Idaho Senate rejects contest of Nye’s election

Sen. Mark Nye will continue to serve another term in the Idaho Statehouse after Senate lawmakers rejected a formal contest over his November election results.

This is only the third time in Idaho history that the Senate has weighed in on a contest of an election. Under the Idaho Constitution, the Senate is the judge in formal contests of Senate election results – not the courts.

Republican Tom Katsilometes filed a formal notice to the Senate last year, claiming there were multiple errors in the vote counting and sunshine law compliance.

However, lawmakers disagreed with those allegations, arguing that there wasn’t enough evidence to back up the claims.

The Idaho Senate made its final decision on Tuesday.

Nye, a Democrat from Pocatello, defeated Katsilometes by more than 500 votes in November.