The presidential election is just about a week away! If you haven’t already, now is the time to get involved. Here’s what you need to know about registering, casting, and tracking your vote.
If you’re not voting in Ada County, but still in Idaho, check out idahovotes.gov. If you’re in another state, find your state or local election office website here.
1) Register at the polls all the way until and during election day
Although the deadline for voter registration online or by mail has passed, there are still other options. If you choose to vote early via mobile polling or other early voting locations, in Idaho, you can register right there on the spot. But you can also register to vote on election day at the same time that you go to cast your ballot. Make sure that you have a piece of mail or something else which confirms your residential address and you’ll also need a photo ID. As long as you have those things, registering is totally easy.
2) Vote early in several locations throughout Ada County
If you want to beat the crowds and place your vote early, guess what, you can do that! Early voting polling locations have been open since Oct 13 and will stay open until Oct 30. The following Ada County early polling places are open Mon – Fri 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sat 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Ada County Elections
400 N Benjamin Lane
Boise, Idaho 83704
Meridian City Hall
33 E Broadway Ave
Meridian, Idaho 83642
Boise Basque Center
601 W Grove St
Boise, Idaho 83702
Eagle Hope Lutheran Church
331 N Linder Rd
Eagle, Idaho 83616
3) Vote via a mobile polling location
In addition to early voting, there is also a mobile voting center which will be driving all over Ada County through October 30 and will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Check out this link for daily locations of the mobile voting unit. Just sit back and let your polling place come to you.
4) Track the status of your ballot
The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot has passed. However, if you already requested your ballot and have sent it in, or will send it in or drop it off in a drop box soon, or you already voted early, you can check on the status of your ballot online. All you need is your first, last name, and date of birth then you can see both your registration status and if your ballot has been accepted. You can also see your nearest polling location if you’re thinking about voting in person.
Ballot Drop Box Locations:
Ada County Elections
400 N Benjamin Ln, Ste 100
Boise, ID 83704
Eagle City Hall
660 E Civic Ln
Eagle, ID 83616
Meridian City Hall
33 E Broadway Ave
Meridian, Idaho 83642
Kuna City Hall
751 W 4th St
Kuna, ID 83634
Boise City Hall
150 N Capitol Blvd
Boise, ID 83702
5) Vote on Election Day
If voting on the day works best for you, check out where you should vote based on your location. All polling locations will be open 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on election day. Make sure that if you are voting in person you bring some sort of ID with you. That could be your driver’s license, state issued ID, passport, tribal card, or student ID. They’ll need this to identify you, your address, and make sure they give you the correct ballot based on your location. Get out there and vote!
5 ½) Final Tip: Know what’s on your ballot
There’s a helpful tool that shows you an example of what will be on your ballot based on where you live. There are different elections happening that will differ from city to city and you can check out what those are in order to stay informed and avoid being surprised on election day. Just put in your address to see what and who you’re voting for, aside from the president of course.