The Story:
The lower house in the Idaho state legislature has passed a bill that would make it illegal for Idahoans to deliver other people’s ballots (unless the other person is a roommate or relative) to the post office. The practice is sometimes called “ballot harvesting,” and viewed by many Republicans as a threat to the integrity of elections. The upper house has received the bill and referred it to the State Affairs committee.
Background:
Under the bill, delivering fewer than ten other people’s mail-in ballots to the post office would be a misdemeanor. Delivering ten or more would be a felony.
There are 70 representatives in the Idaho House. Of those, 58 are held by Republicans, only 12 by Democrats. The bill passed by what was close to a party-line vote: 52 to 14. All the Democrats were present and voted against the bill. Two Republicans were absent, two voted against, the rest voted in its favor.
The Thing to Know:
A similar bill also passed the House last year. That bill was never taken up in the Senate, so the sponsor had to begin anew this session. The bill is sponsored (as was last year’s) by Rep. Mike Moyle, the House Majority Leader.
