MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho --
The School Board Candidates Forum will be held at the Elks Lodge, 325 S. 3rd W., Mountain Home, on April 20 at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The forum is open to everyone, not just Idaho residents, and attendees should arrive early to sign-in at the door. The order of sign-in will govern the order in which questions are presented to the candidates.
Following introductions by each candidate, moderator Lauri Erickson will open the forum with three introductory questions. Each candidate will have up to two minutes to respond to each question then the floor will be open to questions from the audience. After the question and answer period, each candidate will provide closing comments. For more information on the forum, please contact the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce.
This election cycle has a total of three zones up for election, Zones 1, 3 and 5. However, only Zones 3 and 5 are contested. Incumbent School Board President James Alexander currently represents Zone 5 and is being challenged by Eric Abrego. In Zone 3, Richard F. Checketts will run against Ralph W. Binion.
The School Board is the policy making body of the school district and establishes principles to govern the daily operation of the school system. The board is composed of five members, also called trustees, with each of the five trustees representing specific geographic zones in the district. Individual members have no authority to act on their own, but meet as a board in a formal session. They receive no salaries or benefits and are elected to a four-year term. The Mountain Home School Board typically meets on the third Tuesday of every month in the District Board Room. For more information on school board meetings, please contact the school board directly or visit the Mountain Home School District website at
http://www.mtnhomesd.org/education/district/district.php?sectiondetailid=1
There are two types of elections in the Mountain Home School District: trustee elections and levy or bond elections. Trustee elections fill one of the five seats on the school board while levy elections determine the amount of tax money to be raised and which projects it will be spent on. The election being held on May 19 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. is a trustee election, but the outcome will have impacts on levy elections and school district policy for the next four years.
Eligible voters whose permanent residence is within the boundaries of the particular trustee zone position up for election can vote. However, while military personnel and their spouses often live and work in one state and have their official residence in a different state, they are often ineligible to vote in school board elections. In Idaho, military members and their spouses MUST BE Idaho residents in order to vote in school board elections.
Note: Spouses with an Idaho driver's license, working in Idaho, but with a permanent state of residency elsewhere are considered non-resident employees. Should you choose to change your state of residence, you will be subject to Idaho State Tax and you will be placed on the jury pool list. You will also need to get an Idaho driver's license, and ensure the IRS is notified of your change in residence. Check with the Elmore County Clerk and the Base Legal Office for more information.
Click here for map of geographic zones being contested on May 19.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where do I go to vote?
Q: How do I register to vote in the upcoming school board election?
A: Before 5 p.m. on April 24 you can register to vote in person at the Elmore County Courthouse, or online at:
http://www.elmorecounty.org/Elections/default.html
After April 24 until May 15 you'll need to vote via absentee ballot. This can only be done at the Elmore County Courthouse. Bring photo ID and proof of residence. For more information or to find out if you're eligible to vote please call the Elmore County Courthouse at 208-587-2130 x206 (please be patient...the Elections office is only manned by one individual) or visit the Elmore County Elections website at
http://www.elmorecounty.org/Elections/default.html
Q: How do I request an absentee ballot?
Q: Do I need to register for a specific political party to be able to vote in the school board election?
A: No. The school board members do not run as part of any political party.
Q: What do I need to bring to vote absentee?
A: Photo ID (Idaho driver's license or photo identification card, US Passport, or other federally issued ID), proof of residency. Call the Elmore County Courthouse, Elections Office to verify.
Important Contacts