Early voters flood Election Dept

Voters have waited in long lines all week at the Kootenai County elections office to cast early ballots in Tuesday’s presidential election.

They’re there early each morning, on their lunch breaks and all through the day.

“We have been slammed,” said Carrie Phillips, the county elections manager.

Over 750 people waited in line to vote at the office Wednesday, with some waiting up to an hour to get their ballots. Dozens are lined up each morning before the office opens at 8 a.m.

“We came by yesterday and the line was out the door, so we went and did other errands,” said Jeanne Weaver of Post Falls. “I’m saying my prayers, I will tell you.”

Her husband John Weaver said he’s encouraged by the lines.

“I think it’s good that people are engaged, that maybe they were lackadaisical over the last I don’t know how many elections,” he said. “So that’s good.”

Idaho still conducts poll elections, rather than mail voting like in Washington and Oregon. But a wave of Idaho voters are casting absentee ballots ahead of Election Day.

Over 7,500 Kootenai County residents have voted this way so far. That’s about 10 percent of the registered voters/Scott Maben, SR. More here.