Maxine Bell

{{short description|American farmer, librarian, and politician from Idaho}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Maxine Bell

| image =

|office1 = Member of the Idaho House of Representatives

|constituency1 = 24th district Seat D (1988–1992)
24th district Seat B (1992-2002)
26th district Seat B (2002–2012)
25th district Seat B (2012–2018)

|term_start1 = December 1, 1988

|term_end1 = November 30, 2018

|predecessor1 = Waldo Martens

|successor1 = Laurie Lickley

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1931|8|6}}

| birth_place = Logan, Utah, United States

| death_date =

| death_place =

| alma_mater = College of Southern Idaho, Idaho State University

| occupation = Farmer, librarian

| spouse = {{marriage|Jack Bell|1949|2021|end=died}}

| party = Republican

}}

Maxine Bell ({{nee}} Toolson) (born August 6, 1931) is an American politician and a former librarian. Bell was a Republican member of the Idaho House of Representatives.

Early life

On August 6, 1931, Bell was born in Logan, Utah.

Education

Bell earned an Associate of Arts in library science from College of Southern Idaho. Bell also attended Idaho State University.{{cite web |url=http://legislature.idaho.gov/house/membershipSingle.cfm?ID=6 |title=Idaho State Legislature - House Membership |access-date=2013-02-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126060739/http://legislature.idaho.gov/house/membershipSingle.cfm?ID=6 |archive-date=2013-01-26 }}

Career

Bell is a farmer and a retired school librarian in Idaho.{{cite web|title=Meet State Rep. Maxine Bell|url=https://stateimpact.npr.org/idaho/tag/maxine-bell/|website=State Impact|publisher=National Public Radio|access-date=27 March 2016}}

Bell was first elected to the Idaho House of Representatives in 1988.{{cite web |url=https://stateimpact.npr.org/idaho/2012/01/03/rep-maxine-bell-were-not-in-a-position-to-lower-taxes-at-this-point/ |title=Rep. Maxine Bell: We're Not in a Position to Lower Taxes at This Point |website=npr.org |first=Molly |last=Messick |date=January 3, 2012 |access-date=December 22, 2019}}

In November 1992, Bell was reelected to the Idaho House of Representatives for District 24 seat B. On November 8, 1994, as an incumbent, Bell won the election and continued serving District 24 seat B.{{cite web |url=https://sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/1994/general/rsltgn94.htm |title=Idaho General Election Results November 8, 1994 |website=sos.idaho.gov |date=November 8, 1994 |access-date=December 22, 2019}} On November 5, 1996, as an incumbent, Bell won the election and continued serving District 24 seat B.{{cite web |url=https://sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/1996/general/rsltgn96.htm |title=Idaho General Election Results November 5, 1996 |website=sos.idaho.gov |date=November 5, 1996 |access-date=December 22, 2019}} On November 3, 1998, as an incumbent, Bell won the election and continued serving District 24 seat B.{{cite web |url=https://sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/1998/general/98gnrslt.htm |title=Idaho General Election Results November 3, 1998 |website=sos.idaho.gov |date=November 3, 1998 |access-date=December 22, 2019}} On November 7, 2000, as an incumbent, Bell won the election and continued serving District 24 seat B. Bell defeated Monies L. Smith.{{cite web |url=https://sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/2000/general/tot_leg.htm |title=November 7, 2000 General Election Results |website=sos.idaho.gov |date=November 7, 2000 |access-date=December 22, 2019}}

On November 5, 2002, Bell was reelected to the Idaho House of Representatives for District 26 seat B.{{cite web |url=https://sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2002/General/tot_leg.htm |title=November 5, 2002 General Election Results |website=sos.idaho.gov |date=November 5, 2002 |access-date=December 22, 2019}} On November 2, 2004, as an incumbent, Bell won the election and continued serving District 26 seat B.{{cite web |url=https://sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2004/General/tot_leg.htm |title=November 2, 2004 General Election Results |website=sos.idaho.gov |date=November 2, 2004 |access-date=December 22, 2019}} On November 7, 2006, as an incumbent, Bell won the election and continued serving District 26 seat B.{{cite web |url=https://sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2006/General/tot_leg.htm |title=November 7, 2006 General Election time Results |website=sos.idaho.gov |date=November 7, 2006 |access-date=December 22, 2019}} On November 4, 2008, as an incumbent, Bell won the election and continued serving District 26 seat B.{{cite web |url=https://sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2008/General/tot_leg.htm |title=November 4, 2008 General Election Results |website=sos.idaho.gov |date=November 4, 2008 |access-date=December 22, 2019}} On November 2, 2010, as an incumbent, Bell won the election and continued serving District 26 seat B. Bell defeated Cindy Shotwell.{{cite web |url=https://sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2010/General/tot_leg.htm |title=November 2, 2010 General Election Results |website=sos.idaho.gov |date=November 2, 2010 |access-date=December 22, 2019}}

On November 6, 2012, Bell was reelected to the Idaho House of Representatives for District 25 seat A.{{cite web |url=https://sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2012/General/tot_leg.htm |title=November 6, 2012 General Election Results |website=sos.idaho.gov |date=November 6, 2012 |access-date=December 21, 2019}} On November 4, 2014, as an incumbent, Bell won the election and continued serving District 25 seat A.{{cite web |url=https://sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/2014/General/legislative_totals.html |title=November 4, 2014 General Election Results |website=sos.idaho.gov |date=November 4, 2014 |access-date=December 21, 2019}} On May 17, 2016, Reggy Sternes challenged Bell during the Republican Primary Election but he was defeated.{{cite web |url=https://www.idahosaa.org/reggy-sternes-to-challenge-rep-maxine-bell-r-25/ |title=Reggy Sternes to Challenge Rep. Maxine Bell (R-25) |website=idahosaa.org |date=April 2016 |access-date=December 22, 2019}} On November 8, 2016, as an incumbent, Bell on the election and continued serving District 25 seat A.{{cite web |url=https://sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/2016/General/legislative_totals.html |title=November 8, 2016 General Election Results |website=sos.idaho.gov |date=November 8, 2016 |access-date=December 21, 2019}} In 2018, Bell did not seek for a seat in District 25 seat A.{{cite web |url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/2897/maxine-bell |title=Maxine Bell's Biography |publisher=Vote Smart |access-date=December 21, 2019}}

