TITLE 34

ELECTIONS

CHAPTER 21

ELECTION CONTESTS ACT

34-2108.  NOTICE OF CONTEST — LEGISLATIVE — EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT — GROUNDS — SERVICE — ANTICIPATED DISCOVERY. (1) Legislative contest. Within twenty (20) days after the election, whenever any elector of a legislative district chooses to contest the election of any member of the legislature from that district, the elector must give written notice of the contest and leave a copy of the notice of contest with the office of the secretary of state. The elector must make reasonable efforts to provide written notice of the contest to:

(a)  The person whose election the elector is contesting by serving the notice at the address of the person reflected on his declaration of candidacy filed with the office of the secretary of state; and

(b)  The secretary of the senate, if the election contest concerns an Idaho senate seat, or the chief clerk of the house of representatives, if the election contest concerns an Idaho house of representatives seat, at the statehouse in Boise.

(2)  Executive department contest. Within twenty (20) days after the election, whenever any elector of this state chooses to contest the validity of the election of any of the officers of the executive department of the state, the elector must give written notice of the contest and leave a copy of the notice of contest with the office of the secretary of state. The elector must make reasonable efforts to provide written notice of the contest to:

(a)  The person whose election the elector is contesting by serving the notice at the address that appears on the person’s declaration of candidacy filed with the office of the secretary of state;

(b)  The chief clerk of the house of representatives and the secretary of the senate at the statehouse in Boise.

(3)  Notification by secretary of state to legislature. On or before the first day of the legislature’s organizational session, the secretary of state must provide a copy of the notice of election contest to:

(a)  The secretary of the senate, if the election contest concerns an Idaho senate seat;

(b)  The chief clerk of the house of representatives, if the election contest concerns an Idaho house of representatives seat;

(c)  The secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the house of representatives, if the election contest concerns an officer of the executive department.

(4)  Grounds for contest. For any contest of election provided for in subsection (1) or (2) of this section, the notice of contest of election must include one (1) or more grounds upon which the election will be contested, as provided in section 34-2104, Idaho Code.

(5)  Anticipated discovery. In the notice of contest, the parties must identify anticipated initial discovery, including witnesses to be deposed and the anticipated date and location of depositions. Relevant additional discovery will be allowed by the parties.

(6)  Notice of contest may not be amended. A notice of contest required by this section may not be amended subsequent to the expiration of the twenty (20) days’ notice required in subsections (1) and (2) of this section.

History:

[34-2108, added 2017, ch. 293, sec. 2, p. 769.]