Election next Tuesday
After a quick spring campaign season (your mileage may vary with regard to the relative quickness, of course), the 2026 primary election will take place next Tuesday, May 19, with polling locations open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Soda Springs Precincts 1-4 will vote at the Tigert Middle School Gym at 250 E 3rd S.
Grace Precincts will vote at the Caribou County Event Center at 117 W 1st N in Grace.
Bancroft voters will report to the Lions Club building at 165 S. Main.
Wayan and Freedom are Mail Out precincts, and ballots must be returned to the courthouse by 8:00 p.m. on the 19th. Absentee ballots have the same deadline.
The sample ballots included in the paper may not look exactly the same as ballots for all voters, as there are a number of variations depending on party and location, which affect additional voting for the Precinct Committee positions. The precinct committeemen across the county are James McCulloch, Sharon Meals, Jackie Barthome, Lori Ann Lau, Hannah Beer, Colleen Price, Eric Hobson, Georganne Benson, Paige Messerly, and Nancy Smith.
Candidates for national, state legislative, and gubernatorial primary races can be found on ballots in such cases as there are primary candidates for the requested party (or unaffiliated) on the relevant ballot. There are not candidates for primaries for all positions from all parties, in other words.
Republican primary voters will find ballot choices for both County Commission seats up for election on their ballot. The districts represent different geographic areas in the county, but county residents vote on all commissioner races in the primary, in order to determine the candidates for the general election. In District 1, the race is contested by George Hulse, Tracy Davis, and Marty McCullough. In District 2, Bryce Somsen is running unopposed. Voters will choose a candidate from both districts, regardless of where they live in the county.
There are a number of statewide and legislative races on most ballots, with a large number of candidates for Governor, and US Representative and Senator positions.
For District 35 state representation, the contested primary race is between Rep. Mike Veile and former Rep Chad Christensen on the Republican side.
The District 6 Judicial election between Judge Cody Brower and Judge Aaron Thompson is unaffiliated, and serves as the general election contest, as judges are nonpartisan.
Questions about the election can be directed to the County Clerk’s office, at (208) 547-4324.
A Location and Accuracy Test was conducted recently by the Clerk’s office, and it was determined that the voting equipment and procedures were in good, working order.
It goes without saying, but exercising your right to vote is a critical part of keeping an open and transparent democracy both of those things – so please make your voice heard!
