Idahoans for Open Primaries Submits Petitions, Surpasses State Signature Requirement
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Idahoans for Open Primaries community volunteers around the state are taking their signed petitions to county clerks’ offices for validation.
The group, which seeks to create an open primaries system in Idaho, successfully secured more than 95,000 signatures across the state. This includes signatures across all 44 counties in the state and its 35 legislative districts—far exceeding the state requirements.
This is an important step in the rigorous process to get a citizen-led initiative on the ballot in November. Idahoans for Open Primaries volunteers are submitting their final petitions to the county clerk’s offices on May 1, 2024, for validation.
KMVT spoke with Luke Mayville, the campaign representative, to discuss more about the initiative.
“The open primaries initiative is a ballot initiative that will give voters an opportunity to really open up our election system and give all voters, including independent voters the right to participate,” said Mayville. “Right now, we have closed primary elections, that means that if you’re an independent voter, you don’t belong to a political party, you get blocked from voting in important elections.”
To qualify for a citizen-led initiative in Idaho, campaigns must collect valid signatures from six percent of all Idaho voters who were registered at the last general election (62,895) and capture signatures from six percent of all registered voters in 18 of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts by May 1.
“If the majority of voters vote for this initiative in November, it will mean major improvements to our elections system, it will mean far more voters will have a real voice in our elections,” said Mayville.
Idahoans for Open Primaries anticipates that the final signatures will be verified by county clerks by early July. At that point verified signatures will be submitted to the Secretary of State’s office for final review and approval as a ballot initiative.
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