Boise school board election fundraising: an update

It’s after the fact, but we now have a better picture of campaign fundraising prior to the Sept. 6 Boise School Board elections.

In general, the winning candidates far outraised their opponents. And that includes Shiva Rajbhandari, the Boise High School senior who unseated incumbent Steve Schmidt.

The August reports don’t cover the entire election cycle. In October, the candidates will have to file September reports, which cover fundraising and spending in the final days of the campaign. That said, here are the numbers through Aug. 31.

Race No. 1 (two six-year terms)

Beth Oppenheimer (incumbent): Raised $23,380, spent $17,449.

Notable donations: $100 from state Rep. Steve Berch, D-Boise; $250 from former Boise Mayor Dave Bieter; $103.48 from Boise City Council member Elaine Clegg, $150 from former legislator Mat Erpelding; $154.97 from state Rep. Brooke Green, D-Boise; $50 from Boise school trustee Nancy Gregory; $100 from state Rep. John McCrostie, D-Garden City, a teacher; $100 from Mayor Lauren McLean and her husband, Scot; $200 from state Rep. Chris Mathias, D-Boise; $200 from former Boise schools superintendent Stan Olson and his wife, Connie.

Dave Wagers (incumbent): Raised $21,103, spent $11,322.

Notable donations: $100 from McCrostie.

Greg Woodard: Raised $5,580, spent $5,054.

Krista Hasler: Raised $4,699, spent $3,884.

Notable donations: $50 from former legislator Thomas Dayley; $200 from Vicki Keen, finance chair, Idaho Republican Party.

Oppenheimer and Wagers were re-elected.

Race No. 2 (one four-year term)

Andy Hawes (incumbent): Raised $6,333, spent $675.

Notable donations: $100 from former Boise trustee Rory Jones; $100 from Alex LaBeau, president, Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry; $100 from Jeff Malmen, senior vice president, public affairs, Idaho Power; $50 from former legislator Sue Reents, $100 from Wagers.

Neil “Gnome” Mercer: Raised $2,309, spent $1,615.

Matthew Shapiro: No report.

Hawes was re-elected.

Race No. 3 (one two-year term)

Nate Dean: Raised $2,334, spent $539.

Elizabeth Langley (incumbent): Raised $2,010, spent $1,093.

Notable donation: $300 from McCrostie.

Dawn King: No report.

Todd Kurowski: No report.

Langley was re-elected.

Race No. 4 (one two-year term)

Rajbhandari: Raised $10,757, spent $3,527.

Notable donations: $100 from Soñia Galaviz, a Boise teacher now running for Legislature.

Schmidt (incumbent): Raised $3,775, spent $1,028.

Notable donations: $200 from Gregory, $100 from McCrostie.

Rajbhandari was elected.

Kevin Richert

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [email protected]

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