A View from the Valley
By Georgia Earley
Government credibility and election integrity have become prominent political topics during the past decade, and particularly with the recent introduction of the SAVE Act which may significantly affect our voting procedures. Below is an excerpt from an email that I recently sent to our Idaho Senators and Representatives:
“I am writing as a constituent to share a perspective on public confidence in government and our elections.
Recent polling from the Pew Research Center and other organizations indicates that 62% of Americans believe the federal government has accumulated too much power, and that 80% expect Congress to exercise more independent judgment when evaluating the actions of any presidential administration. That number is up from 70% in early 2025. These findings suggest that voters value a strong system of checks and balances and expect decisions to be based on verified information, especially regarding our elections.
Confidence in elections is fundamental to our democracy. Public discourse and policy decisions should be grounded in credible data and transparent information to sustain trust in both our electoral process and the fairness and integrity of our governing institutions. To help strengthen that trust, more opportunities for public engagement—such as legislative referrals and especially public debates—need to be incorporated into the governing process.
To help instill public confidence in the fairness of Congress, I respectfully urge that any legislation under consideration that changes our voting laws:
- Provide sufficient time for voters to learn about and obtain any new identification requirements before an election.
- Include funding to help cover the cost of obtaining required documents, including birth or marriage certificates, to avoid placing undue burdens on voters and to prevent potential conflicts with the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
- Maintain the states’ primary role in election administration, consistent with Article I, Section 4 of the United States Constitution.
- Preserve the option of voting by mail.
Protecting both election integrity and voter access is essential to maintaining confidence in our democratic process. Thank you for your consideration.”
Note: If you’d like to write an email to our Idaho Senators and Representatives, below is their contact information.
Senator Mike Crapo: Email Me | U.S. Senator Mike CrapoU.S. Senator Mike Crapo (.gov)https://www.crapo.senate.gov › contact › email-me
Senator Jim Risch: (only allows 1500 character count) E-mail – James E Risch, U.S. Senator for IdahoSenator Risch (.gov)https://www.risch.senate.gov › public › index.cfm › email
Representative Mike Simpson: 2nd District of … – Contact | U.S. Congressman Mike SimpsonHouse.govhttps://simpson.house.gov › contact
Representative Russ Fulcher: Email Me – U.S. Congressman Russ Fulcher – House.govU.S. Congressman Russ Fulcher (.gov)https://fulcher.house.gov › Contact
Thank you for writing! “Public discourse and policy decisions should be grounded in credible data and transparent information to sustain trust in both our electoral process and the fairness and integrity of our governing institutions,” is a key statement.
Our elections process has been undermined by FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt). FUD is a manipulative technique. It does not rely on facts.
I am glad Secretary of State Phil McGrane is on the job. His hesitancy to share our personal data with the feds is understandable and fits with Idaho’s long standing concerns about federal overreach.
Many of us remember Ronald Reagan saying, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”
Idaho does not need the kind of elections help the feds are pushing.