Idaho
AG Labrador sues to block open primary, ranked choice voting initiative
Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador filed suit with the state supreme court Wednesday to block a ballot initiative that would implement a top-four primary system and ranked choice voting.
Labrador’s office announced the lawsuit late Wednesday afternoon.
The initiative sponsored by Idahoans for Open Primaries has already been certified by county clerks and the Idaho Secretary of State’s office and is set to go before voters in November.
Labrador’s office argues the campaign used “deceptive practices” to gather signatures by continuing to call it an “open primary” system and by downplaying the ranked choice voting component.
“If you’re lying about what the purpose of the initiative is, if you’re deceiving the public about the purpose of the initiative, you are going to get a bunch of signatures, absolutely,” Labrador said.
An open primary, the attorney general said, doesn’t accurately describe the system that would be implemented by the initiative.
The top four candidates receiving the most support from all voters during a primary would advance to a general election. A person’s political party affiliation would not prevent them from being able to choose among all candidates.
Voters would then be able to rank candidates by order of preference in the general election under a ranked choice voting scheme.
If no candidate received a majority in the first round, the candidate with the fewest votes would be eliminated. That candidate’s votes would then be reassigned among the remaining three candidates based on a voter’s second choice.
If that argument doesn’t persuade justices, Labrador also said the initiative violates the Idaho Constitution’s single subject rule.Article III, Section 16 mandates any legislation refer to a single subject and “matters properly connected.”
In a statement, Luke Mayville, a spokesperson for Idahoans for Open Primaries, called the lawsuit a “political stunt” that won’t be taken seriously by the court.
“Instead of letting voters decide, the Attorney General is attempting to interfere in the election to deny voters a voice,” Mayville said.
Saying the campaign deceived voters into signing its petition is “baseless” according to Mayville, and an “insult” to the thousands of volunteers who spent their time gathering signatures.
As for potentially violating the Idaho Constitution’s single subject rule, “The two parts of the initiative both belong to a single subject, which is voting,” he said.
The attorney general asked the Idaho Supreme Court to expedite its consideration of the lawsuit, since the secretary of state must send ballots to be used for the general election to county clerks by Sept. 6.
“This is the only check that we have on the initiative process is to make sure the laws were followed adequately,” Labrador said.
Should the initiative survive this legal challenge and earn a majority of support in November’s election, it would circumvent political parties’ closed primary systems.
The Idaho Republican Party strongly opposes ranked choice voting, with state lawmakers banning the practice last year. They say it’s undemocratic and causes too much confusion among voters.
This isn’t the first time Labrador and Idahoans for Open Primaries have clashed within the justice system.
Last August, campaign organizers won a lawsuit against the attorney general in the Idaho Supreme Court.
Justices unanimously agreed the legal descriptions of the initiative written by Labrador’s office that were required to start gathering signatureswere prejudicial.
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RIRIE — Idaho State Police is investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash that occurred Saturday afternoon on U.S. Highway 26 west of Ririe.
Troopers say the crash happened around 4:30 p.m. near milepost 349 on westbound U.S. Route 26, just south of Ririe.
A 2007 Toyota Tundra driven by a 37-year-old man from Ammon was pulling a utility trailer westbound, according to Idaho State Police. Three juveniles were also in the vehicle.
A 2017 Honda Accord, driven by a 44-year-old woman from Idaho Falls, was also traveling westbound when ISP says the driver attempted to make a left turn and was struck by the Toyota.
The driver of the Honda died at the scene from her injuries.
The driver of the Toyota and the three juvenile passengers were taken by ambulance to a local hospital. All occupants in the Toyota were wearing seatbelts. Authorities say the Honda driver was not wearing a seatbelt.
The westbound left lane was blocked for about three hours while investigators worked the scene.
The crash remains under investigation.
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The vastness of the American West offers plenty of space to store old cars and a dry environment that keeps rust at bay. But this week, car enthusiasts got an unfortunate reminder that large salvage yards are vulnerable to another threat: wildfires.
L&L Classic Auto in Wendell, Idaho, claims to have over 8,000 cars on site ranging from the 1920s to the 1980s. Most are parts cars that are considered beyond saving, but that still makes them a valuable resource for keeping other cars on the road or, for those willing to make the trek to rural Idaho, a neat history lesson. Earlier this week, a wildfire dubbed the Median Fire descended on Wendell and the salvage yard.
