Idaho Voters Will Select a Governor — and an Official State Gun

Move over congressional candidates, voters in Idaho will face a ballot measure to select their top pick for an official state gun.A state representative, Jason Monks, introduced the measure in March as part of the observation of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. He wanted to commemorate the role played by firearms in America’s and Idaho’s histories.The state’s Republican-led legislature unanimously agreed to place the nonbinding question on the ballot and Governor Brad Little signed it into law.Voters will select between six historic weapons, the Winchester Model 1894, the Winchester Model 1873, the 1873 Colt Single Action Army Revolver, the M1 Garand rifle, the Colt M1911 .45 automatic Colt pistol, and the Remington Model 700 bolt-action rifle.The winning gun won’t automatically become the official state gun. Lawmakers would have to do through an additional piece of legislation.Idaho has one of the highest gun ownership rates in the country and some Republican lawmakers hope it will spur more voting in the election. Voters will select the governor, members of the Idaho legislature, and the state’s two members of the United States House of Representatives.Critics said the measure just adds clutter to the ballot and the selection of a state gun could have been done through an online poll. “Legislators just days earlier voted to advance a bill to streamline November ballots, acknowledging that with a possible constitutional amendment and two citizen initiatives on the ballot in addition to all the regular federal, state and local races, it was going to get expensive for county clerks to print thousands and thousands of pages,” Idaho Statesman opinion writer Scott McIntosh wrote.Idaho would not become the first state with an official firearm. The National Rifle Association says seven states have officially designated state rifles and three others have official state handguns. Missouri is the most recent state to designate an official state gun. In July 2023, state lawmakers selected the Hawken Rifle, a weapon created in 1823 by two brothers and produced for around 40 years.Lawmakers have long selected official symbols to represent their state. Utah named Jell-O the official state snack in 2001. Nebraska, in 2998, named Koo-Aid, the official soft drink to promote its creation at Hastings in 1927. Mississippi, in 2002, selected the Teddy Bear as the official state toy to honor President Roosevelt refusing to shoot a bear that had been tied to a tree while he was in the state on a hunting trip.Voting in Idaho will take place Tuesday from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. local time.

Idaho Voters Will Select a Governor — and an Official State Gun

Idaho Voters Will Select a Governor — and an Official State Gun

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