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“When I first took office, I had a significant list of things that I wanted to get done, and it seemed that everything had an IT or technological component to it. We found some limiting factors in our existing technology and immediately set out a process to remove those limitations,” Denney said.
In 2016, the Secretary’s office began to seek both the funding and the legislative support to begin a number of IT initiatives, one of which was to clear the way for Online Voter Registration in Idaho. That bill passed during the 2016 session, with project implementation starting that July.
In connection with the new Online Voter Registration system, the Secretary’s office completely redesigned the logo and website for IdahoVotes.gov, the new address for the online registration system. Idahoans can use IdahoVotes.gov to search for their polling location, see if they are currently registered, or check on an absentee ballot. Now, with an Idaho Driver’s License or State Issued ID Card, they can also register to vote or update an existing registration.
“Today, our vision becomes a reality,” Denney said. “Idahoans can now register to vote, online, wherever they are. Combining this new Online Voter Registration functionality, the all new look of the Idaho Votes site, and all of the thought that went into this, this is a big day.”
To improve accessibility, the site was reviewed and feedback incorporated from the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. To accommodate the different voting calendars of counties, the site recognizes when a potential registration is beyond the registration deadline and prompts the user to print the registration and take it with them to the polls.
“Because of the thought that went into the design, the system doesn’t have to ‘shut down,’" Denney said. "It just handles the registration appropriately, advises the voter of the deadline and provides the options for completing the registration.”
The rollout of the site was coordinated to allow time to provide training and media resources to all Idaho counties.