Idaho secretary of state says he can’t enforce new GOP voter affiliation deadline

Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane said Thursday that his office cannot enforce the Idaho Republican Party’s new party rule requiring voters to affiliate with the GOP by Dec. 30 in order to vote in the party’s upcoming primary election. Instead of enforcing political party rules, McGrane said his office is required to follow Idaho law, which sets the deadline for changing party affiliation at 67 days before the primary election, the same day as the candidate filing deadline. That means the deadline to change party affiliation in Idaho will...