On Tuesday, Idaho Democratic leaders announced the three individuals they plan to appoint to the 2021 Idaho Citizen Commission for Reapportionment.
Senate Democratic Leader Michelle Stennett will appoint Dan Schmidt, a physician from Moscow, Idaho, where he has practiced family medicine for 32 years. Schmidt attended Stanford University before completing his education at University of Washington School of Medicine: WWAMI Medical Education Program. He served as the Latah County Coroner from 1991-2006, and represented Latah and Benewah Counties in the Idaho State Senate from 2010-2016.
House Democratic Leader Ilana Rubel will appoint Amber Pence, a resident of Tetonia, Idaho, where she works as the special assistant to the Teton County Board of County Commissioners. Pence was raised in Burley and attended Utah State University. She previously worked as the minority chief of staff in the Idaho House of Representatives and the director of intergovernmental relations for the city of Boise.
Idaho Democratic Party Chair Fred Cornforth will appoint Nels Mitchell, a resident of Boise, Idaho. Mitchell attended Columbia University before pursuing his law degree from the University of Idaho College of Law, where he later became a professor. He also worked with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and oversaw a staff of 75 lawyers and investigators. Mitchell ran for U.S. Senate in 2014, as the Democratic nominee.
“When Idaho voters established an independent redistricting commission in 1994, they created a model for the nation. As appointing authorities, protecting the integrity of the commission is our top priority in selecting commissioners. These individuals share our commitment to a fair and independent redistricting process. We have full confidence in their ability to work with their counterparts to produce publicly favorable and legally sound maps in a timely manner, which will serve our state well for the next decade,” the three said in a joint statement.