The Ada County Commissioners approved a resolution this week changing some of the county’s precinct boundaries and creating additional precincts –- which officials say will impact thousands of Ada County voters.
Two precincts will be combined into other precincts, seven new precincts will be created, and over 30 precincts will have their boundary lines altered in some manner, according to Ada County spokesperson Kate McGwire.
Altogether, approximately 16,000 voters will be affected by these changes. “Over the next several weeks, Ada County Elections will update its website to reflect these specific changes and send notices out to each of the voters impacted by the resolution,” McGwire stated.
When Ada County last changed its precincts in 2012, it based those changes, in part, on its official 2010 population -- 392,265 people.
In July of last year, the Idaho Department of Labor projected that Ada County’s population had grown to 453,229. “The uptick in population has increased the number of voters in many precincts, leading to longer lines and waiting periods during some elections,” McGwire said.
“This resolution will not eliminate all potential election issues. However, by accounting for the population shifts and growth that have taken place in Ada County, along with other factors, such as available polling places, this resolution should help ensure that voters have a positive experience when they go to cast their ballots,” she added.
To get more information about Ada County elections, you can visit www.AdaCountyElections.com.
