The large geographical size and rural nature of Idaho County means that we have a lot of polling locations/precincts.  This helps citizens vote on Election Day without having to travel numerous miles to cast their vote.  Voters can also request absentee ballots mailed to them, which allows them to vote at home and return the ballot by mail or hand delivery back to the Idaho County Courthouse.  Regardless, at the end of the day, your vote is counted and unofficial results are published.

Idaho County utilizes two methods for counting ballots.  All Early Voting Ballots (from voting at the Idaho County Courthouse), Absentee Ballots, and certain precinct ballots (varies depending on the election) are counted at the Idaho County Courthouse by machine.  We use the DS450 from Election Systems and Software.  This machine is not connected to the Internet at any time.  Information on the security of this equipment can be found here or visit their website Here.

Other precincts are hand-counted by a team of four election workers.  One person reads the ballot to two others, who each have a ‘tally book’ to record the votes.  The fourth person observes that the ballot has been correctly read.  Once counting begins, workers in the counting room are not allowed to leave until all of the ballots are counted after the polls close, except for short restroom breaks.  They are not allowed access to cell phones/electronic devices during the count.  After all of the ballots are counted, the results are called into the Elections Office in Grangeville.

All results are unofficial until canvassed by the Board of Idaho County Commissioners at the next regular meeting.