IDAHO INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM INSTRUCTIONS Step 1. Get Certificate of Review. Step 2. File the Petition (In Part). Step 3. Prepare and Circulate Finalized Petition. Step 4. File the Completed Petition. Step 5. Publish Optional Voter’s Pamphlets and Arguments Pro and Con.

Step 1) Get Certificate of Review. A copy of proposed petition is filed with 20 qualified Idaho electors’ signatures with the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State gives a copy to the Attorney General. Within 20 days, the Attorney General will review and make advisory recommendations to the petitioner. The Attorney General shall issue a certificate of review to the Secretary of State.

Step 2) File the Petition (In Part) After the Certificate of Review. Within 15 working days of certificate of review issuance, the petitioner may file it with the Secretary of State who will submit it to the Attorney General for assignment of long and short ballot titles. The Attorney General shall provide ballot titles within 10 working days. If the petitioner does not like the ballot titles, they may appeal to the Supreme Court within 20 days.

Step 3) Prepare and Circulate the Finalized Petition. The Secretary of State shall give the petitioner the approved form with the ballot titles and printing instructions. Prepare Petitions: Each signature sheet must have the initiative/petition attached to each signature sheet (to prove you have shown each signer the petition). Circulate: All signers must be from one county per sheet. Signers must be registered to vote at their current address.

Step 4) File the Petition. When completed take the form(s) to a notary public. Keeping the petition and signature sheets stapled together sign the bottom part of the signature sheet in front of the notary. File the notarized petitions with the County Clerk’s Election Office. (In some counties, you may have to collect the finished petitions to then file with the Secretary of State.)

Step 4) File the Petition (continued) All petitions for initiatives or referendums must have signatures of legal voters equal to no less than 6% of qualified electors in the last General Election in at least 18 Legislative districts; provided that the total number of signatures shall be equal to or greater than 6% of the qualified electors of the state in the last General Election.

Step 5) Publish Optional Voter’s Pamphlet and Arguments Pro & Con Any voter or group of voters may file an argument not to exceed 500 words for or against any measure, on or before July 20. Rebuttal Arguments not more than 250 words, to be submitted by August 1. Voter pamphlets may be printed and distributed by the Secretary of State no later than September 25.

AN INITIATIVE The power to propose laws, and enact the same at the polls by the people of Idaho, independent of the legislature, is known as the initiative. The petitioner has 18 months or until April 30 in the election year the initiative will be held, whichever comes first. Petitions to be submitted to the Secretary of State no later than May 1 st.

A REFERENDUM The power to approve or reject at the polls any act or measure passed by the legislature is known as the referendum. The people of Idaho can demand a referendum vote on any act or measure passed by the legislature and submitted to a vote of the people for their approval or rejection. The petitioner has no more than 60 days after the final adjournment of the session of the state legislature which passed on the bill on which the referendum is demanded.

Notes The entire content may be accessed at: To see number of registered voters by Legislative District, go to General Election Registration by Legislative District.