Members of an Idaho church lined up to run for Boise school board. Then they withdrew

Four Boise school board candidates who appear to all have ties to the same church have withdrawn from trustee races in September.

The candidates who dropped out of the races were Paul Lewer, Nick Sackett, Josh Bales and Jacob Rowe. All four appear to be connected to the Well Church in Boise. Lewer is listed as an elder on the church’s website, Bales is listed as a teaching elder, and Sackett and Rowe are listed as deacons.

To file for the races, candidates must include the signatures of five registered voters who are in the boundaries of the Boise School District. The filing documents for each of the four candidates who withdrew included signatures from at least one of the others who dropped out. Three other registered voters signed all four candidates’ filing documents.

Zach Borah, another candidate who is still running for a school board position, also filed an application with the same three signatures. His application was signed by Bales and Sackett as well.

The Statesman reached out to the Well Church for comment. The church has in the past hosted a biblical activism boot camp put on by the Idaho Family Policy Center, an influential group that has successfully lobbied the state Legislature on anti-abortion bills and pushed for a bill to hold librarians liable for what it deems “harmful” materials to minors. Bales has appeared on the center’s podcast.

Blaine Conzatti, president of the Idaho Family Policy Center, told the Idaho Statesman he had no involvement and doesn’t know why they decided to run or to drop out. Conzatti advocated at the GOP state convention for Christian churches to hold more power over public schools.

Boise election draws crowded field of candidates

Five of the seven seats on the school board are up for election in the Sept. 6 races. All incumbents are running for reelection.

Trustees in the district are normally elected for six-year terms, but since the last election in 2020, three trustees have resigned. When trustees resign, they must run in the next election to keep their seat for the rest of the term.

All trustees running for reelection have at least one challenger.

District spokesperson Dan Hollar previously told the Statesman this was the largest field of candidates — 18 initially — that the district had ever seen, according to records dating back to 1950. This election also represents the most seats the district has had up for election since the same time.

Voters can request absentee ballots, which must be returned to the district by 5 p.m. on Aug. 25. Voters can also vote early at the district services center starting Aug. 22, or at one of the polling locations on Sept. 6. Most schools in the district will be used as polling centers for the election.

Becca Savransky covers education for the Idaho Statesman in partnership with Report for America. The position is partly funded through community support. Click here to donate.