Idaho’s Republican presidential primary election cost taxpayers $1.9 million this year, coming in just slightly under what state officials originally estimated. Idaho lawmakers agreed to move the presidential primary from May to March in 2015. The conservative-dominated Statehouse argued that doing so would allow the Gem State to play a bigger role in deciding the presidential nominee. The state’s Republican and Constitutional parties participated in the bumped up election — though Constitutional party votes made up just 500 of the 222,000 votes cast. While Idaho’s Democratic Party had the option to also participate in the primary, minority party lawmakers objected to the move. They argued that taxpayers should not pay for a separate partisan election, particularly because the Idaho GOP primary is only open to registered Republicans.
At the time, proponents said creating a separate election for the presidential primary would cost $2 million. Election expenditures include rental fees for voting poll sites, paying poll workers, printing costs for the ballots and postage.
“It costs money for freedom,” said David Johnston, executive director of the Idaho Republican Party. “And we think it’s worthwhile to give Idahoans a voice and get them engaged.”
Johnston added that the presidential primary saw record voter turnout, which had a high number of newly registered Republicans.
Full Article: GOP presidential primary cost state $1.9 million | Idaho Business Review.