Longer waits expected at Idaho polling sites due to complex ballots
STATE OF IDAHO (KIFI) – People have been lining up at the polls all day to cast their ballot, with the Idaho Secretary of State reporting 42% of voter participation as of 2 P.M. With so many people showing up to cast their ballot, you should expect a longer line.
Polling sites are expecting an increase in turnout after 5 P.M. which is when most people get off of work. Some voters are noticing increased wait time and are spending more time filling out their ballots, which may be caused by some of the longer ballot measures.
Ballotpedia ranked Idaho’s HJR4 and HJR6 as some of the hardest measures to understand on our ballots. With over a hundred words to read and many of the words were ranked at a college-graduate reading level, making understanding and readability really difficult for the average voter.
Idaho House Joint Resolution 4 is one of the most difficult-to-understand measures in the nation, according to Ballotpedia. The resolution would give the Idaho Legislature exclusive authority to legalize marijuana and other controlled substances, taking that power away from voters through the citizen-led initiative process.
Idaho House Joint Resolution 6 would make English the official state language. With a summary word count near 100, it may take time for voters to read through.
This could increase the time it takes for voters to fill out their ballot.
If you’re interested on a breakdown of the reading scores for each ballot measure, you can find more information on Ballotpedia’s website.
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