It used to be all you had to keep track of was red or blue.

But these days there’s a lot to watch out for in Idaho and Kootenai County elections — legislative districts that seem to be in flux, changing precincts, primary party affiliation forms, a new Republican caucus.

That’s a lot to juggle, acknowledged Carrie Phillips, county elections manager.

“It seems like (voters) have a general handle on things,” Phillips said. “The biggest confusion I’m getting right now is the party caucuses and the May primary. It seems like daily now we’re getting emails about that.”

There’s an upcoming presidential election, after all, not to mention races for county commissioners and sheriff and legislators.

So voters care.

They just don’t necessarily understand everything.

Relax. All it takes is a quick — and quick is a relative term — run-though.

Who You Are

There’s more to your party affiliation than which campaign ads you shout at.

It’s also what you need to declare to vote in the May 15 primary. As of last July, the Elections Department has been providing Party Affiliation forms, which must be filled out for the May election.

“If you want to vote on a party ballot, you have to declare party affiliation, for the primary only,” Phillips said.

That makes it easier for staff to hand out party-specific ballots in the primary, a nominating election for the general election, she said.

As usual, there will be a ballot for Republican candidates, a ballot for Democrat candidates, and a separate unaffiliated ballot that only includes nonpartisan elections like judges and levies.

Folks only have until March 9 to fill out party affiliation forms, become unaffiliated or change party declarations, Phillips said.

So Democrats desperate to switch so they have a say in the all-Republican five-candidate race for sheriff might want to hurry to the Elections Department at 1808 North 3rd Street in Coeur d’Alene.

“If they show up at the polls and haven’t declared a party yet, they can do it on election day,” Phillips added.

Usually Republicans vote on the Republican ballot and Democrats vote on their corresponding ballot, Phillips said.

But not this year.

“The Democrats are allowing for any party to vote their ballot,” she noted. “So you can be declared a Republican but you can vote a Democrat ballot.”

Those voting absentee for the primary must select which primary election ballot they want on the absentee application form, which also includes a place to checkmark party affiliation.

The ballot is available online at the Elections Department website, www.kcgov.us/elections/, or at the Elections Department.

This year’s primary includes commissioner seats 1 and 3, held by Todd Tondee and Dan Green, as well as county prosecutor, county sheriff, precinct committeemen and magistrate judges. State House elections, Supreme Court justices, court of appeals judge and state legislative races will also be on the ballot.

Whoever wins the primary goes on to the general election.

Who Your President Will Be

One thing the primary ballot won’t include is presidential candidates.

New this year for Idaho is that both the Republicans and the Democrats will be holding county caucuses to determine party presidential candidates.

“They have to narrow it down to one candidate, and then the Republicans have one and the Democrats, and that’s who would be on the November ballot,” Phillips said.

The Republicans, who previously voted for presidential candidates in the primary, are already working out their system for their caucus night, or Super Tuesday, on March 6.

Republicans in Kootenai County will hold their caucus at several locations simultaneously, said central committee Chair Tina Jacobson.

“We flat out don’t have a building that’s one size fits all,” Jacobson explained, promising the locations will be well advertised. “We can’t tell people, ‘We’re going to have a county presidential caucus, by the way it’s in the Spokane Arena.’”

Voters must be registered and affiliated Republican to participate, she added.

“You can do it at the doors, but we’re urging people to do it early,” Jacobson said.

Participants will vote for the party’s four presidential candidates by dropping tokens into cans behind a curtain, she said, with results reported to a central location.

“Then the county’s numbers as a whole will go to the state party,” Jacobson said. “And our numbers, every single county in the state, that’s the winner.”

The state’s 32 delegates will support that candidate at the Republican National Convention.

The Democratic Caucus is scheduled for 10 a.m. April 14 at the Harding Center, in conjunction with several other states, said Paula Neils, county Democratic central committee chair.

Anyone unaffiliated, registered as a Democrat or eligible to vote in November, which includes folks who will turn 18 by the election, is welcome, Neils said.

“(Participants) sign a statement that they are Democrats, and they pledge their support to Obama or choose not to vote for Obama,” said Neils, who confirmed that Idaho Democrats have held a presidential caucus for several election cycles. “Last time, they had a lot of choices, so the procedure was a little more complicated.”

The Democrats will also vote for the county’s 34 delegates to send to the state Democratic Convention in June, she said.

“Without candidates it isn’t as interesting this time,” Neils acknowledged. “But it’s important people participate. It’s the most grassroots way to be involved in the electoral process.”

Where You Vote

Just because an election isn’t presidential doesn’t mean it’s not important, and Idaho has tried to make those with smaller turnouts a little easier.

As of last January, counties across the state assumed control of every election in their boundaries. For Kootenai County, that includes elections for highway districts, North Idaho College trustees, school levies, water and sewer districts and fire districts.

“The point of election consolidation was so that voters could go to their normal designated polling place for every election,” Phillips said, adding that two more election dates were also added in the consolidation. “In the past it was up to the district where the polling locations were. This was to help eliminate that, so where they normally vote for the primary and general elections is where they go for all elections.”

This year’s upcoming elections are: The Lakeland Joint School District levy election on March 13; the primary election on May 15; and the general election, North Idaho College election and Kootenai Shoshone Soil and Water Conservation District election all on Nov. 6.

Polling locations should not change, and voters’ designated locations can be found on the Elections website.

“I think for the most part, voters are adjusting well to election consolidation,” Phillips said.

Where You Are

There are factors that could mess with voter precincts, though.

Like legislative redistricting.

Every 10 years, the state tweaks the boundaries of each district represented by state lawmakers, to accommodate changing population numbers and ensure every voter has equal representation.

A quick recap: The Idaho Redistricting Commission did just that last year. But several counties, including ours, felt too many counties were split into different districts and sued. The Idaho Supreme Court agreed, a new map was drawn, and new districts were recently approved this year.

“I think overall, it doesn’t really affect the voter that much,” Phillips acknowledged, noting that the new map simply shows which legislators represent which areas.

But the county does have to alter its precincts to accommodate the new legislative districts boundaries.

Past county commissioners have often changed the number of precincts at that time, too.

That’s why the current commissioners changed the county’s precinct numbers from 71 to 70 last month — then back again to 71, when the initial redistricting was tossed out.

The officials are mulling over the best time between elections to change precincts again to fit the revised redistricting.

The current 71 precincts will stand for the March school levy election, Phillips assured.

“We currently have the polling-place tool up and running (on the website),” she said. “It was down temporarily for awhile, being in limbo with the redistricting.”

How You Vote

It’s that little snafu: You can’t vote without registering.

Options abound: Folks can register on election day at their polling locations, or up to 24 hours before an election at the Elections Department or any city’s clerk’s office.

Photo ID and dated proof of residence are required for registration.

Mail-in registration cards are also available at idahovotes.gov.

Individuals can vote absentee in-person at the Elections Department three weeks prior to an election. The last day to request a ballot by mail is six days prior to an election.

All absentee voting closes at 5 p.m. the Friday before an election.

Only school district residents can vote in the upcoming March 13 school levy election, which includes two levy questions for Lakeland School District 272 and one levy question for Joint School District 391.

More information is available at the county Elections website.

Folks can also call the Elections office at: 446-1030.

“We want people to get the best information possible, and alleviate confusion of all the different things going on this year,” Phillips said.