Souza pulls trustee election bill

Sen. Mary Souza, R-Coeur d’Alene, has just asked unanimous consent in the Senate to return her controversial school elections bill, SB 1103a, to committee. “The hope of this bill is to increase the low voter turnout all over the state in important school elections,” Souza said. She said she’ll continue to look at the issue, “because our constituents are our top priority.”

The bill, which was opposed in committee by the Idaho School Boards Association, the Idaho Association of School Administrators and the Idaho Association of Counties, sought to move school board elections to the November general election of even-numbered years, along with presidential, congressional and gubernatorial elections. Nonpartisan school board elections now are held in May of odd-numbered years/ Betsy Russell , Eye on Boise.