The 2023 election isn’t over.
A few hundred voters in Jerome County will be asked to vote again next week in a special election for one seat on the Valley School District board after a judge voided the Nov. 7 results because two people in the same household were mailed incorrect absentee ballots, according to the county clerk’s office.
The margin in the Zone 4 race was a single vote, 48 for Michael Lakey and 47 for incumbent Matthew Kimmel, according to unofficial results on Election Night. But Jerome County Clerk Cy Lootens almost immediately discovered the ballot mix-up and contacted the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office.
“It’s definitely what we wanted. We wanted a judge to void the election, so we could it over again,” Lootens told the Times-News on Wednesday morning.
The two voters, who live in Zone 4 of the school district, were incorrectly issued absentee ballots for Zone 5, Lootens’ office said in a news release on Nov. 13 announcing its intent to seek a judicial review.
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The special election will be Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Hazelton Precinct, 882 Valley Rd. For questions about the special election or voter eligibility, call the Jerome County Election Department at 208-644-2715 or 208-644-2704.
Early voting is open until Friday at the Jerome County Courthouse, 300 N. Lincoln Ave., Room 301, in Jerome. The hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Ballots will be hand-counted at the polling place after 8 p.m. on Election Day and then transported to the courthouse, Lootens said. There are 202 people eligible to vote, he told the Times-News.
The Lakey-Kimmel race was one of six across the Magic Valley decided, unofficially, by less than 10 votes. Another Valley School District incumbent, Rod Malone, won by eight votes to retain his seat.
A four-way Hollister City Council race came down to a difference of two votes, with just four votes separating all candidates. Gloria Rorison, David Grosshans and Lynn Ginder won seats with 43, 42 and 41 votes, respectively. Jennifer Hyde was fourth with 39 votes.
Council seats in Declo, Eden and Bellevue were settled by six, seven and eight votes, respectively.
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