City Election Information

Welcome to the City of Lewiston's Elections page. This page is for informational purposes only. Should you have procedural questions or concerns about the information, please contact: 

ELECTION DATE

The next City election will be held November 7, 2023, wherein three council positions will be open. These positions are for four (4) year terms and are currently held by: 

• Rick Tousley; 
• Jim Kleeburg; and
• John Spickelmire.

There are certain deadlines set out in Idaho Code as to when to file declarations of Candidacy, and several laws regarding campaign financial disclosure you will need to get acquainted with when starting a campaign. You are more than welcome to begin your campaign, announce you are running and start campaign fundraising prior to those dates.

The election calendar can be found here: Election Calendar

FILING DEADLINE

REQUIREMENTS

A prospective candidate is required to be a registered voter, be at least 18 years of age, and reside within the City limits of the City of Lewiston. Candidates for elective City offices shall be nominated by declaration. The completed Declaration of Candidacy shall be accompanied by:

1. A Petition of Candidacy signed by not less than five (5) registered qualified electors; or
2. A nonrefundable filing fee of forty dollars ($40), which shall be deposited in the City treasury.

The Petition and Declaration of Candidacy must be filed in the City Clerk's office beginning at 8:00 a.m. on August 28, 2023 through 5:00 p.m. on September 8, 2023. These documents cannot be accepted by the Clerk's office at any other time. 

PACKETS

Prospective City Council candidates can pick up a packet from the City Clerk's office. Packets include the following materials:

• Candidate Filing Information;
• Declaration of Candidacy;
• Petition of Candidacy;
• Declaration of Intent for Write-In Candidates;
• Candidate Withdrawal Form;
• Appointment and Certification of Political Treasurer for City Council Candidates;
• 2023 Campaign Disclosure Manual; and
• Copy of Lewiston's Political Sign Regulations. 

*NOTE* If you choose to file using a Petition of Candidacy, please be aware that the Petition contains room for more than five (5) signatures. This is because sometimes an individual believes they are registered, when in fact they are not. Signatures of non-registered individuals cannot be counted toward the required five (5) signatures. 

PROCESS

1. Potential candidates may pick up a Council Candidate packet from the City Clerk's office located at City Hall at 1134 F Street, Lewiston, ID. Packets will be available beginning July 17, 2023.
2. Candidates shall obtain 5 qualified elector signatures on the Petition of Candidacy OR submit a nonrefundable filing fee of $40.00 at City Hall. If you choose to submit a petition, please ensure that you have verified the signatures through the Nez Perce County Clerk's Office at 1230 Main Street (Courthouse) prior to filing your document with the City Clerk.
3. The Petition and Declaration of Candidacy must be filed in the Office of the City Clerk beginning at 8:00 a.m. on August 28, 2023 through 5:00 p.m. on September 8, 2023. These documents cannot be accepted in the Clerk's office at any other time. 
4. When the petition submitted is sufficient, it will be marked as certified with the date and time. You will then be an official candidate for the Council.

SUNSHINE LAW

When you become a certified candidate, you must designate a political treasurer in compliance with the Idaho "Sunshine Law" which establishes requirements for campaign finance reporting by candidate for elected office. Idaho Statute Title 67 Chapter 66.

The treasurer may be the candidate him/herself or an individual who agrees to accept this responsibility. From the time you become a candidate, you must keep track of both contributions received and expenditures made. All candidates for the office of City Council now report online via the Secretary of State's Campaign Finance portal (https://sos.idaho.gov/elections-division/campaign-finance-filing/). Requirements are outlined in the manual provided with the packet, but any assistance needed can be obtained from the Nez Perce County Clerk's Office at 208-799-3020. 

RESOURCES

Idaho Code regarding municipal elections can be found on the web at https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/Title50/T50CH4/. 

Other resources that are beneficial include Ethics in Government, Open Meeting Law, and the Public Record's Law manual, located on the Attorney General's website: https://www.ag.idaho.gov/office-resources/manuals/, as well as the Idaho Secretary of State website, Elections Division, at https://sos.idaho.gov/elections-division/

As a potential future elected official and leader of the City, please familiarize yourself with the applicable laws regulating signs in the right-of-way and campaign finance disclosure. This will allow you to avoid complaints or enforcement action in the event you fail to adhere to campaign laws.

If you have any other specific questions, please do not hesitate to contact the City Clerk's office.