BOISE, Idaho — Reclaim Idaho's Quality Education Initiative is officially eligible for the November 2022 election ballot, the Idaho Secretary of State's Office announced Friday afternoon.
The non-profit organization delivered around 100,000 signatures to the Idaho Secretary of State's Office on July 6 to get the education initiative on the General Election ballot.
According to Friday's announcement, 64,945 valid petition signatures were required to become eligible for the ballot. The number equals 6% of Idaho's registered voters at the time of the previous general election.
To become eligible, the signatures also must be from at least 18 legislative districts, 6% or more of registered voters from each district. The Secretary of State's Office said the Reclaim Idaho initiative qualified for the ballot Friday after receiving signatures from 19 legislative districts.
Earlier this month, a chain of matching green-shirt Reclaim Idaho supporters hand delivered the 100,000 signatures, in colorful backpacks, to the Secretary of State's Office.
The Quality Education Initiative aims to collect more than $323 million annually for Idaho public schools. The initiative would create a new tax bracket for any person earning more than $250,000, or a married couple earning more than $500,000.
Reclaim Idaho's initiative would also increase the corporate tax rate from 6% up to 8%
Idaho is dead last in the country for per-student spending, according to a 2021-22 ranking report from the National Education Association. The Gem State spends $8,662 annually per student. Utah is the only other state spending less than $10,000.
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