Voter party affiliation cards now available

The Elmore County courthouse elections office is now accepting party affiliation registrations.

The registrations are part of a new law enacted by the legislature this year, designed primarily to close the GOP primary election. Only registered Republicans will be allowed to vote in the GOP primary.

Following a lengthy legal battle with the secretary of state's office by Region 4 GOP Chairman Rod Beck, the courts ruled that Republicans had a right to determine with whom they associated. Beck had argued that Democrats often switched over to the GOP primary and cast ballots for candidates not representative of Republican philosophy. That opened the door to closing the primary.

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