West Ada School District elections (2015)
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Three seats on the West Ada School District Board of Trustees were up for general election on May 19, 2015.
In Zone 2, incumbent Mike Vuittonet defeated challenger Christine Bitler Whited. Zone 4 incumbent Anne Ritter faced challenger Julie Madsen. Madsen unseated Ritter to win the seat. The Zone 5 incumbent, Janet Calinsky, did not file for re-election. The candidates for the open Zone 5 seat were Gregory Deitchler, Rosemary Demond, Russell Joki and Louis Pifher. Joki was elected to the seat.[1][2][3]
Three of the six candidates in this election participated in Ballotpedia's 2015 school board candidate survey. Check out the "Ballotpedia survey responses" section to see their answers.
About the district
- See also: West Ada School District, Idaho
The West Ada School District is located in southwestern Idaho in Ada County. The county seat is Boise. According to the United States Census Bureau, the county was home to 416,464 residents in 2013.[4] In the 2012-2013 school year, the West Ada School District was the largest school district in Idaho and served 36,838 students.[5]
Demographics
Ada County outperformed the rest of Idaho in terms of higher education achievement in 2013. The United States Census Bureau found that 36.0 percent of county residents age 25 and older had attained a bachelor's degree compared to 25.1 percent for Idaho as a whole. The median household income in the county was $55,210 compared to $46,767 for the state of Idaho. The poverty rate in Ada County was 13.1 percent compared to 15.5 percent for the entire state.[4]
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Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Voter and candidate information
The West Ada Board of Trustees consists of five members elected to four-year terms. Each member represents one of the five geographical zones in the district. There was no primary election, and the general election was held on May 19, 2015. Three seats were up for election in 2015. There was an open seat in Zone 2, Zone 4 and Zone 5.[2]
School board candidates had to file for this election with Ada County by March 20, 2015. Those wishing to run as a write-in candidate had until April 3, 2015, to file. To vote in the election, residents had to register by April 24, 2015.[7]
Elections
2015
Candidates
Zone 2
Mike Vuittonet 
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Christine Bitler Whited | ||
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Zone 4
| Anne Ritter | Julie Madsen
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Zone 5
| Gregory Deitchler | Rosemary Demond | ||
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| Russell Joki
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Louis Pifher | ||
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Election results
Zone 2
| West Ada School District, Zone 2 General Election, 4-year term, 2015 |
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| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Mike Vuittonet Incumbent |
57.3% | 318 | |
| Nonpartisan | Christine Bitler Whited | 42.7% | 237 | |
| Total Votes | 555 | |||
| Source: Ada County, Idaho, "Consolidated Election May 19, 2015,," accessed June 2, 2015 | ||||
Zone 4
| West Ada School District, Zone 4 General Election, 4-year term, 2015 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Julie Madsen |
57.6% | 522 | |
| Nonpartisan | Anne Ritter Incumbent | 42.4% | 385 | |
| Total Votes | 907 | |||
| Source: Ada County, Idaho, "Consolidated Election May 19, 2015,," accessed June 2, 2015 | ||||
Zone 5
| West Ada School District, Zone 5 General Election, 4-year term, 2015 |
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| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Russell Joki |
36.3% | 219 | |
| Nonpartisan | Rosemary Demond | 28.2% | 170 | |
| Nonpartisan | Louis Pifher | 19.1% | 115 | |
| Nonpartisan | Gregory Deitchler | 16.4% | 99 | |
| Total Votes | 603 | |||
| Source: Ada County, Idaho, "Consolidated Election May 19, 2015,," accessed June 2, 2015 | ||||
Endorsements
Mike Vuittonet received official endorsements from State Rep. Tom Daley (R-21), State Rep. Steven Harris (R-21) and State Sen. Cliff Bayer (R-21).[8]
Julie Madsen received an endorsement from the Idaho Public Employees Association.[9]
Anne Ritter received official endorsements for her campaign from the following:[10]
- State Sen. Marv Hagedorn (R-14)
- State Rep. Mike Moyle District (R-14)
- Dr. Todd Wells, president of Idaho School Board Association
- John Tuttle, president of the National School Boards Association
- Frank Pugh, Pacific Region Director, National School Boards Association,
- JoDee Sundberg, Pacific Region Director, National School Boards Association and
- Sue Hull, chair of the Pacific Region, National School Boards Association
Campaign finance
School board candidates in this election were not required to file any campaign finance reports, but the election in May 2015 was the last election for which there were no reporting requirements. On April 3, 2015, Gov. Butch Otter (R) signed SB 1072 into law which requires school board candidates in districts with an enrollment of 500 students or more to comply with campaign finance reporting requirements.[11] A majority of Idaho's school districts have an enrollment below this threshold. Of the 149 districts in the state tracked by the National Center for Education Statistics, 74 had an enrollment of 500 or greater in the 2012-2013 school year.[12] The law took effect on July 1, 2015.
Past elections
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What was at stake?
2015
There were three open seats on the West Ada School Board in 2015. Incumbents Mike Vuittonet and Anne Ritter both faced challengers in Zone 2 and Zone 4. Two new members joined the boad.
