After much debate and testimony on both sides, the House State Affairs Committee has voted 8-7 in favor of HB 150, a proposal from freshman Rep. Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello, to limit early voting statewide in Idaho to the time period from three weeks before the election to from one week before. “It doesn’t get closer than that,” Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, commented after the vote.

Backers said it would set a consistent standard statewide; opponents said there’s no need for a consistent statewide standard, and counties set their early voting times to meet their local residents’ needs. The bill now moves to the full House for debate.

Here’s how the vote broke down:

Voting yes: Reps. Loertscher, Monks, Luker, Crane, Palmer, Holtzclaw, Armstrong and Manwaring.

Voting no: Reps. Barbieri, Harris, Scott, Giddings, Zito, Smith and Jordan.