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00000176-d8fc-dce8-adff-faff72a50000The 2014 midterm election is a big year in Idaho.Each of the state's top offices are on the ballot; governor, secretary of state, superintendent of public instruction, attorney general, and treasurer. Plus, all 105 legislative seats are up for grabs (although, not all of those seats are contested).One of Idaho's U.S. Senate seats is on the ballot, plus both House of Representatives seats.Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter, a Republican, is running for a rare third term. The last Idaho governor to get a third term was Democrat Cecil Andrus, who held the office for 14 years.Polls are open Nov. 4, 2014 from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Click here to find your polling place, and learn more about what you need to bring to the polls.Plus, find NPR's election-night live-blog, here.

Idaho Schools Chief Candidate Ybarra Hasn't Voted Since 1996

education, election
Courtesy Sherri Ybarra

If state superintendent hopeful Sherri Ybarra votes on Election Day, it will be the first time the Republican has cast a ballot in a November general election while living in Mountain Home.

According to Elmore County election records, Ybarra has not voted for a governor, a state superintendent, a president or a state legislator in a general election since moving to Mountain Home in 1996.

Ybarra did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Idaho Education News Tuesday — including messages emailed to her and emails and phone calls to campaign spokeswoman Melinda Nothern.

When asked about her voting history last month, Ybarra made it sound as if skipping an election was a rare occurrence.

“We have all missed an election or two in our lifetime, and I am not exempt from that,” Ybarra said during a Sept. 26 City Club of Boise candidate forum.

Idaho Education News has already reported that Ybarra did not vote in the 2012 general election, when voters overturned Propositions 1,2 and 3 after a contentious statewide debate over K-12 policy. The controversial education overhaul was authored by State Superintendent Tom Luna, the Republican Ybarra hopes to succeed next month.

But based on voting records reviewed Tuesday morning, Ybarra actually missed at least 15 of 17 primary or general elections between 1998 and 2012. Ybarra moved to Mountain Home sometime in 1996; depending on the precise date, she did not vote in either eight or nine consecutive general elections. Click here to continue reading this story from Idaho Education News.

Clark Corbin is an education reporter with Idaho Education News, a non-profit news source focused on education policy in Idaho.

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