Evening Conversation: Implications of Open Primaries in Idaho

Event Description

Within the coming year Idaho voters will likely have the opportunity to sign, or not sign, a petition to place an initiative proposal on our ballots in the November 2024 election. This initiative proposes to change Idaho law to open primary voting, allowing everyone to vote for any candidate in the primaries. The top four candidates who receive the most votes would advance to the general election in November, and voters will be able to rank those candidates.

The petition will read:

“We the undersigned citizens and qualified electors of the State of Idaho, respectfully demand the following proposed law, effective January 1, 2025 to wit:

MEASURE TO (1) REPLACE VOTER SELECTION OF PARTY NOMINEES WITH A TOP-FOUR PRIMARY; (2) REQUIRE A RANKED-CHOICE VOTING SYSTEM FOR GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Tom Luna and Sean Coletti will discuss the pros and cons of this initiative with City Club and community members in a small gathering at 6:30 PM on October 26th in an Osher classroom in the Yanke Research Park building at 220 E. Parkcenter Blvd in Boise. Livestream option will be available.

The conversation will be moderated by Dr. Jaclyn Kettler, Political Science Associate Professor, Boise State University; Director, NEW Leadership Idaho.

Speakers:

Tom Luna served on the Nampa School Board for seven years, three as Chair. Between 2003 and 2005 Mr. Luna worked for the United States Department of Education as an advisor to then-Secretary, Rod Paige. In 2006 he was elected Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction and served until 2014. In 2020 he was elected Chair of the Idaho Republican Party where he served until 2022. Currently he is Senior Vice President of and Chief Government Relations Officer of Project Lead the Way. Mr. Luna attended Ricks College (now Brigham Young University-Idaho) and Boise State University and attained a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree from Thomas Edison State College.

Sean Coletti is in his second term as Mayor of the City of Ammon after serving two terms on the City Council, he is also an attorney and workplace concerns investigator at the Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls. Previously Mr. Coletti worked as a law clerk in Twin Falls and in American Samoa, after which he began as an attorney at Hopkins Roden Crockett Hansen & Hoopes, PLLC, where he worked for 16 years before starting a new position at the INL. Mr. Coletti received his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Brigham Young University, and a law degree from University of Connecticut Law School, all while serving in the Army National Guard in counterintelligence and as a Korean linguist.

Date: Thursday, October 26, 2023

Time: 6:30  PM -8:00 PM

Location: Osher Institute at Boise State University,220 E. Parkcenter Blvd Boise, Idaho 83706 (Yanke Family Research Park)

Virtual: livestream link available

Registration (in-person or virtual attendance): $15

*Registration opens at noon on Monday, September 11, 2023