Alex Mosher
Staff Writer
There are two propositions on the Idaho ballot this year. One deals with horseracing, the other deals with Medicaid.
Here is everything you need to know about each issue going into Election Day.
Proposition One:
In short, Proposition One is an initiative authorizing both live and simulcast horse racing at approved locations while generating a revenue from the event, allowing for the use of video terminals for said betting.
Voting YES for the prop means you are in favor of legalizing the use of video terminals for betting on historical horse racing.
By voting NO, you are against the legalization of video terminals for betting on historical horse racing.
Historical horse racing, also known as instant racing, is defined as “an electronic gambling system that allows players to bet on replays of horses that have already been run. Some instant racing terminals resemble slot machines.”
In 2013, Idaho Legislation approved historical horse racing to only have it repealed by lawmakers two years later because of the fact some terminals resemble slot machines instead of video replay devices.
Idaho currently has eight racing tracks but Les Bois was the only one to hold at least eight racing days in 2014 and 2015.
Some Idahoans fear that the proposition will lead to the spread of casinos while others state that the specific wording of the proposition will make it so that this doesn’t happen.
Proposition Two:
Idaho Proposition Two is an initiative to provide that the state of Idaho shall amend its state plan to expand Medicaid eligibility to certain persons.
An estimated 62,000 Idahoans don’t have access to healthcare because they fall into the “coverage gap” policy.
This means that they make too much money to qualify for Medicaid yet make too little to be able to afford health care coverage through Idaho’s health insurance exchange.
The proposition would fix the problem by providing Idahoans that have an income below 138 percent of the federal poverty line (individuals who make less than $17,000 a year or a family of three making less than $29,000 a year) access to health coverage through Medicaid.
Voting YES means you are in favor of expanding the Medicaid eligibility to those who are under the age of sixty-five with an income that is 133 percent of the federal poverty level or below and who are not eligible for other state insurance coverage.
Voting NO is a vote against the expansion of eligibility.
