Early Voting Begins in Canyon, Bannock and Other Idaho Counties Ahead of May 19 Primary Election

Early Voting Opens Across Idaho

Early voting for Idaho’s 2026 primary elections began Monday in Canyon, Bannock, Twin Falls, Blaine and several other counties, according to the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office. Additional counties, including Ada, Bingham, Bonneville, Kootenai, Cassia, Latah and Madison, are set to open early voting next week.

All Idaho counties offer either early voting or in-person absentee voting ahead of the May 19 primary election, giving voters multiple options to cast their ballots before Election Day.

How Idahoans Can Vote

Voters have several options for participating in the 2026 primary. In-person polling will be available on May 19 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. Idahoans who prefer to vote by mail can request an absentee ballot online at idahovotes.gov, the official website operated by the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot is May 8. That same date is also the deadline to pre-register to vote online ahead of the primary. Voters who miss the pre-registration deadline may still register in person at their polling location on Election Day.

One important deadline has already passed: Idahoans who wanted to change their party affiliation or become unaffiliated before the primary had until March 13 to do so. Those who did not make a change before that date will vote under their existing party registration.

A full list of which counties offer early voting versus in-person absentee voting is available at voteidaho.gov, which also allows voters to find polling locations, view sample ballots, look up candidates, verify voter registration records and begin the registration process. Idaho sample ballots are now available to voters ahead of the May primary election.

What’s on the Idaho Ballot in 2026

The 2026 primary cycle is among the most consequential in recent memory, with a broad range of offices on the line. All 105 seats in the Idaho Legislature are up for election this cycle, along with every statewide constitutional office — including governor, secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, state controller and superintendent of public instruction.

Three of Idaho’s four congressional seats are also on the ballot, as are judicial races, county clerk positions and county commissioner contests across the state. Several school districts are also asking voters to approve a combined $183 million in funding measures on May ballots.

Because the Republican Party has held control of Idaho state government for decades, the Republican primary races are frequently the decisive contests in determining who ultimately holds office. The general election is scheduled for November 3, with primary winners advancing to face off in the fall.

Legislative Session Sets Backdrop for Election Year

The primary comes shortly after the Idaho Legislature concluded its 2026 session, which produced a range of policy decisions that are likely to feature prominently in campaign messaging across multiple races. Voters heading to the polls this spring and fall will be evaluating candidates against the backdrop of that legislative record.

Candidates running for legislative and statewide offices will be making their cases to voters in a political environment shaped in part by what lawmakers did — and did not — accomplish during the session. For a full look at the outcomes of the 2026 legislative session, see Idaho Politics’ recap of what passed, what failed, and what remains unresolved.

Key Dates at a Glance

• Now: Early voting open in Canyon, Bannock, Twin Falls, Blaine and other counties
• Next week: Early voting expands to Ada, Bingham, Bonneville, Kootenai, Cassia, Latah, Madison and other counties
• May 8: Deadline to request an absentee ballot and to pre-register to vote
• May 19: Primary Election Day; polls open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time; same-day registration available
• November 3: General election