Incumbent Jefferson County coroner facing two challengers in the upcoming primary
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RIGBY – Jefferson County Coroner LaVar Summers, who has served in the position since 2007, has two Republican challengers in the upcoming primary. Carl Anderson and Jim Newton are also vying for the nomination.
EastIdahoNews.com sent the same eight questions to each candidate. Their unedited responses, included below, were required to be 250 words or fewer.
The candidate who wins the primary will be on the general election ballot on Nov. 3. The primary election will be held on May 19.
Tell us about yourself — include information about your family, career, education, volunteer work, and any prior experience in public office.
Summers: I am a long time resident of Jefferson County. My wife and I raised our seven children in the Terreton, Mud Lake area. We have Thirty one Grandchildren and twenty three great grand children. I graduated from Rigby High School and I have an associate degree from Ricks College. I was one of ten people that started the Mud Lake Volunteer Ambulance. I was and advanced EMT and EMS instructor for the State of Idaho. I managed the Mud lake Fair and Rodeo for twenty plus years. I served as a deputy with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office for twenty six years. I was a trained death investigator. I was Cheif Deputy for eighteen years and retired at the rank of Captain. I have served as County Coroner for the past nineteen years. I am a member of the Idaho County Coroners Association.
Anderson: I have lived in Jefferson County for 60 years. I grew up in Lewisville. I graduated from Rigby High School and went to work immediately after graduating. I am the father of one and the grandfather of three. My wife was born and grew up in Rigby. I worked in retail sales until 2012 when I applied and was hired as the Assistant Fire Chief for Central Fire District. In 2018 I was promoted to the Fire Chief position. I retired from Central Fire in 2024. Throughout our years of married life, my wife and I volunteered with the Jefferson County Fair, the Jefferson County/Rigby Stampede Rodeo and I volunteered as a rodeo advisor with Rigby and District 7 High School Rodeo. I am currently the Jefferson County General Fair Chairman and the Stampede Rodeo Chairman. I started my career in firefighting in1994 as a volunteer for
Central Fire. I started as a rookie and have held the position of lieutenant, captain, battalion chief. These were all positions of compensated volunteer. I achieved my EMT Basic after two of being firefighter. I held that EMT license until my retirement.
Newton: I was born in Nebraska and grew up in a family that moved frequently because of my father’s work with defense contracts. That experience taught me adaptability and the value of service at an early age. I attended Utah State University, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Interdisciplinary Studies. After college, I had the opportunity to play professional football for the Indianapolis Colts and the Arizona Cardinals.
In 2006, my wife and I moved to Idaho full-time and have proudly called Ririe home for the past 20 years. We raised our children here and are now enjoying helping raise our grandchildren. I also coached the Ririe High School football team for several years, which allowed me to stay deeply involved in our local youth and community.
My professional career in emergency services began in 2007 with the Central Fire District, where I served for 10 years. During that time, I became a licensed EMT-Basic, was promoted to Lieutenant over EMS, and later served as Captain over Fire Operations. In 2017, I joined the City of Idaho Falls Fire Department as a professional firefighter. I earned my paramedic certification and was promoted to Fire Inspector in 2019.
I have never held elected public office, but I bring nearly 20 years of hands-on experience in emergency response, leadership, medical care, and fire investigation. These experiences have prepared me to serve Jefferson County with professionalism, compassion, and integrity as your next Coroner.
Why are you seeking political office within your community? Briefly explain your political platform.
Newton: I am seeking the office of Jefferson County Coroner because I want to serve our rapidly growing community with the professionalism, compassion, and integrity that families deserve during their most difficult moments.
After nearly 20 years in emergency services — as a paramedic, fire inspector, and former fire captain — I have seen firsthand how important it is for the coroner’s office to work efficiently and respectfully with families, law enforcement, EMS, and hospitals. Jefferson County is one of the fastest-growing counties in
Idaho, and our coroner’s office must be ready to meet that challenge with modern processes and strong collaboration.
My platform is straightforward and non-political:
- Treat every family with dignity and compassion on their worst day
- Conduct thorough, accurate, and timely death investigations
- Improve coordination with EMS, law enforcement, and neighboring counties
- Be a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars, especially with our limited $30,000 budget
- Remain independent and professional — never political
I am not a politician. I am a lifelong public servant who believes the coroner’s role should focus on facts, fairness, and helping families find closure. That is why I am running.
