I believe we need to buy billboard space and remind people here in Idaho why they moved here. It is sad that off year elections have poor turnout and I believe many GOP voters think we are a ruby red state and that someone else will take care of electing the right people.
What % of Alldridge's 5,663 voters also voted for Little? Did he run against "the Governor?" It is amazing that you can't see that the "cabalization" of Alldridge became a millstone that dragged him down.
Maybe it's true - I'm open to discussing all facets of this. Without good exit polling there's no way to know for sure which Alldridge voters supported Gov. Little in 2022. Someone with a lot of time on their hands could compare voter registration data over the past three years and see how many people voted both in the 2022 primary and yesterday's election.
It's odd to characterize Alldridge as being "cabalized" considering everything that was stacked against him. When you see the governor, Conservation Voters for Idaho, and even local "progressive Democrats" on the same side, does that not suggest some sort of "cabal" at work? It's easy to label one's opponents as a "cabal" while referring to one's own side as a "broad base coalition."
It is what it is. We move on and hopefully learn something.
"That does not appear to have happened. Considering how influential religious differences seemed to be in this race—recall that Alldridge, the only non-LDS candidate, was asked by an East Idaho News reporter for his opinion on Mormons—I wonder if that proved a more decisive factor than expected. "
Preliminary research of East Idaho politicians in proportion to population on Gemini:
Based on an analysis of the mayors and city councils in the four largest cities in East Idaho (Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Rexburg, and Ammon), approximately **25% to 35% of elected officials are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).**
However, this number varies wildly depending on the specific city. In the "Upper Valley" (Rexburg/Ammon), representation is almost 100% LDS, while in the "Lower Valley" (Idaho Falls/Pocatello), the split is much closer to 50/50.
### 1. Is it proportionate to the population?
**Generally, yes.**
The religious makeup of local politicians tracks closely with the demographics of their specific cities.
* **East Idaho General Population:** ~60% LDS (varies by county).
* **East Idaho Politicians:** ~65-75% LDS.
While the region is often viewed as a monolith, the political representation reveals two distinct zones:
### 2. Breakdown by City
#### **Rexburg & Ammon (The Upper Valley)**
* **LDS Politicians:** **~95% - 100%**
* **LDS Population:** ~95% (Madison County)
* **Proportionality:** **Exact.**
* **Details:** In these cities, nearly every elected official is LDS. Biographical records for mayors and council members almost universally feature degrees from BYU/Ricks College, LDS mission service, or active church leadership roles.
* **Rexburg:** Mayor Jerry Merrill and the City Council are almost entirely LDS.
* **Ammon:** Mayor Sean Coletti and the City Council are similarly uniform in their affiliation.
#### **Idaho Falls (The Regional Hub)**
* **LDS Politicians:** **~57%** (4 out of 7 officials)
* **Details:** The Idaho Falls City Council is a mix that perfectly mirrors the city's status as a commercial hub with a more diverse professional class.
* **LDS:** Mayor Rebecca Casper (BYU grad) and Councilmembers Lisa Burtenshaw, John Radford, and Kirk Larsen (BYU Professor) have clear LDS ties.
* **Non-LDS / Unspecified:** Councilmembers like Jim Freeman (U of Idaho grad) and others do not share these biographical markers, reflecting the significant non-LDS minority in the city.
* **Details:** Pocatello is the most religiously diverse city in East Idaho, largely due to Idaho State University. Its politics reflect this, often leaning more secular or diverse than its neighbors.
* **LDS:** Mayor Brian Blad is widely associated with the LDS community.
* **Non-LDS:** The City Council has historically had a strong non-LDS presence. Councilmembers like Linda Leeuwrik and Rick Cheatum have backgrounds and public stances (e.g., on civil rights or diversity resolutions) that often align with the city's non-LDS voting bloc.
### Summary Table: Religion of Elected Officials (Sample)
| City | Est. LDS % (Officials) | Est. LDS % (Population) | Representative? |
There is no significant "over-representation" of LDS politicians in East Idaho compared to the population. The dominance of LDS politicians in places like Rexburg is simply a mathematical reflection of the population being 97% LDS. In cities with more diversity, like Pocatello and Idaho Falls, you immediately see more non-LDS officials elected to office.
I believe we need to buy billboard space and remind people here in Idaho why they moved here. It is sad that off year elections have poor turnout and I believe many GOP voters think we are a ruby red state and that someone else will take care of electing the right people.
What % of Alldridge's 5,663 voters also voted for Little? Did he run against "the Governor?" It is amazing that you can't see that the "cabalization" of Alldridge became a millstone that dragged him down.
