How to vote in 3 steps
Everything here comes from official sources, linked. If anything disagrees, trust VoteIdaho.gov or your county, and tell us.
Am I registered?
It takes a minute. If you moved or changed your name, update your registration.
Register to vote (mail or online): Fri Oct 23, 2026, 5 p.m. (source)
Your registration must reach the county clerk by then. Online registration needs a current Idaho driver's license or state ID card. After Oct 23 you can still register in person at early voting or at your polling place on Election Day.
Register when you vote: Yes. You can register in person at early voting or at your polling place on Election Day. (source)
Bring a photo ID (Idaho driver's license or ID card, U.S. passport or federal photo ID, tribal photo ID, or an Idaho concealed weapons license). Also bring proof of your address. That can be the same photo ID if it shows your current address, or a utility bill (not a cell phone bill), bank or credit card statement, paystub, lease or mortgage, property tax bill, proof of insurance, a letter from a social service agency, an intake document from a care facility, or an enrollment letter from an Idaho high school or university. VoteIdaho's Registering to Vote page lists the same documents but leaves out tribal ID, which the law allows.
Request an absentee ballot (or vote early)
Any Idaho voter can vote by mail. You don’t need a reason. You can also vote early in person.
Ask for an absentee (mail) ballot: Fri Oct 23, 2026, 5 p.m. Your request must be RECEIVED by the county clerk by then. (source)
Ada County's absentee voting page says to allow 7 to 10 days to process a request, plus a few days for the ballot to reach you by mail. Ask early.
Absentee request rules: You need a new request each calendar year. Online, you need your Idaho driver's license or state ID number and the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. (source)
Any registered Idaho voter can vote absentee. No reason is needed. On the request, you pick which of this year's elections you want ballots for. If you asked earlier in 2026, check that you picked November. You don't upload or scan your ID. Ada County's absentee voting page says you can also send the paper form by mail, fax or email, or bring it to the Elections Office.
Early voting in Ada County: Mon Oct 19 to Fri Oct 30, 2026. Weekdays only, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Go to any site: Ada County Elections, 400 N Benjamin Ln, Boise; Boise City Hall, 150 N Capitol Blvd, Boise; Eagle Public Library, 100 N Stierman Way, Eagle; Meridian City Hall, 33 E Broadway Ave, Meridian; Library! at Bown Crossing, 2153 E Riverwalk Dr, Boise; Star City Hall, 10769 W State St, Star; Kuna City Hall Council Chambers, 757 W 4th St, Kuna; Lake Hazel Library, 10489 W Lake Hazel Rd, Boise; Orchard Park Library, 1268 W Orch Pk Dr, Meridian; Expo Idaho Western Town Building, 5610 N Glenwood St, Garden City. (source)
Ten sites. You can use any site no matter where you live in the county. More at https://adacounty.id.gov/elections/early-voting/
Early voting in Idaho: Counties that offer early voting may start Tue Oct 13, 2026. Early voting ends Fri Oct 30, 2026, at 5 p.m. (source)
Each county sets its own days and sites. The state election calendar lists Tue Oct 13 as the first possible day. Bring the same photo ID as on Election Day. You can register there too.
Return it in time
Your ballot must ARRIVE by 8 p.m. on Nov 3. A postmark doesn’t count.
Return your absentee ballot: It must be RECEIVED by 8 p.m. on Tue Nov 3, 2026. A postmark does not count. (source)
Mark your ballot in blue or black ink. Sign the outside of the return envelope, because every signature is checked. Add postage if you mail it. You can return it by mail, to an official drop box, or to your county elections office. Idaho Code 34-1005 sets the 8 p.m. received-by deadline.
When to mail your ballot: No official mail-by date is published. Mail it as early as you can, or use a drop box. (source)
We could not find a suggested mail-by date from Ada County or the Secretary of State. VoteIdaho tells overseas voters to mail as soon as possible in case of delays. Only a ballot that arrives by 8 p.m. Nov 3 counts.
Being confirmed
Ada County ballot drop boxes: Ada County Elections, 400 N Benjamin Ln, Ste 100, Boise 83704; Boise City Hall, 150 N Capitol Blvd, Boise 83702; Meridian City Hall, 33 E Broadway Ave, Meridian 83642; Eagle City Hall, 660 E Civic Ln, Eagle 83616; Kuna City Hall, 751 W 4th St, Kuna 83634; Star City Hall, 10769 W State St, Star 83669. (source)
The last drop-off time is 8 p.m. on Nov 3. Ada County does not post drop box opening hours.
Can I drop my absentee ballot at a polling place on Election Day?: Not confirmed. To be safe, use a drop box, the Ada County Elections Office, or the mail. (source)
We found no official answer either way. VoteIdaho and Ada County list only mail, drop boxes and the county elections office as return options. Idaho Code 34-1005 says the ballot must reach the county clerk by 8 p.m. VoteIdaho does say you can bring an absentee ballot to your polling place and swap it for a new ballot to vote there. A person must confirm the drop-off question with Ada County Elections at (208) 287-6860.
