District positions, ballot measure to be in May election
Published 3:00 pm Thursday, March 2, 2023
- A ballot measure requiring Wallowa County commissioners to discuss the merits of relocating the state’s borders so that the county is part of Idaho has passed by a seven-vote margin.
ENTERPRISE — A variety of district elections and ballot measures will go before voters Tuesday, May 16, in Wallowa County, the county clerk reports.
The deadline to file for any of the open seats is Thursday, March 16. Contact the County Clerk’s Office at the Wallowa County Courthouse in Enterprise for filing forms.
County Clerk Sandy Lathrop said Thursday, March 2, that hardly anyone has yet filed for the open seats, as most people want to wait to see if others will file.
Up for election are:
• Three board members for four-year terms for the Wallowa County Health Care District.
• Two board members for four-year terms for the Wallowa County Education Service District.
• One two-year term and one four-year term on the Joseph School District.
• One two-year term and one four-year term on the Wallowa School District.
• Three four-year terms on the Enterprise School District.
• Two four-year terms on the Troy School District.
• Two four-year terms and two two-year terms on the Enterprise Cemetery District.
• One four-year term on the Joseph Cemetery District.
• Two four-year terms on the Wallowa Cemetery District.
• Three four-year terms on the Lostine Cemetery District.
• One four-year term on the Alder Slope Cemetery District.
• One four-year term on the Evergreen Sewer and Water District.
• One four-year term and one two-year term on the Lower Valley Water Improvement District.
• Two four-year terms on the Wallowa Rural Fire District.
• Two four-year terms and one two-year term on the Wallowa Lake Rural Fire District.
Also on the May ballot is Ballot Measure 32-007, which requires the county Board of Commissioners to meet to discuss how to promote the interest of Wallowa County to relocate state borders. The measure requires the commissioners to meet once in February and once in August to consider the matter. The ballot measure includes penalties to be levied against anyone hindering such a meeting.
The measure is similar to one that several Oregon counties have approved with the idea of moving the Oregon-Idaho state line to include those counties in Idaho. Wallowa County narrowly defeated a similar measure in 2020.
