The City Club of Boise celebrated Elinor Chehey and the many contributions to vibrant political discussion in Idaho. Elinor is an avid community volunteer, church leader, and longtime head of the Idaho League of Women Voters.

Elinor Chehey was honored with the City Club’s Dottie and Ed Stimpson Award for Civic Engagement for her decades-long role in promoting access to the polls and honest, civic political dialogue through the Idaho Debates and other League-sponsored events. Along with advocating for open government and frank conversation, she also helps the First Methodist Church congregation organize weekly meals for homeless and needy Boiseans, and serves on the board of Interfaith Sanctuary Housing Services.

But she is best known among statewide candidates, media and political operatives as the deceptively quiet organizer and frequent timekeeper of countless debates and forums, unhesitant in reminding the state’s most powerful individuals of the rules set for each discussion and unafraid to signal their time to speak had come to an end. 

The City Club also celebrated 25 years with founding board members Roy Eiguren, Rod Gramer and Diane Ronayne.