# Idaho H 0697: ELECTIONS – Repeals and adds to existing law to provide for the crime of illegal voting, to provide for the crime of interference with an election, and to provide for the crime of tampering with voting machines or vote tally systems.

Idaho H 0697, ELECTIONS – Repeals and adds to existing law to provide for the crime of illegal voting, to provide for the crime of interference with an election, and to provide for the crime of tampering with voting machines or vote tally systems., is a 2026 regular legislative session House bill sponsored by JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE; status signed, last action 2026-03-20 (Reported Signed by Governor on March 19, 2026 Session Law Chapter 63 Effective: 07/01/2026) (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-H0697-2026
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Idaho H 0697
- State: Idaho
- Session: 2026 regular legislative session
- Title: ELECTIONS – Repeals and adds to existing law to provide for the crime of illegal voting, to provide for the crime of interference with an election, and to provide for the crime of tampering with voting machines or vote tally systems.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-02-16
- Last action: 2026-03-20, Reported Signed by Governor on March 19, 2026 Session Law Chapter 63 Effective: 07/01/2026
- Sponsor: JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: ELECTIONS
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (103 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- New felony crimes for election abuse: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, Idaho creates new felony crimes tied to elections. Illegal voting is a felony: voting when not allowed, voting twice, or knowingly handing in two or more ballots folded together. Election interference is a felony: changing or adding ballots to change results, or carrying off…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: JUDICIARY, RULES AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
- Cosponsor: Treg A. Bernt (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Dan Garner (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-16 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 35 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 68 | 0 |   |

## Actions (18)

- 2026-03-20: Reported Signed by Governor on March 19, 2026 Session Law Chapter 63 Effective: 07/01/2026
- 2026-03-19: Delivered to Governor at 4:22 p.m. on March 18, 2026
- 2026-03-18: Returned Signed by the President; Ordered Transmitted to Governor (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Signed by President; returned to House (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Received from the House enrolled/signed by Speaker (Senate)
- 2026-03-17: Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to Senate (House)
- 2026-03-17: Returned from Senate Passed; to JRA for Enrolling (House)
- 2026-03-16: Read third time in full – PASSED - 35-0-0 (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Read second time; filed for Third Reading (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Introduced, read first time; referred to: State Affairs (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Received from the House passed; filed for first reading (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Read Third Time in Full – PASSED - 68-0-2 (House)
- 2026-03-02: U.C. to hold place on third reading calendar one legislative day (House)
- 2026-02-27: Read second time; Filed for Third Reading (House)
- 2026-02-26: Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading (House)
- 2026-02-17: Reported Printed and Referred to Judiciary, Rules & Administration (House)
- 2026-02-16: Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for Printing (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2026/legislation/H0697.pdf)

## Related bills

- H 0939: HUNTING – Amends existing law regarding the use of certain technologies. (signed)
- H 0810: ELECTIONS – Amends existing law to provide certain physical presence requirements for state representatives and senators. (signed)
- S 1356: SINGLE COUNTYWIDE HIGHWAY DISTRICTS – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the election of commissioners in certain single countywide highway dis… (signed)
- S 1359: VIRTUAL CURRENCY KIOSK FRAUD PREVENTION ACT – Adds to existing law to establish the Virtual Currency Kiosk Fraud Prevention Act. (vetoed)
- S 1362: APPROPRIATIONS – PUBLIC SCHOOLS – Relates to the appropriation to the Public Schools Educational Support Program for fiscal year 2027. (signed)
- S 1448: MINORS – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding material harmful to minors. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2026/legislation/H0697.pdf)

## Related
- [H 0939: HUNTING – Amends existing law regarding the use of certain technologies.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-H0939-2026)
- [H 0810: ELECTIONS – Amends existing law to provide certain physical presence requiremen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-H0810-2026)
- [S 1356: SINGLE COUNTYWIDE HIGHWAY DISTRICTS – Amends existing law to revise provisions…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-S1356-2026)
- [S 1359: VIRTUAL CURRENCY KIOSK FRAUD PREVENTION ACT – Adds to existing law to establish…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-S1359-2026)
- [S 1362: APPROPRIATIONS – PUBLIC SCHOOLS – Relates to the appropriation to the Public Sc…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-S1362-2026)
- [S 1448: MINORS – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding material harmful to…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-S1448-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-H0697-2026 (as of 2026-10-11).