2020 is a big election year for so many reasons.

When you vote this year (and you should!), make sure you know about the downballot races that may be on your ballot.

“….Wait. What is a downballot race?”

Honestly, I didn’t know what it was until recently either. A downballot race is a race on the bottom of your ballot due to it being less “important” (not really the best word) compared to other elections, like state and national elections. It could be a district judge, a precinct captain, or a highway district commissioner.

This year, there are 3 Ada County Highway District (ACHD) Commission seats up for election. We cannot stress enough how big of an election year this is for our roads. With 3 seats up, there is an opportunity for a major shift in how ACHD prioritizes and performs road projects, specifically bicycle and pedestrian projects.

Ok, then what districts are up, who is running, and how can you know what district you are in?

District 1, 2 and 5 are up for election. Candidates for each seat can be found here! Your best bet is to search their names on Google and Facebook to find their pages, if they have launched them yet.

To find out what district you reside in, check out this map that overlays ACHD districts and Boise Neighborhood Associations (so you can help rock the vote with your neighbors!)

Okay, so how do I learn about the candidates?

We can’t tell you who to vote for (501c3 rules), but we can create opportunities for you to learn more about the candidates in each district, and determine who best fits your needs as a bicyclist, pedestrian, and driver. So that’s what we will do!

On September 28th from 5:30-7:30 PM at Idaho Botanical Garden, we are hosting a Candidates Forum on Biking and Walking in Ada County.

Yes, this event will be in person. We chose the Idaho Botanical Garden not only because they are such a great nonprofit partner, but because they have shown their commitment to hosting safe outdoor events with strict COVID protocols set in place.

Tickets will be live soon, and will be free! Unfortunately, there will be limited seating of 100 due to COVID limitations, but we will be recording the event for everyone to check out on their own time. To learn more about the event and to stay up to date on details, RSVP on our Facebook event!

Happy riding, and happy voting!