It’s Election Day, North Idaho.

Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. New voters can register at the polls; they’ll need a current photo ID, as well as proof of residence. 

Every Kootenai County voter has something to vote for during this election, whether it’s for Kootenai Hospital District trustee or a contested race for a seat on the Community Library Network board of trustees. 

Also appearing on the ballot are levies for the Lakeland and Post Falls school districts and a general obligation bond to support the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department. 

Voters who are unsure where to vote can use the “find your polling location” tool on voteidaho.gov or the “polling place look-up” tool on the county’s website, under www.kcgov.us/31/elections or use the similar tool at voteidaho.gov. 

Voters must vote at their designated polling places and cannot vote at the elections office today.  

It’s too late to mail completed absentee ballots because any ballots received after 8 p.m. today won’t be counted.  

Until 8 p.m., completed absentee ballots can be hand-delivered to the elections office, 1808 N. Third St., Coeur d’Alene. 

Voters who requested but have not yet returned absentee ballots can also go to their polling place and tell a poll worker they want to surrender their absentee ballot and instead vote in person. 

A little more than 5,000 Kootenai County voters requested absentee ballots. By the end of the day Monday, more than 4,000 of those ballots had been returned to the elections office. 

During the early voting period, which ended Friday, a total of 1,748 voters cast their ballots in Kootenai County. 

Elections staff estimate that between 30% and 35% of Kootenai County’s registered voters will participate in this election — a high turnout for a May election. 

Kootenai County Clerk Jennifer Locke noted that the candidates and issues on the ballot affect voter turnout. For instance, the May 2023 election came two months after school levies failed in the Coeur d’Alene and Lakeland school districts. When the levies ran again, they helped drive a 42% turnout. 

“We could see a higher turnout in Coeur d’Alene because of the general obligation bond,” Locke said. 

Contested candidate races in Kootenai County 

Community Library Network: Victoria Bauman, Michelle Lippert 

Kootenai Hospital District (1 seat): Elizabeth Godbehere, Luke Sommer 

Kootenai Hospital District (2 seats): Cynthia Clark, David Bobbitt, Karina Angiletta, certified write-in candidate Terri Seymour 

Green Ferry Water and Sewer District: Angelo Brunson, Carol Rassier