Launch of Strong Mayor Ballot Initiative

***** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *****

(February 26, 2021)

Launch of Strong Mayor Ballot Initiative

Local Group of Concerned Citizens begins Campaign

A local group of concerned Lewiston residents has formed Lewiston SMART, a political action committee

with the goal of returning government to the people, as it was originally intended.

Just over a month ago, Joseph Gish, Ada Eldridge, and Maureen Anderson began the process of researching

and developing a ballot initiative that would give voters the opportunity to change Lewiston’s current

Council-Manager Plan to a Strong Mayor Form of Government. The group submitted the statutory ballot

language, along with the initial required signatures, to the City of Lewiston for review and have received

the certified ballot titles. Official petitions will be printed and available for signatures in the immediate

future!

Lewiston SMART believes that Lewiston’s current format of Council-Manager city government is failing to

serve its citizens. The Lewiston City Manager operates with little accountability to the voters. Lewiston

SMART’s Strong Mayor Ballot Initiative will give the voters the opportunity to continue the current

dysfunctional Council-Manager Plan or change Lewiston’s form of government to an ELECTED mayor who

manages the city and is accountable directly to the voters. Virtually every other city in Idaho has a “Strong

Mayor” form of government.

Lewiston SMART believes the voters deserve the opportunity to choose Lewiston’s form of government and

will be circulating petitions until April 30, 2021 to place Proposition 1 on the November 2, 2021 ballot. The

voters of Lewiston are encouraged to watch various social media outlets, local news, as well as the

upcoming LewistonSMART.org webpage for news and information about where they can sign the petition

to put the City of Lewiston BACK into the hands of the people.

Lewiston SMART will also be conducting numerous educational events for the public to gain additional

information about how the new Strong Mayor format will best benefit the community as well as how to

participate in the campaign and just say “No!” -

Proposition One: Shall the City of Lewiston retain its organization under the “council-manager plan”?

Vote: “ No” and Lewiston will change to an ELECTED Strong Mayor form of government!

“No (more…unaccountable City Manager!)”

“No (more…emergency powers given to an UNELECTED City Manager!)”

“No (more…hidden illegal transfers of money from city utilities to other projects!)”

“No (more…barriers between elected officials and city staff!)”

For additional information, please feel free to contact Joseph Gish or Maureen Anderson @

Volunteers@LewistonSMART.org

Lewiston

S – Strong

M – Mayor

A – Accountable to the Voters!

R – Responsive to the People!

T – Tax Payers have a VOICE!