Anderson: I am seeking the position of coroner because I was encouraged by law enforcement and many citizens to apply after my retirement. As Fire Chief, I made an effort to respond to any critical call within our boundaries. I helped law enforcement with gathering information. I made it easier on grieving families by explaining what steps would be taken when a loved one passed on. I am told that I am a kind and compassionate person. I pride myself on being a good listener and communicator. Because I live in the Rigby area, I am more available to the greater population base of the county.
Summers: I am well qualified to fulfill the duties of the office of coroner. Those duties are to investigate six types of deaths and determine the cause and manner of death. As described in idaho code 19-4301 and 31-2801A. My office includes myself and a deputy coorner, Nyle Raymond of Menan. Nyle covers for me when I am not available. My death investigators are the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Rigby P.D. By utilizing those resources and the resources of my personal cell phone, computer, computer supplies, and my personal vehicle it saves taxpayer dollars. I am a registered Republican.
What are the greatest challenges facing people in your county? What is your plan to meet and overcome those challenges?
Anderson: Growth, infrastructure and taxes are the challenges I see facing the county residents. The coroners office has a budget, but that budget needs responsible growth as the county growth continues. I am used to working within budgets demands and know that accurate bookkeeping is key to managing a budget.
Summers: (Summers did not respond to this question.)
Newton: The greatest challenges facing Jefferson County today are our rapid population growth and the increasing strain it places on our essential services. As one of the fastest-growing counties in Idaho, more families are moving here, which means greater demand on emergency response, healthcare, and support systems during life’s most difficult moments.
As Coroner, my focus is on serving families with care and dignity when they need it most. Our current coroner’s office operates on a very limited $30,000 budget, with the majority of funds dedicated to autopsies and transport to Ada County. With continued growth, we must ensure every family receives timely, respectful answers about their loved one’s passing.
My plan is grounded in compassion and practicality:
- Work closely with neighboring counties to share resources like body storage and training, so we can stretch our limited budget further while maintaining high standards.
- Improve coordination with EMS, fire departments, law enforcement, and hospitals to make death investigations smoother and more efficient.
- Prioritize clear communication and empathy, ensuring every family feels heard and supported during their time of grief.
With nearly 20 years of experience as a paramedic and fire inspector, I am committed to leading the coroner’s office with both professionalism and genuine compassion — helping Jefferson County families find closure with dignity and care.
How will you best represent the views of your constituents – even those with differing political views? How do partisan politics play into your role as an elected leader?
Summers: (Summers did not respond to this question.)
Anderson: Partisan politics shouldn’t play a role in the coroners office. I would represent the view of my constituents through good communication and thorough investigative practice.
Newton: As Coroner, my role is fundamentally non-partisan — it is about serving people during their most painful and vulnerable moments. I will represent every constituent in Jefferson County with the same level of care, respect, and professionalism, regardless of their political views, race, creed, sex, or religious beliefs.
Every family deserves honest answers, timely investigations, and compassionate treatment when they lose a loved one. Politics should never influence how a death is investigated or how a family is treated. My commitment is to remain independent and impartial in every case.
While I am running on the Republican ticket, I do not believe partisan politics belong in the coroner’s office. This is a human role, not a political one. My job will be to determine cause and manner of death based on facts and evidence — nothing more, nothing less.
I will listen to all constituents who have concerns and will always strive to operate with transparency, integrity, and fairness. Every person in Jefferson County — no matter their background or beliefs — will receive the same dignified and professional service from my office.
What parts of the county budget could use more funding? Where are places in the budget where cuts could be made?
Newton: The coroner’s office currently operates on a very modest budget of $30,000 per year — the smallest of all Jefferson County departments. The majority of this budget is already allocated to necessary expenses such as autopsies (which cost roughly $2,300 each) and transportation to Ada County. Because of this, there is very little room for cuts without compromising essential services.
In my opinion, the coroner’s office does not have areas where meaningful cuts can be made. Instead, we must focus on using every dollar wisely and seeking efficiencies through collaboration.
