BOISE — Idaho Gov. Brad Little announced Wednesday that he will call lawmakers into a special legislative session the week of Aug. 24.
Little, legislative leadership, and members of the House and Senate will continue discussions about the specific topics that will be addressed during the session, which likely will include the November general election and liability reform during emergencies.
The announcement was made while the State Affairs Working Group was discussing options on how to handle the November election. The working group approved two drafts of legislation making accommodations for county clerks. The drafts still need to be voted on by the full legislative body.
Little will issue a proclamation the week of Aug. 17 detailing the exact issues to be considered during the session. The governor’s office will announce the release of the proclamation when it is available.
The House Republican Caucus issued a statement in support of Little’s decision on Wednesday.
“We thank the governor for making this critical choice and thank our members for making it possible through their tireless efforts on the various interim working groups set in motion by Speaker of the House Scott Bedke and President Pro Tempore Brent Hill,” said Majority Caucus Chair Rep. Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett, in the statement. “The legislation being developed by our joint working groups will help set the foundation for this special session.”
Working group recommendations
The State Affairs Working Group that met Thursday discussed options for the November election and heard testimony from several county clerks.
Ada County Clerk Phil McGrane presented drafts of legislation that would help the clerks through the election cycle during the pandemic. Both drafts have a so-called “sunset clause,” meaning they are applicable only to this election and any changes are not permanent.
McGrane explained the drafts are intended to give the clerks some flexibility in the elections. One big problem is finding enough poll workers to staff the polls on Election Day — presuming there will be in-person voting.
Canyon County Clerk Chris Yamamoto told lawmakers that he believed he needed about 500 poll workers to hold an election the way he would have in the past. His county recently sent out an email to about 450 people who worked past elections, asking for volunteers, and only 22 agreed to work.
Many poll volunteers are retirees who are older than 65 and have concerns about being around large numbers of people during the ongoing pandemic. Southwest Health District, which has jurisdiction over Canyon County, has not mandated wearing masks or face coverings.
“We will not be able to get enough workers,” Yamamoto said.
The proposed drafts would allow counties to use voting centers and consolidate locations, creating fewer polling sites. Voters would be able to go to any voting center, rather than going to their designated poll location.
Some lawmakers questioned whether this would result in longer lines and bigger crowds, making social distancing a challenge. McGrane said he anticipates that about 75 percent of voters will request an absentee ballot and not physically go to the polls. Counties also hope to use larger spaces, such as gymnasiums, to set up voting sites.
Among other changes the draft proposes is allowing county clerks to open returned absentee ballots 7 days ahead of time to begin scanning and verifying ballots. They will not tabulate votes until Election Day, but the change would allow clerk’s offices to get a jump on the process.
McGrane explained that with such a large number of absentee ballots, the process of opening envelopes and verifying signatures becomes quite time-consuming.
The draft proposals likely will be addressed in the special session. They would need approval by the full legislative body to become law.
The Link LonkAugust 06, 2020 at 01:18AM
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Idaho Gov. Little calls on legislators to gather for special session week of Aug. 24 - bigcountrynewsconnection.com
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