2022 - HB 547 - Criminalizing Ballot Assistance

HB 547 would impose criminal liability on individuals who assist in the collection or conveyance of absentee ballots.

HB 547 would impose criminal liability on individuals who assist in the collection or conveyance of absentee ballots. Ballot collection should not be conflated with ballot tampering and fraud, which is already illegal in the state of Idaho.

This bill "fixes" a non-existent problem at the expense of voter accessibility. Voting should be easy. HB 547 would subject caretakers, legal guardians, and neighbors to misdemeanor or felony liability for carrying another person's ballot. If passed, the bill will disadvantage voters who may need assistance casting their ballot and do not have family members nearby to help them do so.