That said, I believe additional funding in a few key areas would greatly improve service:
- Technology and equipment upgrades to modernize case management and reduce long-term costs.
- Training and continuing education for the coroner and deputy coroners.
- Resources to improve coordination with EMS, law enforcement, and neighboring counties for shared services like body storage and transport.
Rather than cutting the already tight coroner’s budget, I would advocate for smarter spending and partnerships that stretch our limited dollars further. My goal is to deliver professional, compassionate service to every Jefferson County family without asking for more than is truly necessary.
Anderson: My opinion of the county budget is that our law enforcement personnel need to be compensated better. We lose deputies to surrounding counties because of wages. All of the county staff do a great job and service to our community, and I could not see any budget cuts currently.
Summers: (Summers did not respond to this question.)
What specific changes can be made in this office to increase public transparency and access to public information? How will you communicate directly with your constituents?
Summers: (Summers did not respond to this question.)
Newton: As Jefferson County Coroner, I will prioritize transparency while strictly protecting decedent and family privacy under Idaho law.
Key changes for greater public access:
- Post clear, plain-language policies on the county website explaining the coroner’s role, investigation process, and what information is public vs. private.
- Publish an annual statistical report with anonymized data: total cases, manner of death breakdowns (natural, accidental, etc.), and response trends—no names or identifying details.
- Improve the coroner section on jcgov.us with FAQs, family resources, and streamlined public records request guidance (routed appropriately).
- Collaborate with the Sheriff’s Office and Public Health on aggregate data for community safety issues, such as preventable death trends.
Individual case details remain confidential and are handled through the Sheriff’s Office or authorized channels.
Direct constituent communication:
I will issue an annual “State of the Coroner’s Office” summary and participate in community forums on the coroner’s role and public health. For broader concerns like pandemics or unusual death clusters, I will coordinate factual joint statements with law enforcement and health officials.
My commitment: professional, compassionate service with maximum lawful openness so residents understand and trust the office.
Anderson: Specific changes to this office to increase transparency and public information would be somewhat minimal. As coroner, the public information is limited. There are events that are just not shared to the public due to privacy reasons. It would be beneficial to have an office in the courthouse where you could meet with patrons when necessary.
Can you give a concrete example of a policy or budget decision you would support to improve a county service within your first year in office?
Anderson: Policy or budget decisions I would support to improve county service would be interesting. Idaho counties rank nearly last in the area of coroner service tools. In many counties the coroners use their own personal phones, cameras, computers, vehicles and they have no offices. The county coroner is required to maintain continuing education, report the CEUs every two years. However, it is suggested that in many counties there is no oversight to make sure that is happening. The patrons of the county should be informed and need to express their desire for the service they want from the county.
Newton: If elected Jefferson County Coroner, one thing I’d focus on in my first year is improving our death investigations by showing up in person instead of just getting on a FaceTime call. I will make it a priority to get to the scene myself whenever necessary. That hands-on approach helps our law enforcement and prosecutors get the clear, reliable information they need, while always respecting family
privacy.
I’d also work closely with the County Commissioners to make sure we can get timely autopsies when a case is complicated or unexplained. Families deserve real answers during tough times, and our local agencies need solid support. These straightforward changes would make a real difference in how well the Coroner’s Office serves our community.
Summers: (Summers did not respond to this question)
What experience do you bring that prepares you to manage county finances, and how will you ensure fiscal responsibility?
Summers: (Summers did not respond to this question)
Anderson: The experience I bring to manage county finances is the fact that as County Fair Chairman, I have worked with commissioners on our fair budget and we have successfully managed two fairs in our county for a number of years.
Newton: As Jefferson County Coroner, I don’t face a large budget, which keeps things straightforward. What prepares me well is real-world experience running my own successful businesses and stepping in last year as Fire Marshal while the current marshal was deployed. I managed the fire prevention budget responsibly during that time and made sure resources were used wisely.
I’ll bring that same practical approach to the Coroner’s Office. I’ll keep a close eye on every dollar, work efficiently with our small team, and reach out to other coroners across Idaho to share resources and best practices. That way we can stretch our modest budget further without compromising quality.
My goal is simple: run the office responsibly, avoid waste, and make sure taxpayer money is spent only on delivering thorough, professional service to our community.