Who’s running for Middleton mayor and council? Our Voter Guide highlights the candidates

Middleton voters will choose from six candidates running for mayor and the City Council in the Nov. 7 general election.

Three of them are running for mayor. The other three are competing for two at-large seats on the council.

Mayor Steven Rule is seeking reelection to a second term. Jackie Hutchison, who previously ran for mayor in 2019, and Tyson Sparrow seek to unseat him. The mayor would serve a four-year term.

Before his first bid for mayor in 2019, Rule was a four-term Canyon County commissioner. His top priorities, as outlined in the Voter Guide questionnaire below, include transportation, lowering residential property taxes and promoting industrial and commercial growth.

Hutchison hopes to hire more police officers and give them raises. She said transportation is a top priority too.

Sparrrow wants to partner with the Middleton School District to address overcrowding in classrooms. He said expanding local infrastructure to keep up with the city’s population growth is important.

In the council race, incumbent Timothy O’Meara is running for reelection to a second term against Mark Christiansen and Ray Waltemate. Issues one or more of them cite include growth, economic development and investing in local infrastructure, like updating the city’s water treatment plant and expanding U.S. Highway 44.

The Idaho Statesman sent surveys to each candidate. Their responses are presented below, unedited. Swipe below as needed to see all the candidates. Scroll below the mayoral candidates to see the council candidates.

Learn more about this race and other local elections at IdahoStatesman.com/Election.

MIDDLETON MAYOR

MIDDLETON CITY COUNCIL

This story was originally published October 19, 2023 at 4:00 AM.

Angela Palermo

Idaho Statesman

208-377-6285

Angela Palermo covers business and public health for the Idaho Statesman. She grew up in Hagerman and graduated from the University of Idaho, where she studied journalism and business. Angela previously covered education for the Lewiston Tribune and Moscow-Pullman Daily News.  Support my work with a digital subscription