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Committee approves cleanup to allow independent presidential candidates to name running mates later
Summary
House State Affairs advanced Senate Bill 11-57, a technical change enabling independent presidential candidates to file for ballot access by August 1 without naming a vice‑presidential nominee and to submit the running mate by September 1, aligning the timeline with party candidates.
Representative Todd Achilles (District 16) presented Senate Bill 11-57 to the committee on behalf of the attorney general and the secretary of state. He described the measure as a technical cleanup to align filing deadlines for independent presidential candidates with those for party nominees.
"This will allow independent candidates for president to gather signatures to appear on the ballot without naming a vice‑presidential candidate," Achilles said, explaining the bill moves the VP naming deadline to Sept. 1 while keeping the initial filing date at Aug. 1.
Achilles said Idaho faced a lawsuit last year from an independent candidate who considered the earlier rule discriminatory; the change is intended to put independent and party candidates on the same footing. Committee members offered brief remarks in support, and Representative Mickelson moved to send the bill to second reading/onward with a due‑pass recommendation.
The committee approved the motion by voice vote and the bill will proceed to the House calendar for further action.
