Confused by Idaho Election Commercials? Here's Guidance

If you belong to an organization should you be asked to follow the organization’s rules? It appears to depend on who makes the rules. That was my impression this week after speaking with Idaho Republican Party Chair Dorothy Moon and a rival within her party. If Moon’s faction writes the platform, the establishment says it’s not required to toe the line. If the establishment writes the platform then it should be followed by everyone in the party.

Just before Primary Day, the state GOP has listed current legislators who are on board, and those who aren’t. You can look at the lists here. It’s designed to inform voters. That’s not an endorsement. Perhaps you believe our elected politicians should have some wiggle room. Either way, it could be a handy guide before voting.

There are now multiple voter guides floating about, and some are tailored to your interests. There are guides for farmers, developers, business owners, and first responders. But be careful, some guides are issued by some groups who’ve got an ax to grind. If you aren’t sure about the veracity, then ask some trusted friends and neighbors what they know. The latter approach can help if a candidate has no voting history. Instead, you can build a picture of them on character reviews.

The party is also issuing platform ratings. These figures are based on voting records and applied to the platform. If you have a question for a candidate, ask them directly for an explanation. Sometimes they make votes because there are items buried in a bill and unrelated that they can’t support.