Voters' Guide 2017

Indivisible WA State 4th Congressional District has produced a Voters' Guide for the 2017 local election. As you know, Indivisible is non-partisan, thus the Voters' Guide does not endorse any individual candidate, rather the Guide provides expanded information about the candidates based in part on responses to questions posed to them.

Susannah Burrows, of Indivisible, writes:

"A team of community members, led by Indivisible WA-4, has been working hard over the past couple of weeks to bring you this Voter's Guide, with responses to questions from candidates for local public offices. This will improve voter information about the upcoming primary and is part of Indivisible WA-4's efforts to defend democracy at the local level."

Indivisble plans to distribute a print version of the Guide to local businesses (coffeeshops, bookstores, etc.) and at events around the Tri-Cities. They would appreciate help in doing this, with the first priority being help paying for the Guide's printing. Please make a donation to their crowdfunding campaign.

The next action you can take is to pick up a bunch of guides from Susananah and drop them off at your favorite hangout, or at the Pride Event this weekend, at your church, or anywhere that gets a lot of traffic (except GW Way & 240!). You'll be facilitating democracy by doing this. The guides will be available by Wednesday, July 19th.

The Voters Guide is also available on Indivisible's blog, where you can read about other Indivisible activities/issues.

Finally, share Indivisible's crowdfunding campaign, and the Voter's Guide, with your Facebook friends and groups.

2017 Primary Candidate Forums

Seeking council seats on the Columbia

Ballots for the Aug. 1 primary election will be mailed next week in Benton and Franklin counties. These are nonpartisan races for city councils and school boards.

The League of Women Voters of Benton and Franklin Counties has scheduled three forums in July to offer people an opportunity to meet the “top-two” primary candidates.

The first forum for Richland City Council candidates will be held 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 11 at the HAPO Stage at John Dam Plaza in Richland. Candidates for four Richland City Council positions will be questioned by a LWV moderator, and if time allows, questions from the audience will be allowed as well.

The Kennewick City Council candidate forum will be 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 17 at the Mid-Columbia Library on Union Street in Kennewick. Candidates vying for two different city council positions will participate. As the Tri-Cities Herald has written, “Of particular interest will be a chance for people to see all six candidates running for the at-large post being vacated by Kennewick City Councilman Bob Parks."

The Pasco LWV forum will be 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 19 at the Pasco Police Regional Training Center, 204 Clark Street. It will feature candidates for two Pasco School Board and two Pasco City Council positions.

Tri-Cities Young Democrats Candidate Forum

The Tri-Cities Young Democrats hosted a forum for candidates vying for city council seats in Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, and West Richland. Click on the color-coded hyperlink to see a video of the forum.

Candidates participating in the forum included: Dori Luzzo Gilmour (Richland P-7), Willian 'Dan' White (West Richland P-1), David Milne Pasco P-5/5), Bob Hoffman (Pasco D-6), Rhoda Williams (Richland P-1), Jim Millbauer (Kennewick P-4), Michael Alvarez (Richland P-7), Ryan Lukson (Richland P-4), Kalen Finn (Richland P-1), Steve Lee (Kennewick P-2/2), Craig Maloney (Pasco P-6), Sandra Kent (Richland P-3), Rick Rios (Pasco D-3), Jess Monterey (Richland P-1), Shir Regev (Richland P-3), Eldon Eskeli (Richland P-7), Ginger Wireman (Richland P-4), Blanche Barajas (Pasco D-1), Mike Luzzo (Richland P-4), and Kate Moran (West Richland P-6).

Candidates made opening remarks and then participated in a lengthy question and answer session. Again, to view the forum, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUhdhDqMhXk&feature=youtu.be

One can read the statement of candidates who chose to make them on the Benton County On-Line Voters Pamphlet, and/or the Franklin County On-Line Voters Guide.

City Council positions are ostensibly non-partisan. Nevertheless, it isn't too difficult to see that the candidates' political positions tend to align with conservative or progressive values. For example, ccandidates not participating included Richland Mayor Bob Thompson (P-1), who's been in a bit of hot water over an unfortunate remark he made at the State of the Cities gathering at the end of May this year.

In my opinion, his remark illustrated a pro-growth bias at the expense of environmental and sustainability concerns, as well as a disdain for community members who voiced concerns about this. The Richland City Council under Thompson leadership has also been reluctant to take up the issue of inclusiveness -- an important value for progressives.

The primary for 2017 elections opens in just two weeks. Ballot drop boxes open Wednesday July 12th. Voting runs for 18 days.

Do your due diligence, determine for whom you'll cast your ballot, and VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! (please only vote once, but do it).