Ada County canvasses May 20 consolidated election; close Eagle Sewer race may prompt recount

The Ada County Board of Commissioners on May 23 canvassed and certified the results of the May 20 consolidated election, covering races and measures in the Greater Boise Auditorium District, Ada County Free Library District, Meridian Library District, Eagle Sewer District, West Boise Sewer District and Star Fire Protection District.

County Clerk Frank Triple told the board the overall turnout for the consolidated contest was about 8 percent, with local variation: about 24 percent in the Ada Free Library District contests and about 14 percent for the Star fire protection levy. Turnout in other contests, including some library and sewer district races, was substantially lower, the clerk said.

The canvass is the board action that makes the results official. The motion to canvass cited Idaho Code sections outlining the county's responsibility to certify election outcomes; the board approved the motion and signed the canvass documents.

Why it matters: One contest in the Eagle Sewer District was decided by a narrow margin. Third‑place candidate Angela Russell trailed the second‑place candidate by two votes in a race that will seat two winners. Under Idaho law a recount is available without charge if requested within the statutory margin and timeline, the clerk told the board.

Clerk's recount process and timing Frank Triple said he has spoken with Angela Russell and the second‑place finisher, John Bennett, and that Russell has expressed willingness to first review the county’s ballot‑verifier file before formally requesting a recount. The county has impounded the ballots for that contest in case a recount is requested.

Triple said the ballot verifier was expected to be available to candidates on or about June 2; a recount request must be submitted by June 16. If a recount is requested, the county would issue an order and the recount must occur within 10 days of that order; Triple said the county was targeting a recount around June 17 if one is requested.

Triple said there is no automatic recount; the statute allows a free recount if requested and the contest meets the margin criteria. He said the county hopes allowing candidates to inspect the ballot‑verifier will reduce the number of formal recounts, which can cost the county about $10,000 even when the recount is at no cost to the candidate.

Complaints and investigations The clerk reported one election complaint involving a precinct registration question (an expired driver’s license and other paperwork) that the clerk’s office has referred to the sheriff’s office for investigation; he said that matter is not related to the Eagle Sewer contest.

What the board did The board voted to canvass and certify the consolidated election results as presented by the clerk’s office. The vote closed the county’s official canvass process for the listed districts; any recount request by a candidate would be handled under the statutory process described by the clerk.

Provenance: The clerk’s presentation, turnout numbers, recount timeline and the board motion to canvass were recorded in the Ada County open business meeting transcript on May 23, 2025.