Idaho plunges into GOP caucus

Idaho Republicans will go to the polls Saturday — but they’ll need to take care to go to the right polls.

The party will hold presidential caucuses at 210 sites throughout the state, where voters will select from six GOP candidates: former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, businessman and author Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and businessman and pastor Ryan L. Binkley.

DeSantis, Ramaswamy, Christie and Binkley have all suspended their campaigns but will appear on the ballot anyway.

There are several ways Saturday’s caucus will differ from a traditional primary. The process is being handled by Republican officials and volunteers rather than county election officials, and voters will go to sites that, in general, aren’t their traditional polling places.

There are other rules to keep in mind. Only those who were registered as Republicans as of Dec. 31 may vote and they must bring a photo ID. All caucus sites in north central Idaho will open at 11 a.m.

The format Saturday is a “firehouse caucus” in which there is just one round of voting. The last time Idaho used a caucus format was in 2012, and multiple rounds of voting kept people at some polling places for hours.

GOP officials have taken steps to avoid a drawn-out process this time. Short videos from the candidates will be shown, and then voting will commence. And if voters are in a particular hurry, they can skip the videos, cast their ballot and leave, according to Nez Perce County GOP chairperson Nick Woods.

“The goal is for people to be there for the caucus, but everybody has a life — we know they’re busy,” Woods said. “If they can’t stay for the full presentation, they can proceed to vote, and then they can leave.”

All voting will be done on paper ballots and the votes will be counted at the site in front of anyone who sticks around. The tallies will then be submitted to the state GOP, which will tally the votes and announce the results.

All of Idaho’s delegates will be awarded to the winning candidate if they get more than 50% of the total votes. Otherwise, the delegates will be awarded proportionally among the candidates.

As is the case nationally, Trump appears to be the frontrunner in Idaho.

The Idaho Legislature passed a bill in 2023 that inadvertently eliminated the state’s presidential primary. The state’s Republicans responded by scheduling Saturday’s caucus while Democrats in Idaho will hold a caucus May 23.

Based on past caucuses in Idaho, turnout will probably be lower than what a presidential primary usually attracts, said Dan Schoenberg, chairperson of the Latah County GOP.

“We plan for 25% turnout as a high mark, just to have enough facility space to manage that,” he said. “But at this juncture, I wouldn’t anticipate we’re going to reach 25%.”

Woods said that a good aspect of the caucus is the chance it affords Republicans to gather and “hear multiple voices and concerns about today’s politics.”

Schoenberg said he’s in favor of the format that draws the most voters.

“I think in any election — whether we’re talking about nonpartisan city races or we’re talking about primaries or general elections — the more voter participation you have, the better you have a representation of what the communities believe.”

Idaho Republicans have created a website, idahorepublicancaucus.com, that has details about the caucus.

Schoenberg said Latah County Republicans can email chair@latahGOP.org if they have questions. Woods offered his cellphone number, (208) 790-9867, to Nez Perce County Republicans who have questions.

Woods asked voters to be patient with the check-in process Saturday, which could take some time.

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO CAUCUS SITES

DOORS OPEN AT 11 A.M. AT EACH SITE

CLEARWATER COUNTY

Orofino Jr/Sr High School, 300 Dunlap Road, Orofino, serving Precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11 and 14. Contact: LeeAnn Callear, leeann@callear.org.

Timberline High School, 22869 Highway 11, Weippe, serving Precincts 6, 9 and 12. Contact: Dale Christian, dalec4weippe@gmail.com.

Jim White Residence, 416 White Birch Lane, Greer, serving Precinct 7. Contact: Jim White, jdwhitescme9@gmail.com.

Elk River City Hall Annex, 112 S. Second St., Elk River, serving Precinct 13. Contact: Scott Hill, shill@sahconcultingllc.com.

IDAHO COUNTY

Cottonwood City Hall, 506 King St., Cottonwood, serving Precincts 1, 3, 4, 7, 8 and 18. Contact: Ted Schumacher, tedschum71@yahoo.com.

Clearwater Valley Jr/Sr High School, 4643 Highway 13, Kooskia, serving Precincts 15, 2, 24, 19, 17 and 20. Contact: Elroy Taylor, speedyquick2@gmail.com.

