Idaho voters are on pace to post historic numbers in this year's general election. The nearly 300,000 ballots that have been cast across the Gem State have it in position to surpass the 2020 presidential election vote total, and have already eclipsed the number of votes submitted in the May primary election, according to the Idaho Secretary of State's Office. As of Wednesday morning, 293,443 early and absentee ballots had been submitted — more than the 281,777 that were cast in May — with time still remaining in the early voting window that ends Friday.
Idahoans submitted 867,934 votes in the November 2020 presidential election. “With Idahoans showing up in large numbers for early voting and absentee, we are on the path to a historic turnout for the November 5th General Election,” Secretary of State Phil McGrane said. “I encourage every eligible voter to make a plan, whether it’s early voting through Friday, returning an absentee ballot, or heading to the polls on Election Day.
” Early voting ends at 5 p.m. Friday.
Absentee ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov.
5, and election officials note that it's likely too late to return them by mail. Absentee ballots may be returned in-person to the voter's county elections office. In addition to statewide voting, early numbers are trending up in Ada and Canyon counties, as well.
There have been 57,684 ballots cast thus far in Ada County and 20,024 votes in Canyon County, according to the counties' respe.