IDAHO, USA — House Bill 75 has made its way out of the House State Affairs Committee and is moving to the House floor. The bill would limit who can get an absentee ballot.
Only those who are active in the military, unable to get to the polls because of work or school, people who have disabilities, people who are hospitalized and those who are out of country on a religious missionary trip.
The bill was sponsored by Republican Representative Joe Alfieri, who said the bill streamlines issues on election day and would help county clerks by making the tabulation process easier.
However, Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane disagrees and said the bill would actually make things more difficult.
"I don't believe that the security of our elections and the accessibility of our elections need to conflict with one another," McGrane said. "We can have accessibility and security simultaneously, and I believe we do have that here in the state of Idaho, including with access to absentee voting."
The bill now moves to the Idaho House to be voted on, if it passes, it moves to the Senate.
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