Ballotpedia Survey Responses
Three of the six candidates in this race participated in Ballotpedia's 2015 survey of school board candidates. The following sections display the responses to the survey questions from Zone 4 incumbent Anne Ritter and Zone 5 challengers Gregory Deitchler and Rosemary Demond.
Top Priorities
When asked what her top priorities would be if elected, Zone 4 incumbent Anne Ritter stated:
| “ | Student success is always at the top of my list. It comes in many forms. Student achievement can be measured by increasing test scores, higher graduation rates, increased participation and passage of AP tests, dual enrollment classes, PTE classes, IB, and more AA degrees being conferred at the high school level.
There are also soft skills that matter. Do the students have good work habits? Do they come to school on time? Do they work well with others? Can they communicate effectively both orally and in writing? These skills are the ones that contribute to a successful working life.[13] |
” |
| —Anne Ritter (2015)[14] | ||
When asked what his top priorities would be if elected, Zone 5 challenger Gregory Deitchler stated:
| “ | 1. To use my expertise to help set policy that allows all students get the support needed to excel behaviorally, academically, and personally. Specifically as pertaining to student suspensions and expulsions that the needs of all involved are being met and that the law is being followed as it pertains to the rights and needs of students with disabilities either physical or mental health.
2. To use my communication and conflict resolution skills to help vet and make sure that teacher discipline be just and not just administration agenda and vendetta or reaction to public outcry; that all facts and due process for teachers be given to the benefit of all. 3. That the district be fiscally responsible and that every education dollar be spent to the benefit of educating our youth; that teachers be given the proper training and resources needed to educate in the best way possible for each student individually and to all students collectively.[13] |
” |
| —Gregory Deitchler (2015)[15] | ||
When asked what her top priorities would be if elected, Zone 5 challenger Rosemary Demond stated:
| “ | Greater transparency and openness to the parents and taxpayers of the district. I would work to bring a greater sense of local control back to the district.[13] | ” |
| —Rosemary Demond (2015)[16] | ||
Ranking the issues
The candidates were asked to rank the following issues by importance in the school district, with 1 being the most important and 7 being the least important. This table displays the candidates' rankings:
| Issue importance ranking | ||||
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| Issue | Ritter's ranking (Zone 4) |
Deitchler's ranking (Zone 5) |
Demond's ranking (Zone 5) | |
| Expanding arts education | ||||
| Expanding career-technical education | ||||
| Balancing or maintaining the district's budget | ||||
| Improving college readiness | ||||
| Closing the achievement gap | ||||
| Improving education for special needs students | ||||
| Expanding school choice options | ||||
Positions on the issues
The candidates were asked to answer 10 multiple choice and short answer questions from Ballotpedia regarding significant issues in education and the school district. A link to the candidates' responses can be found below.
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the West Ada School District election in 2015:[7]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| March 20, 2015 | Last day for candidates to file nomination documents |
| April 3, 2015 | Last day for write-in candidates to file declaration of intent documents |
| Last day for candidates to withdraw | |
| April 24, 2015 | Last day to register to vote in the general election |
| May 19, 2015 | Last day to return absentee ballots |
| Election Day |
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Idaho elections, 2015
This election shared the ballot with elections for library board trustees and sewer board directors.[2]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms West Ada School District Idaho. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| West Ada School District | Idaho | School Boards |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ West Ada School District, "West Ada School District Board of Trustees," accessed February 25, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ada County, Idaho, "May 19, 2015 Consolidated Election," accessed May 27, 2015
- ↑ Ada County, "Consolidated Election May 19, 2015: Unofficial Results," accessed May 20, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 United States Census Bureau, "Ada County, Idaho," accessed July 9, 2014
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Meridian Joint School District," accessed February 25, 2015
- ↑ Ada County, "Election Results," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Idaho Secretary of State, "Elections-2015 Election Consolidation Calendar," accessed February 25, 2015
- ↑ Facebook, "Elect Mike Vuittonet West Ada School Board," April 20, 2015
- ↑ Julie Madsen, MD for West Ada School Board Trustee, "Endorsements," accessed April 28, 2015
- ↑ "Tiffany Rouse", "Email communication with West Ada Board of Trustees candidate Anne Ritter," May 2, 2015
- ↑ Open States, "64th Legislature, 1st Regular Session (2015): Idaho Senate Bill 1072," accessed April 24, 2015
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed April 24, 2015
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Ballotpedia School Board Candidate Survey, 2015, "Anne Ritter responses," May 2, 2015
- ↑ Ballotpedia School Board Candidate Survey, 2015, "Gregory Deitchler responses," April 29, 2015
- ↑ Ballotpedia School Board Candidate Survey, 2015, "Rosemary Demond responses," April 29, 2015
| 2015 West Ada School District Elections | |
| Ada County, Idaho | |
| Election date: | May 19, 2015 |
| Candidates: | Zone 2: • Incumbent, Mike Vuittonet • Christine Bitler Whited Zone 4: • Incumbent, Anne Ritter • Julie Madsen |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
