keough (District 1)
- Robert Nonini (District 3)
- Marv Hagedorn (District 14)
- Jeff Siddoway (District 35)
Incumbents defeated
Five Republican state House incumbents were defeated in their primaries:
- Jeffrey Thompson (District 30A)
- Julie VanOrden (District 31B)
- Thomas Loertscher (District 32B)
- Ronald Nate (District 34A)
- Karey Hanks (District 35B)
One Republican state Senate incumbent was defeated in his primary:
- Tony Potts (District 33)
Competitiveness
There were 16 open seats in 2018, which was higher than the 9 open seats in 2016 and the 11 open seats in 2014. The 8 contested Democratic primaries were up from 3 in 2016 and 6 in 2014. The 45 contested Republican primaries were up from 34 in 2016 and 36 in 2014. The 231 candidates running was up from 217 in 2016 and 209 in 2014.
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Total candidates | Democratic primaries contested | Republican primaries contested | Total contested | Incumbents contested in primaries | Total incumbents contested in primaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 105 | 16 | 231 | 8 | 45 | 25.2% | 31 | 34.8% |
| 2016 | 105 | 9 | 217 | 3 | 34 | 17.6% | 31 | 32.3% |
| 2014 | 105 | 11 | 209 | 6 | 36 | 20.0% | 31 | 33.0% |
Partisan control
The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Idaho House of Representatives and the Idaho State Senate as of July 2018:
Idaho House of Representatives
| Party | As of July 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 11 | |
| Republican Party | 59 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 70 | |
Idaho State Senate
| Party | As of July 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 6 | |
| Republican Party | 29 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 35 | |
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. In Idaho, parties decide who may vote in their primaries. As of July 2024, the Democratic Party allows unaffiliated voters to vote in its primary, while the Republican Party only allows voters registered with its party to vote in its primary. Unaffiliated voters can choose to affiliate with a party on Election Day.[1][2][3]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
In Idaho, all polls are open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time. In some instances, polls may open at 7:00 a.m., at the discretion of the local clerk. Idaho is split between Mountain and Pacific time zones. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[4]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in Idaho, one must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of the Idaho county in which he or she is registering for at least 30 days before the election, and at least 18 years old on or before Election Day.[5][6]
Registration in advance of election day may be completed online, in person at the county clerk's office, or by mail. The deadline to register to vote online is the 24th day before the election A registration application submitted by mail must be postmarked by the 25th day before the election. Voters may also register in-person at an early voting location or on Election Day.[5][7]
Idaho requires a photo ID and proof of residence to register to vote in person. According to the secretary of state's website, a valid photo ID is one of:[7]
- Idaho Driver’s License
- Idaho Identification Card
- Passport or Federal ID
- Tribal ID Card
- Concealed Weapons License issued by a county sheriff in Idaho
A valid proof of residence is one of:[7]
- Above photo ID with the correct address
- Proof of insurance
- Mortgage, lease, or rental agreement
- Property tax assessment, bill
- Utility bill (no cell bills)
- Bank/credit card statement
- Paystub/paycheck
- Intake document to a care facility
- Enrollment letter from an Idaho high school or university
- Letter from a social service agency
A voter registering to vote by a mail application must provide their Idaho driver's license number or their social security number. If the voter is registering for the first time they must also include a copy of a photo ID and proof of residence. Eligible documents are listed above.[5]
Automatic registration
Idaho does not practice automatic voter registration.
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Idaho has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
Idaho allows same-day voter registration.
Residency requirements
Idaho law requires 30 days of residency in one of the state’s counties before a person may vote.
Verification of citizenship
Idaho does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[8] As of January 2025, six states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, and New Hampshire — had passed laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration. However, only two of those states' laws were in effect, in Arizona and New Hampshire. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allowed noncitizens to vote in some local elections as of November 2024. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The page Search for My Voter Record, run by the Idaho Secretary of State's office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Early voting
Idaho permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting in Idaho varies by county. To find dates and times in your county, check with your county elections office here.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
All voters are eligible to vote absentee in Idaho. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee. To vote absentee, an application must be received by election officials no later than the 11th day preceding the election.[9][10]
See also
- Idaho state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018
- Idaho House of Representatives elections, 2018
- Idaho State Senate elections, 2018
- Idaho State Legislature
- Idaho elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ Idaho Secretary of State's Office, "Primary Elections in Idaho," accessed July 30, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed July 30, 2024
- ↑ ACLUE Idaho, "2024 Your Rights as an Idaho Voter," accessed July 30, 2024
- ↑ Idaho Statutes, "Section 34-1101," accessed July 29, 2024
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Idaho Secretary of State, "Idaho Voter Registration Form," accessed July 29, 2024
- ↑ Idaho Secretary of State, "Citizenship & Voting," accessed July 29, 2024
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Idaho Secretary of State - Vote Idaho, "Registering To Vote," accessed July 30, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ Idaho State Legislature, "Idaho Statutes 34-1001," accessed July 30, 2024
- ↑ Ada County Elections, "Absentee Voting," accessed July 30, 2024
