WBCSD’s unfair elections

Bonner County, Idaho, and the school district do not agree on what school zone map to use for the Nov. 5 election. The West Bonner County School District #83 school board revised the map in 2010, but failed to provide the county the changed information as required by law. This means that in every election since 2010, some candidates have received votes from electors not in their school zone. In the last election the zone 5 candidate won by a recount of only two votes, and zone 5 is one of the zones changed 9 years ago.

The school district presented this new map to the county one day before the closing date for candidates to file for the election. When the county determined the election will go forward based on the current county map, the school district hired a Boise law firm to fight the decision.

The problem is the new zone map disqualifies two candidates, one each from Zones 1 and 5 who have now been notified that since they do not reside in the newly defined zones they cannot take office. This will allow the school board to declare a vacancy and appoint whomever they please. Not seating duly elected candidates, while keeping the existing board members who were elected with the same zone map is highly irregular, and possibly illegal. The school board needs to do what is right and seat all duly elected, county certified, candidates.

Glenn Rohrer

Priest River, ID