Advocates for the disabled and elderly are keeping a close eye on today's voting in Oregon, specifically five counties of Oregon where citizens are able to cast their votes with the assistance of Apple iPads. The counties make up Oregon's 1st Congressional District in the the state's northwest corner.

Oregon, which was also the first state in the union to allow voting by mail, allows voters to touch the iPad's screen to pick a candidate. Then the choice is printed and mailed or dropped in an official ballot box. The iPad also lets voters adjust the screen if they're having trouble reading the ballot. Voters whose movements are severely limited can also attach a so-called "sip and puff" device, with which users can use a mouth-controlled tube to activate the iPad.

People with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease have used iPads and other hardware to help communicate in a number of life situations. But voting is something quite new and being watched by states and municipalities across the nation.

The polls are open until 8 p.m. on this Election Day, which puts primary focus on municipalities.

Of the more than 108,000 registered voters in the City of Boise, only about 35,000 showed up for the last mayoral election in 2007 and approximately 25,000 voted in the last council-only election in 2009. In spite of the fact that four council seats and the office of mayor are up for grabs, turnout is again expected to be low today.

If he is successful today, Mayor Dave Bieter would become only the second man in the city's history to win a third term. But he'll have to get by his opponent, David Hall, a political science student at the College of Western Idaho, who told BW that City Hall was run by "an old boys' club."

The most hotly contested council race is for Seat 2, carrying a two-year term. Ben Quintana, former director of business development for the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce, is facing Michael Cunningham, area director for the Boise School District, and Lawrence Johnson, owner of L.W. Johnson Construction Development and a student at Boise State.

Incumbent Council Member David Eberle is defending Seat 3 against David "Pappy" Honey, a veteran of four previous council races. In 2007, Eberle defeated his two opponents combined by more than a 2-to-1 margin.

Council Member Lauren McLean is running unopposed for her first full four-year term in Seat 1. Council Member Elaine Clegg is running unopposed for a third four-year term for Seat 5.

There's still plenty of time to vote: polls remain open until 8 p.m. in Idaho. Poll watchers told Citydesk that a steady stream of voters have been checking in. Competitive races and a gorgeous fall day helped.

At the Ada County Elections offices, workers are already counting absentee and early ballots (absentee ballots can still be dropped off at the Elections Office until 8 p.m.).

Ballots from polling places across the county are expected to arrive at headquarters beginning at 8:30 p.m. Results will not be released until 9 p.m. to accomodate voting in northern Idaho which continues until 8 p.m. pacific time.

The Citydesk team will be out tonight, covering the unconventional election night stories. Look for our alternative coverage Wednesday morning.

Polls are open in the Treasure Valley and across Idaho (south of Grangeville) in the Mountain time zone. Polls will remain open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa (who happens to be up for re-election today) says his poll watchers are predicting a high voter turnout, possibly as high as 60-65 percent.

There are approximately 201,500 registered voters in Ada County, and 8,178 people took advantage of early voting at the Ada Elections office. In addition, 18,081 absentee ballots were returned as of Monday. Elections officials will continue to accept ballots from people personally drop them off at the Elections Office on North Benjamin Lane until 8 p.m.

Some 865 elections workers are on duty across Ada County today, approximately 125 of which will be at election headquarters where they will begin counting absentee and early ballots this afternoon.

Officials with the Idaho District of the U.S. Attorney's Office are on duty today to take complaints of election fraud or voting irregularities. In addition, the FBI is poised to assign agents to handle any complaints of fraud, intimidation, suppression and other election abuses.

In Canyon County last week, at least two issues were raised during early voting. In one case, a ballot was mishandled at a voting station. In another instance, an election worker told at least two early voters that they couldn't sign an affidavit rather than show photo ID. New election laws in Idaho require voters to show ID, but the new rule clearly states that in lieu of ID, a voter may sign an affidavit.

In Northern Idaho, a Bonner County Republican accused a clerk of accepting absentee ballots that arrived in envelopes that had been tampered with. Democratic Bonner County Clerk Marie Scott called the allegation outrageous.

In Boise, voters can report any alleged improprieties with the U.S. Attorney's office at 208-334-1211 or the FBI's local office at 208-344-7843.

First, you need to know not only the candidates, but also the multiple constitutional amendments being forwarded this year. It's the constitutional amendments that most often get shafted when it comes to coverage, but the Idaho Voters Pamphlet put out by the Idaho Secretary of State's Office is a handy little primer. If you can't find the copy that was mailed to you, you can download it online.

You can also download a copy of the full candidate list for all statewide offices.

Second, you need to know where to vote. If you're not sure of where your polling place is, the Ada County Clerk's Office is ready to help.

Third, once you get to your polling place, you'd better have you photo ID—you'll need it in order to vote thanks to a recent change in the law.

Fourth, make sure to give yourself some time: The ballot is four pages long.

Finally, if you're wondering if it's all too much hassle, remember, that if you don't vote, you don't get to complain.

Polls are closed and the city has posted absentee vote results ... 2,225 people voted absentee, greatly favoring incumbents Vern Bisterfeldt and Maryanne Jordan. And TJ Thomson in the open Seat 4 is up 1,000 votes at the start of the night. Here are the unofficial absentee returns as of soon after 8 p.m.

City Council Seat #2 - Four Year Term

Vernon L. Bisterfeldt1,72080.56%
Daniel L. Dunham279 13.07%
David A. Honey 136 6.37%

City Council Seat #4 - Four Year Term

David S. Litster591 27.05%
TJ Thomson1,59472.95%

City Council Seat #6 - Four Year Term

Lucas Baumbach308 14.23%
Maryanne Jordan1,62675.10%
David Webb 231 10.67%

• Starr Thomsen, Holly Lockett and Eileen Wilson of Star and Molly Coonrod of Boise man the polling place at the First Congregational Chuch on Woolawn Ave.

When citydesk walked into the polling place for Precinct 36, the four women pictures above put down their books and prepared to take my vote. Then I took their picture. Fewer than 100 voters had voted here today, as of 1 p.m. Low turnout is being reported in other precincts as well.

Polls are open today in Boise and across the Valley for city elections. In Boise, polls remain open until 8 p.m.

Find your polling place here.

After the polls close, you have at least two options for parties.

David Litster, Dan Dunham and Lucas Baumbach will host a gathering at the Quiet Bar Lounge at the Double Tree Riverside, 2900 Chinden Boulevard. Other candidates may attend, according to the press release for the shindig.

TJ Thomson will watch returns at Bittercreek Ale House, 246 N. 8th Street. Both parties are open to the public and the press.

citydesk is messing around with his GIS and will either hit the town as a roving reporter or stay chained to his computer messing with data. Do not look in tomorrow's paper for our usual in-depth post-election analysis: BW goes to press too early this week to report on the returns. But we'll let you know what we know both on this blog and in the Nov. 11 paper.