Kootenai County Schedules Public L&A Test for May Tabulators

The Kootenai County Elections Office posted a public notice on Feb. 24, 2026, announcing the scheduled Public Logic & Accuracy (L&A) Test for the county’s vote tabulators. The notice said, “The test is a required step in election administration that demonstrates tabulators will correctly count votes fo”

State election guidance and practice underscore the purpose of such tests. VoteIdaho states, “Paper Ballots – All Idaho voters vote using a paper ballot. The paper ballot serves as the official record, not the images or data stored by the voting equipment. During any audit, challenge, or recount, we always refer to the paper ballot that has the original votes of the voter.” VoteIdaho also notes, “Equipment Testing – All voting equipment used in Idaho is certified and thoroughly tested at the federal, state, and local levels. Before and after each election, the equipment is tested for accuracy using test ballots with predetermined results to ensure that votes are correctly counted as a voter intends.” The state source adds, “Secure & Offline Voting Technology – All voting equipment used to design, develop, and count ballots is never connected to the internet” and “Voter Identification Requirements – Idaho requires photo identification both to register and vote.”

Kootenai County’s notice arrives with Idaho’s May primary calendar already set. Sos Idaho lists statutory deadlines including: “MAY 5 Mail Ballot Precincts: Deadline for county clerks to complete mailing ballots to voters in designated mail ballot precincts – for the primary election” under §34-1802(2), Idaho Code; “MAY 8 Preregistration Deadline: Voter registrations must be received by the county clerk by 5 p.m. local time - for the primary election” under §34-304, Idaho Code; and “MAY 8 Absentee Ballot Application Deadline: Applications must be received by the county clerk by 5 p.m. local time - for the primary election” under §34-408 and §34-410, Idaho Code. Sos Idaho further lists “MAY 19 Election Day: Polling places, and the county clerk’s office, to be open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Qualified individuals may register and vote at their designated polling place on election day” under §34-1002(7) and §34-1012, Idaho Code, and “MAY 19 Absentee Ballot Return Deadline: Voted absentee ballots must be received, by the county clerk, by 8 p.m. for the May 19 election” under §34-211, §34-408A, and §34-1101, Idaho Code.

Federal and out-of-state practice provide context but not Idaho law. A California Secretary of State memo dated January 25, 2024 and signed by NaKesha Robinson reminds county officials that, “This memo is a reminder that as part of a jurisdiction’s per-election activities, the elections official shall provide notice to the public and shall conduct a test or series of tests to ensure that every device used to tabulate ballots accurately records each vote, no later than seven days prior to any election.” The memo cites Elections Code section 15000; the materials reviewed do not include an equivalent Idaho statute requiring L&A tests within that seven-day window.

The Kootenai County posting did not include critical operational details. The notice as provided does not state the date, time, or location of the scheduled L&A test, nor does it list which tabulator models will be tested, how many units are involved, or whether observers will be admitted. VoteIdaho’s statement that equipment is tested “before and after each election” aligns with routine L&A practice, but the county notice itself lacks the specifics that would allow candidates, parties, media, and vendors to attend or review results.

At present the public record shows a Feb. 24, 2026 notice calling the test a required step and the statewide May deadlines for the primary on May 19, including the May 5 mail-ballot mailing deadline and the May 8 5 p.m. registration and absentee-application cutoffs. The county’s full L&A notice or test report would clarify scheduling, tabulator models, observer rules, and the predetermined test ballots and results used to verify accuracy.