Small town in Idaho elects first full Latino city council
*Wilder is a small rural town in Idaho, close to the border with Oregon. But Latinos there are 76% of the population and they made history. This is reflective of a growing momentum in Idaho where Latinos have gained seats in city councils and school boards. VL
By Kimberlee Kruesi, Associated Press/Idaho Statesman
BOISE, IDAHO – A small town in rural Idaho broke political barriers earlier this month by electing its first fully Latino city council after voters chose to replace more than half of its local leaders in the November election.
The town of Wilder near the Idaho-Oregon border has a population of 1,500 that is about 75 percent Hispanic.
Community advocates say recent changes in the tiny town mark a huge step for the state’s growing Latino population, which has historically experienced a lack of political representation. As of 2012, Idaho’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs estimated there were 20 Hispanic elected officials representing various offices throughout the state, with just five serving in city positions. Meanwhile, Idaho’s overall population is more than 11 percent Hispanic.
Click HERE to read the full story.
[Photo via Google Maps]
