Written by Patty Bowen, CVI Campaigns Manager
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Early Election News
As a member of CVI’s endorsement task force, I’m proud to share with you that CVI officially endorses Boise Mayor Lauren McLean in her re-election campaign. Read our official statement from last Friday at our website. This marks the beginning of a vital election cycle that will have a significant impact on communities across the state. CVI is dedicated to ensuring these local elections — including city council seats, county commissions, right up to mayoral offices — are won by pro-conservation, common-sense candidates that will advocate for their constituents. Learn more about our selection process for candidate endorsement here.
Looking for ways to make a bigger impact on your community? Consider running for office. The filing deadline for the Nov. 7 election opens on Aug. 28 and ends on Sept. 8. CVI offers a number of resources and candidate training sessions for folks thinking about running for office. Reach out to me via email for more information. For this year’s municipal election, we’re keeping up our winning track record of electing conservation champions by providing candidates with the knowledge and tools they need to win, lending this support early where we need to.
Park Parties for Mayor McLean
Mayor McLean’s work since her election to office in 2019 demonstrates how local climate champions directly impact the communities they serve. While in office, Mayor McLean created the city of Boise’s Climate Action Division, added additional protections to our open space, established a carbon neutral goal for city operations by 2035, and advanced an initiative to put every Boisean within a 10 minute walk of a park.
Time and time again, our conversations at the doors prove to us that Boiseans love our parks and open spaces. In order to thank Mayor McLean for her commitment to protecting what we love most about our city, CVI is hosting three park parties in Boise to bring the community together to celebrate our parks and open spaces. We hope you can join us for one of these events to show your support for Mayor McLean’s bold leadership and strong climate action:
- July 15 – Eagle Rock Shelter, 10 a.m. -2 p.m.
- August 12 – Borah Park, 10 a.m. -2p.m.
- September 2 – Cassia Park, 10 a.m. – 2p.m.
These park parties will have food, lawn games, kids activities, outdoor education, and more! Sign up here for more information.
Supporting the Boise Modern Zoning Code
CVI has been in support of the rewrite of Boise’s zoning code, because it aligns with our vision of a more affordable and sustainable city. After three years of work by the city gathering data, hearing public input, and drafting provisions to best suit the community, the Modern Zoning Code was approved unanimously by the Boise City Council on June 15.
CVI lent our support by providing expert testimony, joining several community partners in publicly supporting the rewrite, and by speaking directly with residents in the Boise area to provide insight on the substantial provisions for smart growth, sustainability, affordability, and open space provisions within the final draft of the Modern Zoning Code. Together, our voter outreach specialists knocked on 2,250 doors and submitted comments from 250 residents voicing their support. We are proud to have played a key role in bringing about a sustainable vision for the city of Boise. Learn more about CVI’s support for the code at our website.
Voter Outreach Team Member of the Month: Luca
Our voter outreach team is the beating heart of CVI’s work to educate and engage Idaho voters on behalf of conservation and democracy issues. These dedicated part-time advocates knock hundreds of doors a week to talk with voters about their local candidates and issues that will impact their community. This month, we’re pleased to introduce you to Luca!
Luca has been a valued member of the VOS team for several months. Their background in campaign work and public advocacy began in high school as a passionate supporter of both local and national candidates. Luca further curated their civic engagement experience with service on the Marin County Youth Commission in their hometown, where they represented youth voices in county government. As an appointed member, Luca advocated for educational equity, affordable housing, and food justice for their community.
Luca’s passion for improving community quality of life came into play in recent months with CVI’s support of the Boise Modern Zoning Code. They said:
“Over the past several weeks, myself and other members of the VOS team have knocked on hundreds of doors, and spoken to Boiseans across different neighborhoods and walks of life… During my time knocking doors to talk to folks about the proposed zoning code, I was asked many questions, but the most important question I encountered was this: “Do you care? Or are you just a hired hand?” Not only do I care, but over the past several weeks I have been thrilled to immerse myself in such an important project… It’s obvious that this work is critical to ensuring Boise’s continued growth ameliorates rather than exacerbates inequality and inefficiency across the city.
Learn more about the other members of our incredible Voter Outreach Members at our website.