This bill makes it a felony to collect and deliver more than 6 absentee ballots, and only from family, now defined within 2nd degree of consanguinity.

Bill status:  This bill was passed by the House and is now in the Senate State Affairs committee.

League position: Oppose – League supports “a vote by mail election system in Idaho that is secure, accurate, recountable, and accessible with particular focus on measures that address concerns about accessibility and security of voting by mail.” (adopted in May 2009) The League is certainly against ballot collecting for fraudulent purposes. What the League does not like about the bill is the possibility of inhibiting legal and legitimate assistance to voters casting their absentee ballots. Voter assistance is allowed and is not evidence of fraud. Ballot tampering is illegal.

Take Action - Write to Senate State Affairs

Senate State Affairs Committee members.

Chair: Patty Ann Lodge: PALodge [at] senate.idaho.gov
Vice Chair: Jim Guthrie:  JGuthrie [at] senate.idaho.gov

Talking points for H223:

• This bill would inhibit legal and legitimate assistance to voters casting their absentee ballots. For example, it would charge someone with a felony for assisting an elderly, disabled neighbor by delivering their ballot to a ballot box.
• How will this be enforced?