The League of Women Voters (LWV) of the San Juans will sponsor a Candidates Forum this Saturday, Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Orcas Senior Center.
County Sheriff Candidates Brent Johnson and Rob Nou, and legislative candidates Jeff Morris and John Swapp will attend. (As of Oct. 15, John Swapp had withdrawn from the forum and Morris has not decided whether to attend and read a statement).
Orcas Island’s LWV has received notice that John Koster has declined to speak at the forums on the islands, therefore, Rick Larson and other candidates for the U.S. House will not be heard, in accordance with Federal Election Commission (FEC) regulations.
Also representatives both for and against Orcas Island Proposition 1 will attend the Candidates Forum. Orcas Island Park and Recreation District, voted into existence last November when the County announced that it would drop funding support of the Orcas Recreation Program, is going out for a 10-cents per $1,000 bond to fund its operations.
Cindy Carter will deliver the con statement. Jim Bredouw will deliver the pro statement.
Due to the limited number of speakers, the forum audience will have the opportunity to ask in-depth questions, which the candidates may then be able to answer at some length.
Nine other statewide issues, and a county referendum to uphold or reject the county ordinance banning private use of fireworks, are also on the ballot. Orcas LWV member Marian O’Brien has said, “We’re not up to our eyeballs in the initiative discussion the way we would be in Seattle, but there are critical measures on the ballot. Our county’s 11,000 registered voters can make a significant impact on the adoption or rejection of those proposals.”
The Orcas sub-unit of the LWV has arranged for a discussion period of these issues following the Candidates Forum. Attendees are welcome to stay and discuss those ballot measures, which will be available at the Forum on Saturday, and can be viewed online at wei.secstate.wa.gov/sanjuan/currentelection/Pages/OnlineVotersGuide
The one-hour debate will be moderated by LWV members to ensure civility and time management.
Ballots will be mailed on Oct. 15 to registered county voters. The last day to register in-person at the County Election Office in Friday Harbor is Oct. 25
The Initiative, referendum and Legislative measures are:
Initiative Measure 1053
Concerning tax and fee increases imposed by state government.
Initiative Measure 1082
Concerning industrial insurance.
Initiative Measure 1098
Concerning establishing a state income tax and reducing other taxes.
Initiative Measure 1100
Concerning liquor (beer, wine and spirits).
Initiative Measure 1105
Concerning liquor (beer, wine and spirits).
Initiative Measure 1107
Concerns reversing certain 2010 amendments to state tax laws.
And two legislative resolutions, one about state debt and the other written in response to the killing of four Lakewood Police Officers last November by a convicted criminal who’d been released on bail.
Senate Joint Resolution 8225
Concerns the limitation on state debt.
The Orcas Island Park and Recreation District funding proposal is:
Proposition No. 1
Concerning district funding
And the County referendum on fireworks is:
Mission of the League of Women Voters — The League of Women Voters, a non-partisan, political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of public policy issues, and influence public policy through education and advocacy.
Goal of the League of Women Voters — To empower citizens to shape better communities worldwide. Membership is open to any citizen over the age of 18 who subscribes to the League’s purposes and policies. All LWVSJ meetings are nonpartisan and open to the public.
