O-SenseThree-fourths of Idahoans want the ability to vote by mail, a new Idaho Politics Weekly poll shows.
However, under current law only those who chose to register absentee ballots may use that option.
In a new survey, pollster Dan Jones & Associates finds that 74 percent of Idahoans “strongly” or “somewhat” support being able to vote by mail in any election, without having to register absentee and go through that process.
Twenty-two percent don’t want vote by mail, and 4 percent didn’t know.
Here is a summary of Idaho voting law.
Here is the percent of voter turnout in recent elections.
Jones also finds that 62 percent of Idahoans believe low voter turnout leads to extremes of both parties having political power.
As you can see from the above chart, in 2014 most Idaho counties saw voter turnout from the mid-50s percentile to the mid-60s percentile – not great, but better than some other states.
In the new survey, Jones also finds that Idahoans are split over whether the Tea Party has too much influence and power in the Gem State.
Among all Idahoans, 27 percent said the Tea Party movement has too much influence in the state, 25 percent said it was about right, 20 percent said Tea Partiers have too little influence, and 28 percent didn’t know.
A number of states provide for mail-in balloting. Idaho’s western neighbor, Oregon, only has mail-in balloting – you can’t even go to a polling place on Election Day.
In the 2015 municipal elections in Utah, a number cities and counties tried mail-in balloting (although citizens could go to combined polling places on Election Day), with the result of a higher-than-normal voter turnout.
Jones finds that Idahoans really like the idea of getting a mail-in ballot – with all political party members seeing a majority in favor.
Republicans: 68 percent want mail-in ballots, 28 percent don’t and 4 percent don’t know.
Democrats: 89 percent want mail-in ballots, only 8 percent don’t and 3 percent don’t know.
Political independents: 77 percent want to vote by mail, 20 percent don’t and 4 percent don’t know.
Here’s an interesting result: On the question whether low voter turnout means extremes in both political party’s have too much influence, Jones finds that even those who said they were “very conservative” – and thus could be considered by some to be at the extreme right politically, agree low voter turnout is a bad thing.
Jones finds that 53 percent of the “very conservative” believe low voter turnout leads to extreme political views in government, 40 percent don’t agree with that result, and 8 percent don’t know.
On the other end – those who said they are “very liberal” – you find even more concern.
Jones finds that 91 percent of the “very liberal” believe low voter turnout risks extremists in elected office, 10 percent disagree.
Jones polled 603 adults from Nov. 18-28, margin of error is plus or minus 3.99 percent.
