Candidates vie for key seats in Idaho primary

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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Four candidates are vying for an open seat on the Idaho Supreme Court, but the winner must gain a majority of the vote in Tuesday's primary election or face a runoff election come November.

Those running for the open nonpartisan judicial seat include Clive Strong, a longtime deputy attorney general; Curt McKenzie, a seven-term Republican state senator; Robyn Brody, an attorney from Rupert; and Idaho Court of Appeals Judge Sergio Gutierrez.

Idaho is one of just two states with no supreme court justices who are female or people of color

Meanwhile, every legislative seat is also up for grabs on Tuesday. The fiercest competition will take place between far-right candidates going up against key establishment Republicans. In Republican-dominated Idaho, Democratic primary challengers are few and far between.

With no presidential or gubernatorial race on the ballot, it's unknown how many Idahoans will show up to the polls. Fear of low voter turnout has resulted in multiple editorials across the state urging voters to fill out their ballots.

Idahoans can register to vote the day of elections. However, four years ago, the Idaho Republican Party closed the state's GOP primary so that only registered party members could participate. Despite fears, the move has not resulted in a steep drop in voter turnout. Instead, voter turnout in Idaho has hovered around 25 percent among registered voters in recent primary election cycles.

Overall, Idaho's GOP primary is often considered the most competitive leg of the election in predominantly red Gem State because Republican candidates rarely face a strong Democratic challenger in November