Woman vying for seat on Idaho Falls City Council is ‘leading by example’ for her daughters
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is part of a series of profiles of the 2025 Idaho Falls City Council candidates.
IDAHO FALLS – Jordan Bardsley, an 11-year resident of Idaho Falls who originally hails from the Seattle area, is vying for a seat on the Idaho Falls City Council.
Bardsely is one of seven candidates running for Seat 2, which Lisa Burtenshaw occupies. Burtenshaw is running for mayor. Other candidates competing for her seat are Teresa Dominick, Brandon Lee, Mosy Moran, Stephanie Taylor-Thompson, Christopher Joseph Brunt and Brad Whipple.
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In a conversation with EastIdahoNews.com, Bardsley says her decision to run stemmed from a conversation she had with her daughter, who voted for the first time in the last presidential election. She had questions about where change could be made, and Bardsley told her she had to start small on the local level in your neighborhood, school or city.
“When the opening (on the City Council came up), I decided to practice what I preach. I want to be part of the process,” Bardsley says.
The arts and athletics in education are issues that are near and dear to her heart. Her daughter is a member of the Idaho Falls Youth Symphony.
Bardsley is concerned about the student-teacher ratio in public schools and the bottom 5% of students, who she says continually “linger.” Bardsley briefly worked as a substitute teacher at Hawthorne Elementary years ago and wants to help students who are struggling, while supporting teachers in their efforts.
“I have quite a few friends who are teachers, and I know the stress and the level of commitment on their part. The ones I know love it, and sometimes they don’t get the credit that they’re due,” Bardsley says. “Parents need to be more involved to ensure that their children are succeeding.”
The 44-year-old woman grew up north of Seattle and later moved to Phoenix, where she worked for a trucking company.
She has family ties and moved to Idaho Falls in 2014. She works for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Bardsley is also involved in the community in various capacities. She’s a member of Razor’s Edge Boxing Club, an outlet for at-risk youth.
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Although this is Bardsley’s first attempt at running for public office, she feels her background and life experience make her a good fit to serve on the City Council.
“I can be a bit brash and uncouth and a little bit overzealous with certain things, but … I’m a hard worker. I say what I do, and I do what I say, and I’m a firm believer of leading by example,” says Bardsley. “If anything, this (campaign) is about leaving an example for my daughters.”
If elected, Bardsley says she’ll “work her tail off.” She’s eager to see what happens on Election Day, which is Nov. 4.
WATCH OUR INTERVIEW WITH BARDSLEY IN THE VIDEO ABOVE.
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