Exploring the LARGEST CLASSIC-CAR JUNKYARD with Freiburger, a D/F Extra
On Wednesday, David Freiburger, who has visited L&L numerous times for video shoots over the years, posted on Facebook that the fire had reached the trove of vintage cars, citing reports from sources on the ground. A later update said that “all the people are okay,” but that “the junkyard took a big hit.”
The Median Fire is estimated at 8,600 acres in size, according to Idaho News 6. As of late Wednesday, Bureau of Land Management officials said the fire’s forward progress had stopped. The fire was burning in grass and brush and driven by wind, moving east after being initially reported about four miles northwest of Wendell at 11:55 a.m. on Wednesday, and crossing State Highway 46, along which L&L is located.
Median Fire Destroys Salvage Yard, Scorches 8,600 Acres in Magic Valley
A full assessment of the damage will have to wait until after the fire is put out, but photos accompanying Freiburger’s Facebook post showing burning cars and clouds of smoke enveloping the salvage yard do not look good.
At risk is a collection of cars as varied as it is numerous. During a visit in early 2025, Freiburger spotted plenty of ’60s classics, lots of decommissioned work vehicles with fantastic hand-painted lettering, plus more esoteric stuff like a 1972 AMC Matador fastback, an International slant-four engine (essentially half of a V8), and a Checker Aerobus. That’s a stretched, eight-door wagon designed for airport transportation in the days before E-Series shuttle buses. The important thing is that nobody was hurt, but hopefully some of this stuff survived the fire as well.
Idaho
‘Land back’ gift to Boise Valley tribes celebrated during annual Return of the Boise Valley People
BOISE, Idaho — A celebration of culture, healing and history took on new meaning Friday as descendants of the Boise Valley’s original Indigenous inhabitants gathered at Eagle Rock Park to honor a three-acre land gift that tribal leaders say will preserve their heritage for generations.
The announcement was celebrated during the 15th annual Return of the Boise Valley People gathering, an event that reunites descendants of the Boise Valley’s original tribes to reconnect with their ancestral homeland while sharing their history, traditions, and culture with the public.
WATCH | New land gift gives Boise Valley tribes a future home for cultural education
Land gift to Boise Valley tribes celebrated during Return of the Boise Valley People
“We honor the relationship between this land and the generations of the original Boise Valley people, their ancestors, their descendants, and those yet to be born,” organizers said during the ceremony.
Among those celebrating was Lance Dick Jr., a member of the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Tribal Council who grew up on the Duck Valley Reservation. He joined the Duck Valley Singing Group as tribal members marked the return of the land.
“It feels good to come and connect with the people and come back and reclaim ourselves here in the Boise Valley,” Dick said.
He said the land represents more than property—it represents a renewed connection to the Boise Valley.
“It just feels good knowing that there’s people willing to contribute back to our people and give that land, and being able to reclaim ourselves here in the valley,” he said.
The property, located near the Boise Foothills in the North End, will remain home to the Keener family during their lifetime. Afterward, it will become a cultural gathering place where future generations can learn about the Indigenous peoples whose ancestors lived throughout the Boise Valley for thousands of years.
Lori “BirdWing” Edmo, co-founder of the Return of the Boise Valley People gathering, said the vision extends beyond preserving the land.
“Our plan is to use it as a place to educate about our people, our version of our history, and also to educate everyone,” Edmo said. “We’ll grow our traditional foods and have a walking path with information about the original Boise Valley people.”
Ed Keener said his family’s decision to return the land followed years of building relationships with members of the Shoshone-Paiute and Shoshone-Bannock tribes.
“I’ve been working to get to know Native people for 20 years, particularly people from Duck Valley,” Keener said. “I thought this would be really good for folks whose ancestors were here to begin with and had always been here.”
The Return of the Boise Valley People gathering continues through the weekend. Friday’s public cultural celebration featured tribal booths, songs, language demonstrations and educational exhibits. Saturday’s activities include a walk and run at Eagle Rock Park before tribal events move to Gowen Field, while the weekend concludes Sunday with a sunrise ceremony for participating tribes.
The Keener family says they hope their gift inspires other landowners to consider ways to help preserve Indigenous history and strengthen connections between communities.
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