By Christina Lords | Editor-in-Chief
“If you want the most secure election possible, do not put artificial timelines and make us change things at the last second. If you’re doing that, I guarantee you there will be mistakes that are made — because we don’t have the time. We can’t back up an election.” - Trent Tripple, county clerk for Ada County
A voter deposits a mail-in ballot at the drop box outside the Chester County Government Center in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Photo by Peter Hall/Pennsylvania Capital-Star)
ELECTION 2026
Idaho election officials worry about mail-in ballot changes proposed by Trump administration
By Kyle Pfannenstiel
Across the country, state election officials are waiting to discover if federal courts will allow the Trump administration’s restrictions on mail-in voting to take effect.
In Idaho, like many other states, election officials are nervous the changes might come too close to the 2026 midterm elections, which are less than two months away on Nov. 3.
Sisters watch as a skid-steer loader pulls a tree in Highmore, South Dakota, on June 29, 2026, after a severe storm that morning. The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced it will reimburse eight South Dakota counties and three tribes for storm-related infrastructure fixes. (Photo by Meghan O’Brien/South Dakota Searchlight)
GOVERNMENT + POLITICS
FEMA is off the chopping block. But disaster aid is still a guessing game.
By Alex Brown
State leaders are breathing a sigh of relief that the Trump administration’s threats to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency have subsided.
But experts say there’s still confusion about President Donald Trump’s decisions to approve or deny disaster declarations, leaving states with uncertainty about whether they can expect federal recovery funds.
A guide leads horses and pack animals through a river crossing in Yellowstone National Park. (Photo by Clark Corbin/Idaho Capital Sun)
COMMENTARY
Redside Foundation provides mental health assistance to the West’s outdoor guides
By Chuck Malloy
The Idaho-based nonprofit also provides services to river, hunting and wilderness guides in states like Wyoming, Montana and Colorado, writes guest columnist Chuck Malloy.
MORE REGIONAL NEWS FROM US
Court says American Prairie bison can stay for now | Jordan Hansen
ICYMI
Shining a light on other Idaho politics reporting
Note: Some links may lead to stories behind a news organization's paywall
Lewiston Tribune: Fisheries managers concerned but not pushing steelhead panic button yet
Thanks for reading The Sunrise. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.