Idaho
Idaho GOP says more than a dozen ‘vote no on Prop 1’ signs vandalized – East Idaho News
MERIDIAN (Idaho Capital Sun) — A new sign in opposition to the Proposition 1 ballot initiative is at the center of controversy as Nov. 5 general election draws closer.
Idaho Republican Party officials say more than a dozen of the signs have been vandalized in Meridian and Eagle. Republican officials announced Monday they put up a $5,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for vandalizing the signs.
“I’m dismayed to see this happen in Idaho,” Idaho GOP Chairwoman Dorothy Moon said in a written statement. “These signs were placed by individual citizens who wanted to warn their communities about the dangers of ranked-choice voting, so to see them defaced like this is an outrage.”
In a news release issued Monday, Idaho Republican Party officials provided photos that appeared to depict two of the defaced “vote no” signs. One sign appeared to have a swastika drawn over it, while the other appeared to be altered to encourage voters to vote yes on the measure.
Efforts to reach the Idaho Republican Party and ask whether GOP officials filed a police report were unsuccessful.
“It absolutely disgusts me to see swastikas drawn on our signs,” Moon wrote in Monday’s news release. “This is an outright hate crime against every Republican in the state of Idaho.”
Use of Idaho’s state seal on campaign signs is not illegal, Secretary of State’s Office says
Meanwhile, officials with the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office say they do not believe the use of the Idaho flag and Great Seal of the State of Idaho in those “vote no” campaign signs is a violation. A spokeswoman with the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office said there is “limited statutory guidance” governing use of the seal in political campaigns.
Several Idahoans have asked the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office and Idaho Attorney General’s Office about the use of the seal in political campaigns in recent days.
“As custodians of the Great Seal of the State of Idaho, the Secretary of State’s office is frequently requested to provide guidance for proper and allowed usage,” the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office wrote in a statement to the Idaho Capital Sun on Thursday. “Our office has received a few inquiries about using the state seal on political signs. The signs in question have the State Flag, which includes the State Seal.”
“While there is very limited statutory guidance that governs the use of the Great Seal, this office offers several guidelines as custodian,” the statement continued. “The seal must be used without alteration and without the intent to misleadingly convey State of Idaho affiliation, approval, or sponsorship. Because it’s the display of the State Flag, we do not feel the signs conflict with guidance on using the State Seal.”
On Monday, former Idaho Supreme Court Justice Jim Jones wrote a letter to Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s office asking Labrador to issue a cease and desist letter regarding the signs. Jones, who is an active supporter of the Proposition 1 ballot issue, wrote that use of the State Seal in the campaign ad is offensive and runs counter to state policy saying the State Seal should not be used for personal gain.
“I’m writing to call your attention to an egregious misuse of the Great Seal of the State of Idaho by the Idaho Republican Party,” Jones wrote. “In recent days, Idaho roads have been affronted with sexually-charged public billboards saying, ‘Don’t Californicate Idaho’s Elections.’ Idaho’s Great Seal is right next to that deceptive and sexualized wording – a great insult to the Gem State and its people.”
How does Proposition 1 ballot issue work?
Ballot issues are a form of direct democracy in Idaho, where the people vote on whether or not to pass a proposed law, completely independent of the Idaho Legislature.
Proposition 1 would end closed party primary elections in Idaho and create ranked-choice voting in the general election.
Proposition 1 is up for a vote in the Nov. 5 general election in Idaho. It will take a simple majority of the vote to pass the ballot initiative.
If approved, Proposition 1 would repeal the state’s closed primary election law from 2011 and in its place create a single primary election that is open to all candidates and all voters, regardless of party affiliation. The four candidates in the primary election with the most votes would all advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation.
For the general election, Proposition 1 would create ranked-choice voting, which is sometimes called an instant runoff system. Under ranked-choice voting, voters would vote for their favorite candidate and have the option of ranking the remaining candidates in order of preference – second choice, third and fourth. The candidate with the fewest votes would be eliminated and their votes would be transferred to any second choice candidates on those ballots. That process would continue until there are two candidates left and the candidate with the most votes is elected the winner.
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PAYETTE — A Payette mom’s bond was revoked Tuesday after she was charged with suffocating her twin children earlier this month and is believed to pose a danger to the life of her newborn child.
The case, which has drawn national headlines, concerns Andrea Renee Shaw, a 23-year-old Payette mother who in May 2025 said her 18-month-old fraternal twins died the same day, after receiving routine childhood vaccinations. In January, Shaw joined as a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit filed by Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine organization founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., with several other plaintiffs claiming vaccine injury or death.
