# Idaho H 0736: ELECTIONS – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the form and contents of ballots to be prepared by the Secretary of State. Idaho H 0736, ELECTIONS – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the form and contents of ballots to be prepared by the Secretary of State., is a 2026 regular legislative session House bill sponsored by STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE; status signed, last action 2026-03-30 (Reported Signed by Governor on March 26, 2026 Session Law Chapter 186 Effective: 07/01/2026) (as of 2026-10-11). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-H0736-2026 - 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 0736 - State: Idaho - Session: 2026 regular legislative session - Title: ELECTIONS – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the form and contents of ballots to be prepared by the Secretary of State. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-02-19 - Last action: 2026-03-30, Reported Signed by Governor on March 26, 2026 Session Law Chapter 186 Effective: 07/01/2026 - Sponsor: STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: ELECTIONS - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (102 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Idaho sets one ballot format statewide: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Secretary of State sets the official forms for all ballots and election papers statewide. This covers absentee and sample ballots, voting machine labels, candidacy papers, poll books, and tally sheets. The Secretary also sets the layout for where offices, candidates, and… - Rotating or random name order on ballots: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, areas with more than 25,000 registered voters use a name rotation method set by the Secretary of State for federal, state, county, and local offices. For other elections, the Secretary picks a random alphabet before each vote. Ballots list names using each candidate’s last-n… - One office per candidate on ballots: cost, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, a candidate cannot appear for more than one partisan office or more than one judicial office on the same ballot. A precinct committeeman candidate may also seek one other office on that ballot. This rule does not apply to presidential electors. Election officials enforce thi… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE - Cosponsor: Anne Henderson Haws (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: James D. Ruchti (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-24 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2026-03-05 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 68 | 1 | | ## Actions (20) - 2026-03-30: Reported Signed by Governor on March 26, 2026 Session Law Chapter 186 Effective: 07/01/2026 - 2026-03-26: Delivered to Governor at 12:58 p.m. on March 26, 2026 - 2026-03-26: Returned Signed by the President; Ordered Transmitted to Governor (Senate) - 2026-03-25: Signed by President; returned to House (Senate) - 2026-03-25: Received from the House enrolled/signed by Speaker (Senate) - 2026-03-25: Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to Senate (House) - 2026-03-24: Returned from Senate Passed; to JRA for Enrolling (House) - 2026-03-24: Read third time in full – PASSED - 34-0-1 (Senate) - 2026-03-18: Read second time; filed for Third Reading (Senate) - 2026-03-17: Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading (Senate) - 2026-03-06: Introduced, read first time; referred to: State Affairs (Senate) - 2026-03-06: Received from the House passed; filed for first reading (Senate) - 2026-03-05: Read Third Time in Full – PASSED - 68-1-1 (House) - 2026-03-04: U.C. to hold place on third reading calendar one legislative day (House) - 2026-03-03: U.C. to hold place on third reading calendar one legislative day (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) - 2026-02-20: Reported Printed and Referred to State Affairs (House) - 2026-02-19: 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/H0736.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/H0736.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) - [Idaho bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/idaho/bills) - [Idaho state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/idaho) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ID-H0736-2026 (as of 2026-10-11).