Kootenai County Primary Election Day Underway with Contested Races, School and Fire District Levies on Ballot
Kootenai County voters are heading to the polls today, Tuesday, May 20, as North Idaho’s 2026 primary election gets underway. Polling locations across the county are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with contested races spanning county offices, state legislative seats, a nonpartisan judicial contest, and local ballot measures including school and fire district levies.
What’s on the Ballot
Every Kootenai County voter will see a contested nonpartisan race for district judge on their ballot, with candidates Ben Allen and Lisa Chesebro facing off. Beyond that, a voter’s options depend heavily on their party registration.
Idaho law permits political parties to set their own rules about who may vote in their primaries. As a result, voters registered with the Republican or Libertarian parties may only vote in their respective party primaries. Unaffiliated voters have a few choices: they may select a nonpartisan ballot — covering only the judicial race and any applicable local measures — or choose a Democratic primary ballot without changing their registration. Those who wish to participate in the Republican or Libertarian primaries can switch their affiliation at the polls today.
“Your party affiliation does affect your options,” said Kootenai County Elections Manager Asa Gray, urging voters to review sample ballots before arriving at their polling place, particularly those unfamiliar with how primary elections work. Sample ballots are available at voteidaho.gov, which also includes a “Where do I vote?” lookup tool for voters who are unsure of their assigned polling location.
In addition to candidate races, voters will weigh in on a levy for the Lakeland Joint School District and a levy for Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, depending on their residence.
Contested Races in Kootenai County
Several county offices and state legislative seats feature competitive Republican primary matchups. Contested races include:
- Kootenai County Commissioner District 1 (Republican): John Padula vs. Julie Hensley
- Kootenai County Commissioner District 1 (Republican): Bruce Mattare vs. Steve Em
- Kootenai County Assessor (Republican): Bela Kovacs vs. Allyson Knapp
- Kootenai County Treasurer (Republican): Teresa Mallery vs. Carlos Zamora
- Kootenai County Clerk (Republican): Jennifer Locke vs. John Samuelson
- District Judge (Nonpartisan): Ben Allen vs. Lisa Chesebro
- Idaho House of Representatives, District 3A (Republican): Vito Barbieri vs. Eric Seeley
- Idaho House of Representatives, District 4B (Republican): Elaine Price vs. Christa Hazel
Early Voting Turnout Breaks Recent Records
Officials say early participation in this primary surpassed recent cycles. A total of 3,617 ballots were cast during the two-week early voting period — a stronger showing than the comparable early voting periods in both the 2022 and 2024 primary elections.
“We hit it out of the park for early voting,” said Kootenai County Clerk Jennifer Locke.
Gray attributed the increased early turnout to a growing registered voter base in Kootenai County, greater familiarity with early voting options from recent elections, and broader public outreach from candidates and community groups highlighting the availability of early balloting.
Elections staff are projecting an overall primary turnout of between 30% and 40% of Kootenai County’s registered voters, with roughly 10% of that total coming from absentee and early votes already cast.
Absentee Ballot Deadlines and Voting Options
Voters who received an absentee ballot but have not yet returned it should be aware that mailing it today is no longer a viable option — any ballot arriving after 8 p.m. tonight will not be counted. Completed absentee ballots can still be hand-delivered to the Kootenai County Elections Office at 1808 N. Third St., Coeur d’Alene through 8 p.m.
Alternatively, absentee voters who prefer to cast their ballot in person can surrender their absentee ballot at their assigned polling place and vote there instead.
New voters registering at the polls today will need a current photo ID and proof of Idaho residence.
For broader context on Idaho government and statewide races, additional coverage is available at Idaho News. Local Kootenai County readers can also stay current on related county news, including a recent KCSO investigation into a domestic battery incident involving the Rathdrum City Mayor.