With November being the traditional election month in the United States, it might seem anachronistic to be discussing candidates in the middle of July. But, believe it or not, election season is here, with ballots for the Aug. 2 primary election on their way to registered voters.
That primary will determine which two candidates, regardless of party, advance to the November general election. For local races involving more than two candidates — therefore providing a contest for the primary — The Columbian’s Editorial Board has spent the past several weeks interviewing candidates and examining the issues involved in the races. Our recommendations for such contests can be found at http://tinyurl.com/gmjon38, and videos of the meetings are at http://tinyurl.com/hoxnbqe.
As we often mention in providing such recommendations, these are merely suggestions designed to provide some insight to the candidates and to foster discussion. The Columbian trusts the ability of voters to study the candidates and make an informed decision before casting a ballot. In that regard, videos can be particularly helpful in assessing a candidates’ depth of understanding surrounding the issues and in making judgments about their demeanor or how effectively they articulate their beliefs.
For statewide races, we will not be making a recommendation until after the primary has reduced the field to two candidates. And for many local races, only two candidates filed for the position, meaning that The Columbian will interview candidates prior to the general election.