In December 2018, Bell retired from Idaho House of Representatives after having served for fifteen terms.{{cite web |url=https://magicvalley.com/news/local/maxine-bell-the-most-powerful-woman-in-idaho/article_337d6ce1-f66f-51a3-a090-6e8956d5001b.html |title=Maxine Bell: The most powerful woman in Idaho |website=magicvalley.com |date=March 31, 2018 |access-date=December 22, 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.idahofb.org/News-Media/2018/03/maxine-bell |title=Maxine Bell |website=idahofb.org |first=Steve |last=Ritter |date=March 21, 2018 |access-date=December 22, 2019}}(in video){{cite web |url=https://legislature.idaho.gov/legislators/membership/2018/id6/ |title=Representative Maxine T. Bell |website=legislature.idaho.gov |access-date=December 22, 2019}} During the 2022 elections, she served as treasurer for Phil McGrane's campaign for secretary of state of Idaho.{{cite web | url=https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/eye-on-boise-mcgrane-files-paperwork-for-secretary-of-state-run/article_8ed69da2-ce89-56e4-b804-3c87eb90a909.html | title=Eye on Boise: McGrane files paperwork for Secretary of State run | date=13 March 2021 }}

Election history

class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"

|+ District 25 House Seat A - Jerome County and part of Twin Falls County

!|Year

!|Candidate

!|Votes

!|Pct

!|Candidate

!|Votes

!|Pct

2012 Primary{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2012/Primary/tot_leg.htm |title=May 15, 2012 Primary Election Results: Legislative Totals |author=Ysursa, Ben |publisher=Secretary of State of Idaho |location=Boise, Idaho |access-date=March 22, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119193944/http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2012/Primary/tot_leg.htm |archive-date=November 19, 2012 }}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Maxine Bell (incumbent)}}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |4,275

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |100%

|

|

|

2012 General{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2012/General/tot_leg.htm |title=November 6, 2012 General Election Results: Legislative Totals |author=Ysursa, Ben |publisher=Secretary of State of Idaho |location=Boise, Idaho |access-date=March 22, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615195017/http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2012/General/tot_leg.htm |archive-date=June 15, 2016 }}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Maxine Bell (incumbent)}}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |14,035

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |100%

|

|

|

2014 Primary{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2014/Primary/legislative_totals.html |title=May 20, 2014 General Election Results: Legislative Totals |author=Ysursa, Ben |publisher=Secretary of State of Idaho |location=Boise, Idaho |access-date=March 22, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108053333/http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2014/Primary/legislative_totals.html |archive-date=November 8, 2014 }}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Maxine Bell (incumbent)}}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |3,855

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |100%

|

|

|

2014 General{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/2014/General/legislative_totals.html |title=November 4, 2014 General Election Results: Legislative Totals |author=Ysursa, Ben |publisher=Secretary of State of Idaho |location=Boise, Idaho |access-date=March 22, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220093000/http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2014/General/legislative_totals.html |archive-date=December 20, 2016 }}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Maxine Bell (incumbent)}}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |9,430

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |100%

|

|

|

2016 Primary{{cite web|url=https://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/2016/Primary/legislative_totals.html |title=May 17, 2016 Primary Election Results: Legislative Totals |author=Denney, Lawerence |publisher=Secretary of State of Idaho |location=Boise, Idaho |access-date=March 22, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220092827/http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2016/Primary/legislative_totals.html |archive-date=December 20, 2016 }}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Maxine Bell (incumbent)}}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |3,267

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |68.6%

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Reggy Sternes}}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |1,493

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |31.4%

2016 General{{cite web|url=https://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/2016/General/legislative_totals.html |title=Nov 8, 2016 General Election Results: Legislative Totals |author=Denney, Lawerence |publisher=Secretary of State of Idaho |location=Boise, Idaho |access-date=March 22, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221144543/http://sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/2016/General/legislative_totals.html |archive-date=December 21, 2016 }}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Maxine Bell (incumbent)}}

|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |14,839

|{{Party shading/Republican}} |100%

|

|

|

Awards

  • 2018 Jean'ne M. Shreeve NSF EPSCoR Research Excellence Award. (December 6, 2018). Presented by Idaho Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). First recipient who is a non-professor.{{cite web |url=https://www.uidaho.edu/news/news-articles/news-releases/2019-january/012419-maxinebell |title=State Rep. Maxine Bell Given Honorary Jean'ne M. Shreeve Research Excellence Award |website=uidaho.edu |date=January 24, 2019 |access-date=December 22, 2019}}{{cite web |url=http://www.epscorideafoundation.org/news/2019/representative-maxine-bell-presented-with-honorary-jeanne-m-shreeve-nsf-epscor-research-excellence-award |title=Representative Maxine Bell Presented With Honorary Jean'ne M. Shreeve NSF EPSCoR Research Excellent Award |website=epscorideafoundation.org |date=March 11, 2019 |access-date=December 22, 2019}}

Personal life

Bell and her husband Jack have three sons.

References

{{reflist}}