An agreement between Latah County commissioners and the University of Idaho to allow the county to use the Bruce M. Pitman Center as a polling location was finalized on Wednesday, making it the first on campus polling location since 2016.
The first use of the polling location will be on May 19 for Idaho’s Primary Election. Moscow residents within the 8th Precinct and the 16th Precinct will vote at the Pitman, as these precincts encompass most university living groups and neighboring housing, a significant portion of those voting at the Pitman will be UI students.
The agreement, effective through June 30, 2025, will renew annually through June 30, 2030.
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Latah County Clerk, Auditor and Recorder Henrianne Westberg said her goal is to include all student living groups in the 8th and 16th precincts residence halls, Greek housing and nearby apartments — but can only do so after the completion of the 2020 census.
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Idaho law prohibits counties from moving precinct lines the year of and the year before a census. Currently, the 8th and 16th precincts exclude Nez Perce Drive and Blake Street, where many students in fraternity and sorority life live.
The March 10 presidential primary election will remain at the other voting locations in Moscow, the Latah County Fairgrounds and the Hamilton Indoor Recreation Center.
Immediately after the presidential primary, letters will be sent to registered voters affected by the change, alerting them of their new precinct, Westberg said. Letters that don’t get delivered because of address changes will go back to the courthouse.
Westberg said people might be purged by the system as Latah County commissioners clean up the precincts.
If residents have questions regarding their polling place for the upcoming elections, they should contact the Latah County Courthouse.
Visit the Idaho Votes website to find your current precinct and polling location or check out the City of Moscow’s precinct map.
Angela Palermo can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @angelapalermo