The Kootenai County Board of County Commissioners convened on May 30, 2025, for the Fiscal Year 2026 Elected Officials Budget Meeting. The primary focus of the meeting was to discuss the county's election processes and budgetary needs in light of recent voting statistics.

The meeting began with a presentation highlighting Kootenai County's position within the Panhandle Region regarding election participation. The county is noted as the largest in the region and the third largest in the state, with a significant number of ballots cast in the November 2024 elections. The speaker emphasized that Kootenai County had a notably higher number of voting precincts compared to neighboring counties, which contributed to its robust voter turnout.

Key statistics were shared, indicating that Kootenai County had more registered voters than its neighboring counties, with a striking comparison to Benoit County, which had the fewest registered voters among the northern five counties. The data revealed that Kootenai County's registered voter count was 18 times larger than that of Benoit County.

The discussion also covered the breakdown of voting methods used in the last presidential election. It was reported that approximately 55 to 60% of voters cast their ballots on election day, while absentee and early voting showed similar participation rates. The speaker noted a trend towards increasing popularity of early voting, particularly in even-numbered election years, which may influence future budget considerations for election day and early voting methods.

The meeting concluded with a recognition of the need for capital investments to enhance election processes, particularly in relation to the growing preference for early voting. The Board of County Commissioners will continue to evaluate these needs as they finalize the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.