The environment is our issue
Like you, all of us here at Conservation Voters for Idaho share a deep passion for protecting Idaho’s environment and, like you, we know that the best chance we have in that endeavor is to elect strong conservation champions to office.
Each year, Conservation Voters for Idaho provides independent, nonpartisan information to the public and our 16,000 members as to which candidates running for municipal and state offices are going to champion the issues they care about – protecting Idaho’s water, air and natural places.
Endorsement applications are now open for the 2021 November Municipal Election.
All candidates who seek our endorsement must fill out our endorsement questionnaire. Our endorsement application process opens before each primary and general election.
Select members of our board of directors volunteer to be on our Endorsement Task Force. This panel votes on their endorsement recommendations. The panel submits their candidate recommendations to the full board of directors who vote on final approval.
Our endorsement begins at the staff level where campaign staff distribute questionnaires to candidates across the state, along with our “Issues Briefing” document which outlines Conservation Voters for Idaho’s policy priorities. All candidates are invited to participate in the process and fill out the questionnaire. Questionnaire responses are evaluated by our Endorsement Task Force, which is composed of select members of the Conservation Voters for Idaho Board of Directors and supported by staff. If the task force needs further clarification from the questionnaire responses, follow up activities occur which could include in-person interviews or reference checks.
Candidates are evaluated along the following criteria: knowledge of conservation issues, potential effectiveness to advance conservation issues if/when elected to office and propensity to be a true champion on our issues. “Best” conservation candidates are not just those candidates who represent themselves as the most pro-environment, but who will best advance the effort to protect Idaho’s environment. As a bipartisan organization, we select candidates regardless of political party.
