A year-old voter identification law in Idaho has made it more onerous for some residents to register to vote, preventing dozens of voters in Ada County from voting in this year’s election so far.
Ada County Clerk Trent Tripple told the Idaho Statesman on Monday by phone that he estimates upwards of 100 people so far in Ada County’s early voting have been unable to register to vote because of the new requirements. Election Day is Tuesday; Idaho allows same-day voter registration.
“It feels like I am denying legitimate citizens who have proved residency the ability to vote because of this strict ID requirement,” Tripple said. He said he’s seen the problem affecting people who have recently moved into a senior home, or others who have recently moved to Idaho from another state.
“They really want to vote and they just don’t have the ability to do that, even though they can prove their citizenship and their residence,” he said. “That’s the hurdle I’ve seen has been artificially built now.”