Being confirmed
Important: In Idaho it is a crime to collect or deliver someone else's ballot, voted or blank, unless the law allows it. (source)
Key dates
| Ada County absentee ballots are going out | Yes. Ada County had issued 29,910 absentee ballots for the November election as of Sept 23, 2026, 9:30 a.m. | source |
|---|---|---|
| Early voting in Ada County | Mon Oct 19 to Fri Oct 30, 2026. Weekdays only, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Go to any site: Ada County Elections, 400 N Benjamin Ln, Boise; Boise City Hall, 150 N Capitol Blvd, Boise; Eagle Public Library, 100 N Stierman Way, Eagle; Meridian City Hall, 33 E Broadway Ave, Meridian; Library! at Bown Crossing, 2153 E Riverwalk Dr, Boise; Star City Hall, 10769 W State St, Star; Kuna City Hall Council Chambers, 757 W 4th St, Kuna; Lake Hazel Library, 10489 W Lake Hazel Rd, Boise; Orchard Park Library, 1268 W Orch Pk Dr, Meridian; Expo Idaho Western Town Building, 5610 N Glenwood St, Garden City. | source |
| Register to vote (mail or online) | Fri Oct 23, 2026, 5 p.m. | source |
| Ask for an absentee (mail) ballot | Fri Oct 23, 2026, 5 p.m. Your request must be RECEIVED by the county clerk by then. | source |
| Emergency absentee ballot (hospital only) | Only if you are in the hospital and can't vote in person. You can apply from Thu Oct 29 until 5 p.m. Mon Nov 2, 2026. | source |
| Election Day | Tue Nov 3, 2026. Polls are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. | source |
| Return your absentee ballot | It must be RECEIVED by 8 p.m. on Tue Nov 3, 2026. A postmark does not count. | source |
If you vote in person
Photo ID to vote in person: Idaho driver's license or Idaho ID card; U.S. passport or other U.S. government photo ID; tribal photo ID; or an Idaho concealed weapons license (regular or enhanced). (source)
Student IDs are not on the list. They were removed in 2023. The same ID rules apply at early voting.
No photo ID? Sign an affidavit: If you are already registered, you can sign a Personal Identification Affidavit instead. Starting July 1, 2026, it asks for your name, address, AND either your date of birth or your Idaho driver's license or ID card number. (source)
Poll workers check what you write against your voter record before giving you a ballot. Lying on the affidavit is a felony. This change comes from Senate Bill 1322 (2026 Session Law ch. 240, in effect July 1, 2026). Some VoteIdaho pages still describe the older version, which asked only for name and address. If you are not registered yet, you need a real photo ID to register at the polls.
Find your polling place: https://votertools.voteidaho.gov/TEDElectionLink/VoterServices/voter/where-do-I-vote (source)
Your polling place is based on your home address, and it can change between elections. Check before you go. Ada County's locator is at https://gisprod.adacounty.id.gov/apps/electionday/
See your sample ballot: https://votertools.voteidaho.gov/ElectionLink/ElectionLink/VoterSearch.aspx (source)
Look up your voter record, then scroll to Sample Ballot. Ada County also has a 'View my ballot' tool at https://gisprod.adacounty.id.gov/apps/electionday/ (enter your address; use Edge, Chrome or Firefox).
More
When counties start mailing absentee ballots: Sept 18, 2026. County clerks must begin mailing ballots to voters who asked for one. (source)
Got an absentee ballot but want to vote in person?: Bring your absentee ballot to early voting or to your polling place. A poll worker will cancel it and give you a new ballot. (source)
Ada County Elections Office: 400 N Benjamin Ln, Ste 100, Boise, ID 83704. Phone (208) 287-6860. Email elections@adacounty.id.gov. (source)
Call this number with questions about your ballot. The 208-287-7080 number in the site footer is Ada County's general line.
Who's my legislator?: https://legislature.idaho.gov/legislators/whosmylegislator/ (source)
Type your address to find your legislative district and your state senator and representatives.
Provisional ballots: Idaho does not use provisional ballots. (source)
If you aren't registered, you can register at early voting or at your polling place with a photo ID and proof of address.
In line when polls close: If you are in line by 8 p.m. on Election Day, you may still vote. (source)
No campaign gear at the polls: Don't wear or bring anything that promotes a candidate, party or issue on the ballot. You may bring notes. (source)
Electioneering is banned inside a voting location or within 250 feet of its entrance (Idaho Code 18-2318).
Who can register: You must be 18 or older, a U.S. citizen, and an Idaho resident for at least 30 days before Election Day. (source)
If you have a felony conviction, you can register once you finish all the terms of your sentence.
Idaho Secretary of State, Elections: (208) 334-2852. elections@sos.idaho.gov. 700 W Jefferson, #E205, Boise, ID 83702 (State Capitol, East Wing, 2nd floor). Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (source)
For questions about your own ballot or polling place, your county elections office is usually the faster help.
Your ballot
Before you vote: see the whole ballot and the vote math.