Elk City Elementary School, 100 American River Road, Elk City, serving Elk City Precinct. Contact: Patricia Menough, scoutlady99577@yahoo.com.

Grangeville Elementary/Middle School, 400 S. Idaho Ave., Grangeville, serving Precincts 1-5 and Fenn. Contact: Cherylyn Kerley, ckkerley@yahoo.com.

Glenwood-Caribel Fire Station, 402 Caribel Road, Kamiah, serving Glover and Woodland Precincts. Contact: Ronald Buck, alsiaron18310@gmail.com.

IOOF Hall, 149 River St., White Bird, serving White Bird, Slate Creek 1 and Joseph Plains Precincts. Contact: Roy Farmer II, rfarmer@bta.us.com.

Riggins Community Center, 121 Lodge St., Riggins, serving Precincts 22, 21 and 27. Contact: Norman Hansen, mospuds@startmail.com.

LATAH COUNTY

Moscow High School auditorium, 402 E. Fifth St., Moscow, serving Precincts 1, 2, 8, 13, 16, 18 and 21. Contact: Alex Greig, alex.greig.1@gmail.com.

Bear Den, Moscow Middle School, 1410 E. D St., Moscow, serving Precincts 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 17. Contact: Renae Bafus, renaebafus@gmail.com.

Deary High School, 502 First Ave., Deary, serving Precincts 19, 29, 32 and 39. Contact: James Fry, fryfamily91@protonmail.com.

Potlatch High School gym, 130 Sixth St., Potlatch, serving Precincts 20, 22, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31 and 37. Contact: Wendy Bouma, wen95be@gmail.com.

Juliaetta Elementary School, 305 Fourth St., Juliaetta, serving Precincts 23, 24, 25. Contact: Lorraine Warner, warner86@live.com.

LEWIS COUNTY

American Legion Hall, 420 Maple St., Nezperce, serving Precincts 1 and 7. Contact: Michelle Lyons, mlyons38@gmail.com.

Kamiah Senior Center, 125 N. Maple St., Kamiah, serving West Kamiah and East Kamiah Precincts. Contact: Anthony LeRue, stoneyridgefarm@pm.me.

Craigmont City Hall, 109 E. Main St., Craigmont, serving Precincts 4, 5, 6 and 8. Contact: Christina Thomason, tina@connectwireless.us.

NEZ PERCE COUNTY

Jenifer Middle School, 1213 16th St., Lewiston, serving Precincts 1, 4, 5, 7, 19, 26, 27 and 32. Contact: Lori Ann McCann, lmccann@wvmccann.com.

Sacajawea Middle School, 3610 12th St., Lewiston, serving Precincts 10, 14, 17, 18, 20 and 21. Contact: Daniel Crawford, daniel.crawford423@gmail.com.

Centennial Elementary School, 815 Burrell Ave., Lewiston, serving Precincts 9, 11, 13, 15, 16 and 23. Contact: Jack Thomason, firstclass380@hotmail.com.

Wheatland Fire Protection District, 7301 Lapwai Road, Lewiston, serving Precinct 24. Contact: Bill Hobbs, redpheasantwater@gmail.com.

Lenore Community Center, 37950 U.S. Highway 12, Lenore, serving Precinct 28. Contact: Kimberly Pospychalla, rnkim@hotmail.com.

Big Canyon Fire District Station 1, 20688 Big Canyon Road, Peck, serving Precinct 29. Contact: J.K. O’Connell, gunpeck@yahoo.com.

Gifford Community Center, 34185 Church St., Lenore, serving Precinct 30. Contact: Gene Butler, rr.rosetta39@gmail.com.

Culdesac City Hall and Community Center, 100 Sixth St., Culdesac, serving Precinct 31. Contact: Brian Bomar, brianalanbomar@gmail.com.

Orchards Elementary School, 3429 12th St., Lewiston, serving Precincts 2, 3, 6, 8, 12 and 22. Contact: Kyle Harris, kylenharris1234@gmail.com.

Hanger, 20341 Red Bird Road, Lewiston, serving Precinct 25. Contact: Luke Baldwin, coffee_luke@yahoo.com.

Baney may be contacted at mbaney@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2262. Follow him on X @MattBaney_Trib.