Raúl Labrador refiles lawsuit against Idaho initiative to end closed primaries

On Friday, Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador refiled a lawsuit in the Fourth Judicial District to block a ballot initiative seeking to end closed primary elections.

Labrador’s lawsuit claims that the “open primaries” description is misleading and alleges that Idahoans for Open Primaries fraudulently obtained signatures by hiding the ranked-choice voting aspect. In the lawsuit, Labrador requested that the court invalidate the collected signatures, withdraw the initiative, and grant attorney’s fees and any other appropriate relief. He also filed motions to expedite the case.

The Idaho Supreme Court recently dismissed a similar petition because it was filed prematurely and not in the correct court.

REALTED | AG Labrador's challenge to ranked choice voting initiative dismissed

The initiative, if approved by voters in November, would establish a nonpartisan primary where all voters can participate and the top four candidates advance to the general election. In the general election, voters would rank their preferences. Idahoans for Open Primaries gathered over 70,000 signatures to qualify the initiative for the ballot, and it was approved by Secretary of State Phil McGrane in July.

In the lawsuit, Labrador requested that the court invalidate the collected signatures, withdraw the initiative, and grant attorney’s fees and any other appropriate relief. He also filed motions to expedite the case.

Idahoans for Open Primaries spokesperson, Luke Mayville, released the following statement in response to the recent lawsuit: “Attorney General Labrador is doing everything in his power to interfere with the election and deny voters a voice. Fortunately for Idaho voters, Labrador’s case is baseless and his desperate attempt is certain to fail again. The people of Idaho, not the Attorney General, will decide in November whether Idaho should restore the right of all voters — including independents — to participate in every taxpayer-funded election.”

“Raúl Labrador is wasting taxpayer dollars to pursue a frivolous lawsuit,” Mayville continues. “The people of Idaho have made it clear that they want an opportunity to decide for themselves. We are committed to moving forward and ensuring that every voter has a chance to participate in all elections, regardless of party affiliation.”