On Nov. 7, Nampa will be holding its first-ever local city council elections divided by district. Six new districts mean residents now only vote within their district.
For the 2023 elections, three councilors will be selected to fill seats for districts 2, 4 and 6. The city’s online district viewer page can be used to help residents determine their voting districts.
Natalie Jangula and Troy Keith are the candidates for District 2.
NATALIE JANGULA
Jangula is a current city councilor re-running within her district lines in accordance with the new district-based elections. She has been in the Nampa City Council for two years.
A fifth-generation Idahoan, Jangula moved to Nampa seven years ago to raise her kids.
“That’s what’s so great about city council is that as citizens, we have a right to run for whatever we want to run for,” Jangula said.
Jangula was Mrs. Idaho in 2015, according to her bio, giving her more opportunities to get involved with the community.
She previously made headlines for being in attendance at former President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021, where rioters stormed the Capitol. In a previous interview with the Idaho Press, Jangula said she went there because it was a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to just go and just show my support for our country,” and that she did not condone the actions of those who entered the Capitol.
Natalie Jangula
In an area known for its seeds, Jangula noted the importance of maintaining agricultural land while considering property rights.
“Our agriculture is really important to who we are,” Jangula said. “And the thing is, it’s kind of a delicate balance because I also believe in property rights. So if a farmer wants to sell his land, he has the right to do so.”
A new issue Jangula has heard about from constituents is complaints of parking and loitering, one she hopes to address given an additional term.
In her time on the city council, she has previously worked with parking and zoning to make changes to parking for high-density housing.
Coming into her position two years ago, Jangula said there was a large learning curve, which she has since learned from.
“Nobody knows how hard it is to run a city,” Jangula said. “There are so many moving pieces.”
TROY KEITH
Keith is a retired lieutenant from the California Department of Corrections who worked in his department for over 30 years.
Moving from California, Keith has been a Nampa resident since 2020, resonating with the culture.
“I enjoy how there’s a lot more religious freedom up here,” Keith said.
Working on the administrative level within corrections has helped Keith understand how to manage a budget.
“I’ve spent time in negotiating with unions, and I spent time developing a budget branch for about a year, so I’m familiar with how municipal and public sector budgets are developed,” Keith said.
Troy Keith
Nampa has seen a lot of change and growth, some of which Keith finds concerning. With increased discussion around multi-family dwellings, he believes the city is already struggling with traffic and infrastructure.
“I’m not sure zoning more areas for multiple-family dwellings is the best for Nampa at this time,” he said. “Maybe we need to kind of take a look at what we’re doing as far as planning. … I don’t really want to lose that small-town feel.”
In order to maintain the feel of Nampa, Keith wants to better plan zoning changes. Another consideration for growth is accessibility.
“(I want to push) focusing a little more on disabled adults and just how to better provide support and access to services,” Keith said.
As a retired first responder himself, Keith also wants to show up for Nampa’s first responder community.
“I’d want to stand by the first responders of Nampa and really try to support them and make sure that support is maintained,” he said.
