Based on your claims, I’d make the argument that districting would result in less representation for people who actually care to vote. Spend your time finding candidates and getting people registered to vote instead of spending so much effort to undo past elections!

The organizers had to contend with a Covid managed arena where areas of large gatherings were sparse. MOST people in Boise are not even registered to vote and not everyone who is registered, votes. People shut in their homes don’t go out and try and seek canvassers to sign recall petitions. There were several Boise businesses offering their locations for petition signings but that doesn’t get the job done. I have personally done petition collection. You have to go where the masses are. That didn’t happen. So you cannot claim that 2/3 of Boise supports McClean and Sanchez until we get a fair shot at petition collection. I can tell you this much, that eyesore billboard by Black Lives Matter with the burning police car on it didn’t last long. How many Dems and liberals want to defend that openly? I watch the Progressive City burn fests like Portland and Seattle and Kenosha et al closely and listen for any applause from local leaders. SILENCE is what I hear most.

VOTING DISTRICTS

We very much need real representation from all points on the compass for Boise. West Boise is conservative and getting more so every day. With people getting out of Dodge (Portland et al) as fast as they can, Boise is a definite choice for those who are sick of CHOP/CHAZ lovers. I just hope we don’t get liberals who want to escape the chaos, and then vote for the SAME policies over again, expecting a different outcome.

You should re-read HB 413. The default is not to have the county commission draw the districts. Also take a look at sections 34-301 to 34-307, Idaho Code.

Under HB 413, the city ,not the county, establishes the districts with each consisting of one or more
contiguous election precincts. Each district shall have, to the nearest extent possible, the same number of people based on the last federal census.

The county commission does establish election precincts. It must set precinct boundaries by Jan 15 of even numbered years and has very limited authority to alter those boundaries until Sep 15 of odd-numbered years.

Election precincts are a poor means to implement city districts. Population is not generally a consideration in their creation. Legislative districts and physical features are.

While the intent of HB413 is laudable, the execution is a pathetic example of legislative ineptitude.

Implementation will prove problematic. I do not feel sorry for Boise; the city council deserves it. I do feel sorry for Meridian and Nampa, and for the county for being dragged into this mess,

“[Idaho] has a history of trying to get around [federal] laws rather than figuring out how to comply.”

Smoking age to 21: Opponents said “it’s not necessary for the state to match federal law.” that was this year.

Gay marriage. Millions of Idaho$ wasted.
AffordableCareAct (now TrumpCare).
Medicaid expansion.
Hemp production.
Mental illness.
Birth certificate gender.
MLK Holiday.

Gun laws: The law, which criminalizes the enforcement of federal gun laws, passed both the House and the Senate. that was 2014.

and to pass over the many federal court ruling contrary to Idaho legislation and administration.

AND Now and upcoming is the effort to by the legislature to make it more difficult for citizen initiatives.

–It’s just a matter of history and perspective.

In case it wasn’t clear, I do support districting. I just think it should come from the community, and not be imposed from the state level, unless all communities would be subject to the same requirement (Caldwell is one that would benefit from districts, for example).

I just hate the hypocrisy of the state legislature. I’d love to see more diverse city councils (read diverse as geographically diverse), but I think the people of the city should take the first crack at it.

I understand your concerns but publicly available information appears to suggest a different story.

First, it seems election by District is really a locally grown organic process.

Election by District was raised in the 2015 Boise City elections by Judy Peavy-Derr (https://boiseguardian.com/2015/10/28/peavey-derr-calls-for-council-districts/).

In July 2019 a Boise citizen raised the issue of election by District at a City Council meeting. At that meeting Councilperson Sanchez voiced her opposition to Districts saying Districts would put her out of a job. She expressed similar comments to the Senate State Affairs Committee during its hearing on HB413 (the Districting Bill).

Then in early October 2019 a City Council candidate, at a press conference, proposed election by District complete with a draft Bill for the Legislature. That candidate also made election by District part of their campaign agenda.

Meridian officials are on record supporting election by Districts, Boise officials are on record opposing it. Councilperson Bageant opposed HB413 during House State Affairs Committee hearings on HB413. Councilperson Clegg is also on record as opposing Districts. What was that the City said about citizens reaching out to City Council members about Districts?

Second, a citizen cannot introduce a bill in the Legislature, only a member of the Legislature can. Yes, HB413 was introduced by a Meridian Legislator – probably because none of the Boise Legislators were willing to. Just look at the voting records of Boise area Legislators on HB413. Almost all, if not all, voted no on the bill in both Houses of the Legislature.

Third, legislation targeting a specific City is unconstitutional under the Idaho Constitution. Yes, Boise is affected now by the Districting requirement but Meridian, and possibly Nampa, also will be affected once the 2020 Census is completed. The Statue is a statewide one. It provides the option for cities under 100,000 to elect by District and requires those over 100,000 to elect by District. So I suggest there is no attempt to “punish” Boise by the Legislature.

Fourth, candidates for District seats will probably came from all over the City if the 2019 Boise City Council Seat 1 race is any indication. That race had candidates from The Bench, West Boise, East Boise, North Boise, Northwest Boise, and the area near HP all vying for that seat. The 2019 Seat 5 race had a candidate from the Collister area and two candidates from the North end vying for that seat. I expect to see some of those same individuals running again for District seats.

As to your comment “why none of them have been successful in reaching the council if there truly is a majority of Boiseans who don’t support the current composition of the council.” it may be because of a private political campaign management organization in Boise.

As noted at a City Council candidate forum last fall, that organization, for a price, seems to have an uncanny ability to provide winning campaign strategies to include obtaining candidate endorsements. As one candidate put it, you’re virtually “guaranteed” a win if you use them. That candidate didn’t and lost. Maybe that organization is one of the reasons, in addition to low voter turn out in some areas, why City Council representation is not geographically diverse.

Fifth, I suggest the Legislature creating a law requiring City Council elections by District is not a heavy-handed push-down by State government. It was not a non-problem.

It was a problem because Boise City Council representation was becoming more concentrated in one area and the City refused to address that problem despite having tools available to do so. Since the 1980s Boise had the option to conduct City Council elections by District but chose not to. That little fact came to light during the Senate State Affairs Committee hearing on HB413.

Boise had the option to elect Council members by District, chose not to do so, and allowed representation to became less geographically diverse so, in my opinion, the State was pretty much forced to step in, at citizen request, and provide tools for more geographic representation not just in Boise but statewide.

It mandates districts for cities of more than 100,000 based on the most recent decennial census. Each district must consist of one or more election precincts, which must contain to “the nearest extent possible” the “same number of people.”

Election precincts are established by the county commission. When setting the precincts, consideration is given to legislative districts but not necessarily to city boundaries or population. They must be set by Jan 15 of a general election year.

The law appears to require that the city wait until the precincts are set in Jan to establish the districts for the fall election but not later than 120 days before the election.

Of note, the 2020 census count is supposed to be available for redistricting purposed by March 31, 2021.

The fools in the legislature have made this issue much more complicated than necessary and ensured that there will be litigation.