Latah County Reports 35% Voter Turnout in Tuesday Primary, Topping 2022 Numbers
Latah County election officials say Tuesday’s primary election drew solid participation, with voter turnout reaching 35% of registered voters — a notable improvement over the last comparable primary four years ago.
Latah County Auditor Julie Fry said she had anticipated even stronger numbers given the volume of campaign spending leading up to Election Day, but the final tally still represented meaningful progress. The 2022 primary, the last equivalent election cycle, recorded just 29% turnout, making this year’s result a six-point gain.
Turnout Steady, Though Below November Levels
While Tuesday’s numbers outpaced the 2022 primary, they fell short of the November city of Moscow elections, which drew roughly 1,000 more voters. Poll workers at the University of Idaho’s Bruce M. Pitman Center — serving five precincts — reported a calm, manageable pace throughout most of the morning, with just a handful of voters present at any given time.
That stood in sharp contrast to the November 2024 general election, when some University of Idaho polling locations saw voters waiting for hours. Poll worker Connie Brumm attributed the lighter flow in part to the academic calendar. “The ones that are voting, most of them are voting at home or have voted early and have gone away,” Brumm noted.
The University of Idaho location served precincts 1, 8, 13, 16, and 18.
Absentee Ballots, Logistics, and Location Changes
A significant number of voters chose to hold their absentee ballots rather than mail them early. Fry said the county was flooded with absentee drop-offs on Election Day itself after a slower-than-expected return rate in the days prior. “Absentees have been slow, but today we’re getting hammered,” she said Tuesday.
Leading up to the election, some community members raised concerns about the logistics of long poll-worker shifts and potential voter confusion stemming from a change in the early voting location. Early voting, which had previously been conducted at the county courthouse, was relocated to the Latah County Fairgrounds after officials determined the courthouse lacked adequate space.
Despite those concerns, Fry confirmed that all poll worker positions were filled and that no polling locations reported any delays or significant disruptions throughout the day.
The Pitman Center voting site also saw a change in location this cycle, which had been flagged as a potential source of confusion for voters unfamiliar with the updated precinct setup.
What Comes Next
With the primary now concluded, attention shifts to November’s general election. Candidates who advanced Tuesday will head into the fall campaign season, which historically draws far greater turnout across Latah County. Fry and county election staff will also begin reviewing this cycle’s logistics, including the early voting site move to the fairgrounds and poll worker scheduling, as officials assess what adjustments, if any, to carry forward. Residents interested in the races that advanced from Tuesday’s ballot can follow continued coverage at IdahoNews.co for statewide results and analysis.