BOISE, ID – A bill the Idaho House passed Monday would bring back the state’s presidential primary elections in March.
In 2024, instead of a typical presidential primary election, Idaho switched its process for voters to select presidential party nominees to a caucus. The shift came because the Idaho Legislature had seemingly unintentionally eliminated the presidential primary election through a 2023 bill.
Only about 7% of registered Republicans turned out for the GOP’s 2024 presidential caucus, which only allowed in-person voting.
The Idaho House passed House Bill 638 with no debate on a 45-23 vote.
“This bill seeks to bring it back exactly how it was before we lost it, puts it back in March,” bill sponsor Rep. Kyle Harris, R-Lewiston, told House lawmakers.
The bill would also require presidential candidates to pay a $50,000 fee to have their name on Idaho’s ballots. The fees are meant to help offset the state’s estimated $2.5 million cost to run the next presidential primary.
House Bill 638 is one of two competing bills this year that would restore Idaho’s presidential primary elections.
Senate Bill 1366 would have the state hold primary elections in May. That bill was introduced last week in the Senate State Affairs Committee, but it has not yet received a committee hearing.
House Bill 638 now heads to the Senate, where it could receive a committee hearing. To become law, Idaho bills must pass the House and Senate, and avoid the governor’s veto.
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