Idaho’s upcoming Nov. 3 general election top focus for Boise No Kings protest

Early voting, which begins Monday in many of Idaho’s 44 counties, was a focus of Boise’s fourth No Kings protest on Saturday. Idaho’s capital joined similar demonstrations nationwide. 

Speakers urged Idahoans to vote, volunteer with campaigns, and speak to friends and neighbors about candidates and ballot issues that matter to them ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. 

Boise resident Lydia Aitchison, 31, who came to the Saturday event with her two sisters Nicki and Zarah, said she believes peaceful protest is part of her “civic duty to show what’s important to counters and to our country.” 

“And what’s important to us is non-tyrannical elements of government,” Aitchison said. 

For her, restoring legal abortion through Idaho’s ballot initiative, Proposition 1, was a top issue in the upcoming election. 

“I think people are so afraid of late-term abortions that they are taking away so many rights from a mother, and creating so much additional heartbreak,” Aitchison said. “And I think the question of making that choice for people is unconstitutional. I think that is someone’s specific right.” 

Zarah Aitchison, 20, said one of her top election priorities was keeping AI data centers out of Idaho. Nicki Aitchison, 27, said she wanted to see change in Idaho’s top elected positions, especially governor. 

In the 2026 election, voters will weigh in on all of Idaho’s statewide elected officials — such as governor, attorney general, secretary of state, and more — as well as two U.S. House seats, a U.S. Senate position, and all 105 seats in the Idaho state Legislature. 

Boise resident Roy Heberger, an 81-year-old retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist, said that amid this election, he’s very concerned about what’s happening in the federal government, primarily from President Donald Trump. 

“What he’s been doing is pulling the United States down,” Heberger said. “I’m very concerned about preserving our representative democracy.” 

He also underscored cuts to science in federal agencies. 

Randy French, 71, is another Boise resident and said he’s also concerned about Idaho officials who have supported the presidential administration. At the state level, he didn’t support recent legislative actions to cut income taxes, while he thought more money should go toward education. 

“When I went to college here, the state paid a much bigger part of college tuition,” French said. “And now it’s shifted to individuals.” 

Lisa Jones, 56, said she’s a retired healthcare worker and restoring legal abortion was a top issue for her this upcoming election, as well as addressing climate change. 

She also said she’s concerned about division nationwide. 

“What is happening and how people perceive and how people respond and react to one another is, I’ve never seen it before,” Jones said. “There’s so much hate.” 

Early voting runs until Oct. 30. Voters may find out if their county offers the option through their county clerk’s website. Absentee ballots may be requested from the Idaho Secretary of State until 5 p.m. Oct. 23. 

In-person Election Day voting will take place 8 a.m. to 8 p.m on Nov. 3. The Secretary of State’s Office has an online tool to find voters’ polling locations, which vary depending on home address.