Our View - Redo, June 11, 2008: Mail-in balloting has its advantages

Editor's note: Ten years ago, there was a push by several Latah County officials for Idaho to run vote-by-mail elections. We supported the effort then, and we still think it is a great idea. It would encourage more voter participation and provide a ballot paper trail. We also know it has worked efficiently in Washington state - well, at least outside of areas overseen by the Whitman County Elections Department.

Sound democracies don't exist without public participation.

Low turnout at the polls doesn't exactly ensure that elected officials are representative of their constituency, so it's understandable Latah County officials feel compelled to get more people involved in the political process via mail-in balloting.

County Commissioner Tom Stroschein is among a group of county leaders who've called for Idaho legislators to consider giving them the option of running vote-by-mail elections.

The concept certainly has merit, or Washington, Oregon and several other states wouldn't have opted to go that route.

Rather than ask voters to put their busy lives aside to do their civic duty on a specific day, the ballots show up in their mailboxes and make their way to their coffee tables or countertops, where they can eventually be read, mulled over and - ideally - filled out and returned.

Making it optional is a reasonable idea for legislators to consider. Some counties may prefer sending out ballots rather than setting up polling booths, and those who aren't particularly keen on the idea can maintain the status quo.

Stroschein and County Auditor Susan Petersen believe more voters will take part in the process if it is taken to their front porches. They pointed to the May 27 primary election, in which 11.5 percent of registered voters showed up at the polls, as an example.

That probably isn't very indicative of a normal election. There was only one contested race at the county level, and the presidential primary was rendered moot by the Democratic caucus in February.

We might add that the county's Democratic caucus saw a record turnout, indicating many voters want their voices to be heard in races that pique their interest.

Still, legislators need to listen intently to the specified needs of county and election officials.

Having the option to run vote-by-mail elections is a tool many of them would like to have, and anything that benefits Idaho's counties and their voters benefits the state as a whole.