ELECTIONS – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the counting and adjudication of ballots.

This bill updates Idaho election laws to improve how ballots are counted, adjudicated, and audited. It requires county clerks to wait until all voting places across both time zones have closed before releasing statewide election results, while allowing earlier release for counties with only one time zone. The legislation also mandates that overvotes on paper ballots processed by machines be reviewed and corrected to reflect voter intent using the same standards as hand counting. Additionally, it establishes a mandatory postelection audit system where the secretary of state selects specific ballots for a hand recount and comparison, with provisions for public observation and the ability to order additional audits if problems are found. These changes directly affect election officials, candidates, and voters by standardizing procedures and increasing transparency in the vote counting process.