Boise, cast your ballots for this September election. Here’s what you need to know
Boise voters will choose their next school board trustees on Tuesday, when five of the board’s seven seats are up for election.
Trustees are responsible for setting school policies and approving the budget for the district. But despite the important role, school board members are often chosen among a small group of voters.
Traditionally, the Boise school board election has low voter turnout. Just over 6% of voters cast their ballots in the district’s 2020 election, when voters decided trustees for two seats.
The Boise School District’s elections don’t coincide with more high-profile races, such as presidential and gubernatorial elections. That’s because the district’s charter, established in 1881, states the district should conduct trustee elections “biennially on the first Tuesday of September in the even-numbered years.” The district’s trustee elections are exempt from a state law that required some elections to be held at the same time.
“Any time it’s an off-cycle election, it certainly changes the response and the voter turnout,” said Quinn Perry, deputy director and government affairs for the Idaho School Boards Association.
Still, over the past few years, the public has paid more attention to school boards nationwide, Perry told the Idaho Statesman.
The number of candidates running for trustee positions also reflects an increased interest in the role. Historically, it’s been difficult to find people to run for school board — a volunteer position that requires a lot of work and involves handling sensitive materials on children, Perry said.
But this year, 18 candidates filed to run for Boise school board, the largest field of candidates the district had ever seen in its records dating back to 1950, spokesperson Dan Hollar previously told the Statesman. The field has since dwindled after five candidates dropped out of the election. This election also represents the most seats the district has had up for election since 1950, Hollar said.
Candidates for the board need to be 18, a registered voter in the school district and have “no pecuniary interest” in a contract with the district.
All incumbents — Beth Oppenheimer, Dave Wagers, Andy Hawes, Elizabeth Langley and Steve Schmidt — are running to hold their seats.
The five open seats include two six-year terms, one four-year term and two two-year terms.
Who can vote in the Boise school board election?
Anyone who is 18 years old, has lived in the district for 30 days and is registered to vote in Ada County can vote in the Boise school board election.
All trustees are elected at large, not by zones, so residents can vote for candidates for each of the five seats.
Residents can vote early at the District Services Center or can vote at a polling location on Election Day. The district’s schools and service center are being used as polling locations. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
The election comes as school districts across the state deal with impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, struggle to retain and attract teachers and face controversy over curricula and library books.
Three of the trustee seats are up for election because of resignations that have happened since the district’s last election, in September 2020. Trustees on the Boise school board typically serve for six years, but members appointed after resignations must run for their seats in the next election, and, if elected, serve out the remainder of that term.
This story was originally published August 31, 2022 at 11:21 AM.
