Start here to know who & what you’re voting on. Our Voter Guide to city, school elections
Election Day will be here soon: Tuesday, Nov. 7. If you want to vote, it’s time to go beyond campaign ads and signs and learn more about candidates and issues.
Odd years like 2023 offer no big federal or state contests, but there are plenty of closer-to-home decisions to make. If you care about the Treasure Valley’s growth, escalating housing prices, property taxes, police and fire protection, and parks — that is, many of the problems and services that help define city dwellers’ everyday lives — this is the time to vote.
City council races are on the ballot in all nine of the Treasure Valley’s largest cities: Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, Eagle, Kuna, Star, Garden City and Middleton. Ada County has a ballot question about a new jail, too.
School board candidates are on ballots in school districts, including West Ada, Kuna, Nampa, Caldwell and Vallivue.
If you need basic voting information — how to register, whether you’re already registered, whether you can vote early or by mail, and where to vote — read “Idaho voters: Want to vote in the upcoming election? Here’s what you need to know.”
The Idaho Statesman prepared Voter Guides to each city and school race with contested candidates. (In some cases, as with two City Council seats in Boise, elections were called off because only one candidate filed, so that candidate under state law was automatically declared the winner.)
You’ll find biographical information and candidate photos alongside the candidates’ answers to our questions. We point out where our background checks on the candidates turned up inaccuracies in what they said about themselves.
Follow these Voter Guide links:
Mayors and councils
ADA COUNTY
Boise: Mayor, four City Council contests by district.
Meridian: Mayor, three City Council contests by district.
Eagle: Mayor two at-large City Council contests.
Kuna: Mayor, one at-large City Council contest.
Garden City: Two at-large City Council contest.
Star: Mayor.
CANYON COUNTY
Nampa: Three City Council contests by district.
Caldwell: Three at-large City Council contests, plus a bond issue for fire stations.
Middleton: Mayor, two at-large City Council contests.
School boards
West Ada School Board: Three trustee contests.
Nampa School Board: Two trustee contests.
Vallivue School Board: One trustee contest.
Caldwell School Board: Three trustee contests.
Kuna School Board: Three trustee contests.
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You can find all the Voter Guides at www.idahostatesman.com/news/politics-government/election/voter-guide.
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In addition to the Guides, check out this journalism:
Who’s on the ballot: all candidates
A ballot request that would cost taxpayers
Ada County jail expansion: Our latest story on the proposed tax to help pay for it, and an earlier story.
Our investigative / watchdog reporting
3 Boise-area candidates have past arrests. 12 didn’t disclose bankruptcies or tax liens
Companies. Officials. Activists. See who’s giving money to whom in Boise mayor’s race. (Sept. 14 story)
The Boise mayor election is upon us. Which candidate has raised the most money? (Nov. 6 update)
Eagle candidates raised over $90,000 last election. See where they are this time around. (Sept. 18 sstory, updated Nov. 3)
Development interests donate to Meridian candidates they favor. See who’s giving to whom. (Sept. 13 story, updated Nov. 3)
See who’s pulling in thousands in donations for Nampa, Caldwell, Middleton races. (Sept. 12 story, updated Nov. 6)
No more ‘sleepy little races.’ Campaign cash fuels challengers to Boise-area school board
Is Masterson right about McLean’s park ‘slush fund’ and high staff turnover? What we found
2010 ‘injury to child’ arrest of mother on Idaho school board surfaces as election nears
Doorbell camera catches Kuna school board candidate replacing foe’s flyer with her own.
In-depth reporting on Boise races
This is Boise Mayor McLean’s record. This is Masterson’s case. Could he defeat her?
Disputes about Boise’s policing boil over into politics in McLean-Masterson mayoral race
Boise Mayor Lauren McLean faces a challenger to her right. Does he have a chance?
2 Boise city councilors were just re-elected. With no election. This is what happened.
Boise council candidates go toe-to-toe on housing, police, parks. Who stands where.
McLean cites success fighting homelessness as she resists joining case about policing it.
Boise mayoral candidate speaks out against ad supporting him, calling it LGBTQ ‘attack.’
Should city of Boise take a public stance on abortion? McLean, Masterson face off.
The above stories and Voter Guides were reported and written by Statesman reporters Ian Max Stevenson, Rachel Spacek, Angela Palermo and Nick Rosenberger, and Business and Local Government Editor David Staats.
Statesman Editorial Board endorsements
You can find the endorsements by the Statesman’s editorial board here and below:
What other news outlets are reporting
The Idaho Press spent a day with Lauren McLean and a day with Mike Masterson.
KTVB hosted a debate between McLean and Masterson.
BoiseDev wrote profiles of nearly 50 Ada County candidates.
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Early voting continues through Friday, Nov. 3.
Learn more about local elections at IdahoStatesman.com/Election. Bookmark the page for fast access to our continuing coverage throughout this election season.
Follow the Statesman’s Election Night reporting, including the latest voting results, at IdahoStatesman.com.
