MINIDOKA, Idaho — In Minidoka, a city of 84 people, every vote matters.
This year’s mayoral race came down to a classic small‑town nail‑biter: incumbent Julie Peterson edged out Becky Zieback by just two votes, winning 9‑7. Yes, you read that right— 16 votes total.
In big cities, that’s barely a handful of ballots; in Minidoka, it’s a decisive, roughly 12% margin of victory.
However, Minidoka County seems to have an issue with turnout, as only 16% of registered voters cast a ballot in the recent election.
For comparison, Ada County saw a 30% turnout this year while Canyon County saw 26% head to the polls.
The least populous county in the state, Clark County, saw an above-average 32% voter turnout this year.
When asked what her hopes are for the City of Minidoka moving forward, Mayor-Elect Julie Peterson replied, "Keep Minidoka alive." Mayor Peterson went on to explain that the city lost its post office last year and that many towns struggle to maintain their city designation after losing their post office.
Voters also elected four people to serve on the Minidoka City Council. James F. Cook and Monique Hurst each secured two‑year terms with 11 votes apiece — enough to win, and enough for bragging rights at the next potluck.
Bulmaro Paz clinched a four‑year term with 13 votes, while the only new member of council, Bonnie Hofmeister, scored one of her own with 8 votes.
Hofmeister’s win was another squeaker, topping incumbent Mark W. Cartwright by a single ballot. With such close races, candidates are able to seek a recount; however, that remains to be seen.
According to the Minidoka County Clerk, City Council positions are often hard to fill — though for those who step up, it’s clear the road to victory might just run through a living room or two.
