Absentee ballots for the May 25 primary election are in, and Boundary County Clerk Glenda Poston wants voters to know they don't have to be unable to go to the polls that Tuesday to vote absentee ... any qualified county voter can use the absentee ballot to cast their vote.

“The absentee ballot can be used to make the process more convenient for the voter,” Poston said. “A lot of people think you have to be absent to use an absentee ballot, but that's never been the case. If you're in the courthouse on other business, you can stop in at the clerk's office and vote while you're here and save yourself a trip to the polls.”

In fact, you don't even have to come to the courthouse; you can visit the county website, http://www.boundarycountyid.org/clerk/absentee_ballot.pdf, and print out a request for an absentee ballot. Fill it out, mail it in and an absentee ballot will be sent to you.

While it won't take effect for the primary election, a new Idaho law that goes into effect July 1 will require that each voter going to the polls present valid photo identification before they can cast their ballot ... but the new law will not affect those voting absentee.

The Boundary County Clerk's office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and those wishing to vote absentee rather than make a trip to the polls May 25 can vote anytime during office hours. To find out more, call (208) 267-2242.