2019 Boise mayoral election

In the 2019 Boise mayoral election, incumbent mayor Dave Bieter sought a fifth term. He had won re-election four years earlier with a 40-point lead over his closest challenger, Judy Peavey-Derr. During his fourth term, Bieter faced controversy, in particular opposition to his plan to build a $100 million library. Former mayor and future candidate H. Brent Coles, at a city council meeting, argued the money should be spent instead on police and fire stations. Ada County Clerk Phil McGrane refused to place the issue on the 2019 ballot, and stated that he would change his mind only in the event of a challenge in court. Bieter declined to mount a legal challenge, in part because initial cost estimates were far lower than subsequent estimates. In a statement, Bieter wrote that he "believe(s) a new Main Library is vital to the future of our city and (he) will remain dedicated to making sure we have one [...] However, with little time before ballots must be printed, and to avoid further confusion among residents, a court action simply isn’t viable at this time." ==Candidates==

• Rebecca Arnold, Ada County Highway District president • Dave Bieter, the incumbent mayor since 2004, ran for his fifth term. Bieter is a member of the Democratic Party. • H. Brent Coles, former mayor of Boise who resigned after accepting a trip to the 2002 Winter Olympics from an insurance company • Adriel Martinez, former Boise City Council candidate • Lauren McLean, Boise City Council president, ran in what the Idaho Statesman called "a direct challenge" to Bieter's attempt at a fifth term. • Cortney Nielsen, a representative for Acosta Sales & Marketing ==General election==

As Boise's mayoral elections are nonpartisan, neither party nominated a candidate. A total of seven candidates appeared on the ballot. The race featured two candidates who had been mayors of Boise: the incumbent mayor, and 1993-2003 mayor Brent Coles. Incumbent mayor Bieter emphasized that his goals for a fifth term included ensuring access to affordable housing, making Boise carbon-neutral by 2035, and building the new library, while "making sure the project is completed within the budget set by the city". Coles campaigned on his record as mayor, including the consolidation of the city's transport system and his expansion of the police department. Boise State Public Radio described the race as much closer than usual, and quoted College of Idaho professor Jasper LiCalzi, who argued that the candidates defied the typical categorization of "a typical Republican and a typical Democrat and a few fringe people", positing that there were "three significant campaigns" vying for votes, which made a runoff election, in the event that no candidate yields more than 50 percent of the vote, more likely than usual. Bieter and McLean advanced to a runoff mayoral election, the first in Boise since 1965, when Jay S. Amyx defeated Eugene W. Shellworth. In 2006, the city abolished runoff elections for City Council seats, but maintained runoff elections for mayoral races. McLean won the runoff by a landslide, defeating Bieter by over 31%. == Results ==