Members Showed Up for May Matters. It’s Time to Do It Again.

Hope Wayne almost didn’t look.  

Two years ago, the Twin Falls Education Association member anticipated the primary election results full of hope and came away devastated — several hardline members of what would become known as “The Gang of Eight” had defeated pro-public education candidates.  

So after the May 2026 primary, she held off. Her dad, TFEA member Dave Gibson, called and told her she needed to check the results.  

“I think I literally stood up and exclaimed in joy,” the Region 4 Government Relations-Political Action Committee for Education representative remembered. “It was like, ‘Oh, my gosh! They won!’”  

She wasn’t alone. Educators across Idaho knocked doors, staffed phone banks and had conversations with colleagues through the May Matters campaign, and in several key races they watched pro-public education candidates advance. In the Magic Valley, the wins were decisive.  

But it wasn’t just Southern Idaho. In Eastern Idaho, legislator Tanya Burgoyne ­— who voted both for vouchers and the anti-IEA House Bill 516 — was ousted.  

“That felt really, really good,” said Angela Davis of the Pocatello Education Association.  

Kelly Heil, president of the Pocatello EA, was thrilled with the results. “All of our candidates we endorsed made it through their primary,” she said.  

Now, with the general election on Nov. 3 just around the corner, these educators say the job isn’t finished — and every member’s vote counts. With races often coming down to just a few votes, it’s important to finish the job May Matters started.  

“I think the last couple legislative sessions have been a wake-up call for teachers in Idaho,” Wayne said.  

Relationships First 

Getting out the vote has been a collective effort all year. Pocatello EA held phone banks in a rented community space and in members’ homes, with potlucks and theme nights (“Guac the Vote” was a particularly memorable one) keeping the effort fun. 

“It was about building community and about building that camaraderie,” Heil said. When educators know other members, they’re more likely to show up and work with like-minded people.  

In Twin Falls, Wayne helped lead candidate interviews so the region could finish endorsements early in the spring and give members a positive alternative to incumbents who weren’t voting for public education. Volunteers phone banked through the Idaho Education Association and alongside community members, knocking doors and passing information onto colleagues and neighbors.  

“We had teachers who brought absentee ballots to their classroom,” Wayne said, which helped limit a common barrier to voting — time.  

That personal outreach multiplied on its own. “We found volunteers, and then those volunteers got other volunteers, and spread the word that way.”  

Mike Wilkinson, president of the Twin Falls EA, said the local didn’t reinvent the wheel. 

“We just pretty much followed the IEA plan,” he said. “Let’s phone bank, let’s get the word out, let’s get to know these candidates. I don’t know that we did anything special. It just works.”  

But the volunteer turnout surprised him. “We had more people agree to phone bank than I would have anticipated,” he said. Rather than a few people doing everything, “It was like several people did something.”

A Simple Ask 

Wayne said that educators in the Twin Falls area worked to overcome common barriers to voting in the primary. And they did it one conversation at a time, starting with a simple question: Are you going to vote? If not, why not?  

Volunteers were ready for their answers. People who were too busy received absentee ballots. Voters who were unsure about candidates received a list of endorsed candidates and a chance to meet them at upcoming events.  

Meet-and-greets played big roles throughout the state. In Lewiston, members organized a voter education event with appearances by Rep. Lori McCann (R-Lewiston). In North Idaho, members hosted town hall days with Sen. Jim Woodward (R-Sagle) and Rep. Mark Sauter (R-Sandpoint). None of the North Idaho incumbents won their primary races, but the events helped members raise awareness on issues and build campaign muscle among members.  

Sometimes, all it takes to help folks show up to the polls is a reminder of how simple the process is. “It’s not a hard process,” Heil said. “If you don’t want to take the time to go stand at the polling place, then go early vote.”  

Elections Matter 

Heil said the general election ballot looks better for public education than it has in years. Her local is endorsing both Republicans and Democrats based on their records.  

“Ultimately, we have a good slate of candidates who care about public education, and it feels really good to say that,” she said.  

Wayne shares Heil’s optimism: “I’m feeling really positive, actually,” she said.  

Members should look down the ballot, too, beyond who is running for the Legislature, Heil said. Bonds and levies are crucial for public schools, she said.  

“Buildings need to be updated,” she said. “We need to pay paras. We need to pay for equipment. We can’t do that without those levies passing.”  

Although members in the southern and eastern regions of the state had big wins, it’s important to realize that gains from May aren’t permanent, Wilkinson said. He expects hardline factions to return to the polls in future elections.  “May Matters can’t be a one-year initiative,” he said.  

Davis said her advice to other members is simple. “I hope people research the candidates and get out and vote,” she said.  

As Heil put it, “You can talk about national politics all you want, but it’s really these local and state races that ultimately make the biggest impact in our world. And if you’re not getting out and voting, then you’re letting other people make decisions. Why would you give up that power?”