Maybe it's true - I'm open to discussing all facets of this. Without good exit polling there's no way to know for sure which Alldridge voters supported Gov. Little in 2022. Someone with a lot of time on their hands could compare voter registration data over the past three years and see how many people voted both in the 2022 primary and yesterday's election.
It's odd to characterize Alldridge as being "cabalized" considering everything that was stacked against him. When you see the governor, Conservation Voters for Idaho, and even local "progressive Democrats" on the same side, does that not suggest some sort of "cabal" at work? It's easy to label one's opponents as a "cabal" while referring to one's own side as a "broad base coalition."
It is what it is. We move on and hopefully learn something.
"That does not appear to have happened. Considering how influential religious differences seemed to be in this race—recall that Alldridge, the only non-LDS candidate, was asked by an East Idaho News reporter for his opinion on Mormons—I wonder if that proved a more decisive factor than expected. "
Preliminary research of East Idaho politicians in proportion to population on Gemini:
Based on an analysis of the mayors and city councils in the four largest cities in East Idaho (Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Rexburg, and Ammon), approximately **25% to 35% of elected officials are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).**
However, this number varies wildly depending on the specific city. In the "Upper Valley" (Rexburg/Ammon), representation is almost 100% LDS, while in the "Lower Valley" (Idaho Falls/Pocatello), the split is much closer to 50/50.
### 1. Is it proportionate to the population?
**Generally, yes.**
The religious makeup of local politicians tracks closely with the demographics of their specific cities.
* **East Idaho General Population:** ~60% LDS (varies by county).
* **East Idaho Politicians:** ~65-75% LDS.
While the region is often viewed as a monolith, the political representation reveals two distinct zones:
### 2. Breakdown by City
#### **Rexburg & Ammon (The Upper Valley)**
* **LDS Politicians:** **~95% - 100%**
* **LDS Population:** ~95% (Madison County)
* **Proportionality:** **Exact.**
* **Details:** In these cities, nearly every elected official is LDS. Biographical records for mayors and council members almost universally feature degrees from BYU/Ricks College, LDS mission service, or active church leadership roles.
* **Rexburg:** Mayor Jerry Merrill and the City Council are almost entirely LDS.
* **Ammon:** Mayor Sean Coletti and the City Council are similarly uniform in their affiliation.
#### **Idaho Falls (The Regional Hub)**
* **LDS Politicians:** **~57%** (4 out of 7 officials)
* **LDS Population:** ~55% - 60% (Bonneville County)
* **Proportionality:** **Exact.**
* **Details:** The Idaho Falls City Council is a mix that perfectly mirrors the city's status as a commercial hub with a more diverse professional class.
* **LDS:** Mayor Rebecca Casper (BYU grad) and Councilmembers Lisa Burtenshaw, John Radford, and Kirk Larsen (BYU Professor) have clear LDS ties.
* **Non-LDS / Unspecified:** Councilmembers like Jim Freeman (U of Idaho grad) and others do not share these biographical markers, reflecting the significant non-LDS minority in the city.
#### **Pocatello (The Gateway)**
* **LDS Politicians:** **~50% or less**
* **LDS Population:** ~51% (Bannock County)
* **Proportionality:** **Disproportionately Non-LDS (Slightly).**
* **Details:** Pocatello is the most religiously diverse city in East Idaho, largely due to Idaho State University. Its politics reflect this, often leaning more secular or diverse than its neighbors.
* **LDS:** Mayor Brian Blad is widely associated with the LDS community.
* **Non-LDS:** The City Council has historically had a strong non-LDS presence. Councilmembers like Linda Leeuwrik and Rick Cheatum have backgrounds and public stances (e.g., on civil rights or diversity resolutions) that often align with the city's non-LDS voting bloc.
### Summary Table: Religion of Elected Officials (Sample)
| City | Est. LDS % (Officials) | Est. LDS % (Population) | Representative? |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Rexburg** | ~100% | ~97% | **Yes** |
| **Ammon** | ~100% | ~85% | **Yes** (Slightly Over) |
| **Idaho Falls**| ~57% | ~60% | **Yes** |
| **Pocatello** | ~50% | ~51% | **Yes** |
**Conclusion:**
There is no significant "over-representation" of LDS politicians in East Idaho compared to the population. The dominance of LDS politicians in places like Rexburg is simply a mathematical reflection of the population being 97% LDS. In cities with more diversity, like Pocatello and Idaho Falls, you immediately see more non-LDS officials elected to office.
For the Council of Idaho Falls, AI states there are 3 non LDS, and 3 LDS. The mayor is LDS.