Kennedy, who now serves as secretary of Health and Human Services, is no longer part of the group after taking on the cabinet position, as was reported by the Associated Press.
In Idaho, the twins’ deaths prompted a 14-month investigation by the Payette County Sheriff’s Department. On June 29, the investigation yielded a grand jury indictment of Shaw on two counts of first-degree murder by suffocation. If convicted, Shaw can be punished by up to life in prison or the death penalty, and the court would have the ability to order the penalties be served consecutively, or back to back.
Tuesday’s arraignment at the Payette County Courthouse was primarily attended by Shaw’s relatives and members of the media. Payette County Judge Kiley Stuchlik, who serves Idaho’s Third Judicial District, presided.
A key consideration for Stuchlik on Tuesday was a request from Joseph Filicetti, the legal counsel for Shaw, to have her bond reduced from $2 million to $100,000. Filicetti said this would allow for Shaw to care for a newborn girl, who, according to court documents, was born by caesarean section on June 25, four days prior to Shaw’s grand jury indictment.
State prosecutors objected to the motion for bond reduction, noting at hand was a potential death penalty case and asserting, unlike her husband, Shaw’s story repeatedly changed during questioning. Prosecuting Attorney Mike Duke said releasing Shaw would ultimately put the newborn’s safety at risk.
“That child is the most at risk. We do not think she should be allowed to be anywhere near any children, let alone her own children,” Duke said.
Stuchlik decided to revoke bond entirely, stating Shaw posed a “risk of safety” to the newborn child that was not known to Stuchlik or prosecutors when the $2 million bond was initially set.
Also for consideration Tuesday was a request to have grand jury transcripts of witness testimony provided to prosecutors and defense counsel to prepare their respective cases.
Idaho
Idaho is home to the nation's first DarkSky Reserve. Now it's home to the nations first DarkSky Certified Resort
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – A controversy is brewing as the City of Idaho Falls reviews its alcohol ordinance.
The goal is to consolidate four existing ordinances for beer, wine and liquor into a single law and ensure compliance with state code.
However, at its meeting last Thursday, the Idaho Falls City Council unanimously voted to remove the proposed ordinance from its agenda, in order to receive and consider additional public comment.
The proposed ordinance would:
1. Require commercial establishments selling, dispensing or permitting consumption of alcohol – including beer, wine or liquor – to have an alcohol license, alcohol catering permit or a charitable event permit.
2. Business events with 20 or less employees consuming alcohol at the business would be allowed.
3. Require alcohol servers to complete training every three years.
4. Individuals who violate the law could be charged with a misdemeanor.
Idaho Falls City Council President Jim Francis said the changes were the culmination of months of collaboration between law enforcement, business owners and city attorneys.
“We wanted to provide a safe environment – the primary point here – for public gatherings,” Francis said. “We recognize that certain antiquated elements of the current code are overly restrictive and needed to be addressed. We wanted to make the code more accessible to the public. We needed to address over-pouring issues. We wanted to reduce penalties where possible for violations, particularly the first offenses, and yet make the code clear enough to be enforceable consistently by law enforcement.”
But City Council Member John Radford said the changes represent an overreach by city government.
“I believe it’s a bad policy. What problem are we solving in the name of trying to solve a non-problem?” Radford said. “We’re becoming big brother around alcohol in your private property. I’m concerned that landlords will be at risk of being charged with a misdemeanor if they knowingly, which I made sure that was in there, because that is what we’ve been talking about, allowed people to drink in our business. We will be outside the norm of Idaho cities. This is a big step, and I don’t think the public has weighed in on this.”
At a City Council Work Session on June 1, Idaho Falls Chief of Police Bryce Johnson cited an increase in alcohol-related crime – particularly downtown – as a reason for the changes.
“DUI is there, but this would include sexual assaults, assaults, batteries, disturbances, urination, public vandalism, shooting – all sorts of crimes,” Johnson said.
But business owners are concerned about the potential impact on commercial enterprises.
“The ordinance doesn’t address the real problem – which is people drinking … at one event and then showing up in a bar or restaurant already hammered and causing problems anyway,” ” said Terri Ireland, representing the Idaho Falls Downtown Merchants Association. “The industry is really well-regulated by state and local laws already.”
The City of Idaho Falls began the process of updating its alcohol ordinance in January 2026, seeking input from community stakeholders.
Multiple community members spoke out about the ordinance.
For more in-depth information, you can read the full 39-page proposed alcohol ordinance here.
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