The Board of Ada County Commissioners has approved new voting precinct and commissioner district boundaries for Ada County.
Under the state’s redistricting map approved last month, Ada County has nine legislative districts.
The county commissioners this week agreed to redraw lines on the county’s three commission districts so that each one is made up of three legislative districts, giving each commissioner about 130,000 residents to represent.
The new commission district boundaries place commissioners Sharon Ullman and Vern Bisterfeldt, both elected as Republicans, in the same district, and creates an open seat in the upcoming election. Commissioners must run for the specific districts in which they live, but are elected at-large by all county voters.
Commission District 1, now held by Sharon Ullman, is made up of legislative districts 16, 17 and 19, which include central Boise and the central Foothills. Ullman’s seat is up for election this year. But since she no longer lives in the district, it is an open seat.
Commission District 2, held by Rick Yzaguirre, is made up of legislative districts 14, 15 and 20, which include Eagle, Star, north Meridian and west Boise.
Yzaguirre stays in this district; he is up for election in 2014.
Commission District 3, now held by Bisterfeldt, is made up of legislative districts 18, 21 and 22, which include southern and eastern Ada County. Bisterfeldt and Ullman both are now in this district. Bisterfeldt’s seat is up for election this year.
Ullman said she will run for the seat; Bisterfeldt could not be reached for comment.
The period for candidates to file for the May 15 primary election is Feb. 27 to March 9.
The commissioners also added four new voting precincts, increasing the number of polling places to 145 from 141.
Prior to redrawing the boundaries, some large precincts had more than 3,000 voters; now the average is about 1,400. The new boundaries also will help eliminate confusion about polling locations, and unify some communities and neighborhoods that may have been awkwardly divided.
Cynthia Sewell: 377-6428
