Welcome to the net model of the 2023 Cascadia Day by day Information Voter Information to the Nov. 7 basic election.
Since its inception in January 2022, CDN has put native election protection on the prime of its agenda. This is available in two types: election tales reported and captured visually by our information employees, and opinion items contributed by the chief editor, a broad array of visitor columnists, and also you, our readers, by way of a continuing circulation of participating letters to the editor.
CDN significantly appreciates the strong public participation.
Our information and opinion protection converges by way of CDN’s award-winning Residents Agenda mission, which seeks to supply “reader-powered election protection by letting voters information dialogue subjects for our protection.” We’re happy to make a lot of this info obtainable as a public service in a single package deal, the Voter Information.
The product is the results of months of reporting and evaluation by CDN’s newsroom, but additionally the results of energetic participation of our readership.
For the second consecutive yr, CDN in July issued a name for reader responses to the Residents Agenda’s easy immediate: What would you like candidates to be speaking about as they compete for votes? Readers submitted questions, then voted for his or her prime questions grouped in three topic classes: native authorities, crime and justice and schooling.
The chosen reader questions for native authorities and legislation and justice had been put on to candidates topic to CDN endorsement interviews; their solutions are printed on-line. Training questions helped information CDN’s college board election protection.
The questions additionally served as a baseline for our separate news-reporting course of, offering steering for issues-related information tales that reveal candidates’ stances on what issues most to native residents.
CDN was honored to obtain first place within the Washington Newspaper Publishers Affiliation’s Neighborhood Service awards for the 2022 Residents Agenda mission. We plan to proceed this system, which this yr included the addition of publicly obtainable movies of our editorial board’s interviews with choose candidates in coming elections.
Due to all who participated, and welcome to all readers new to this course of. As an unbiased, regionally owned information group in search of to grow to be an enduring neighborhood establishment, we’re open to collaborations with different teams in search of to boost public discourse as a key to preserving efficient consultant democracy.
—Ron Judd, govt editor; ronjudd@cascadiadaily.com
CDN endorses
CDN’s editorial endorsements are consistent with a protracted custom of unbiased information sources weighing in on necessary native election decisions. Learn concerning the guiding ideas of our endorsement course of right here.
‘Sure’ on Prop 4, Whatcom County Jail/providers tax: It’s the primary, finest exit off the street to a humanitarian disaster
Learn the endorsement right here.
Whatcom County govt: Satpal Sidhu
Learn the endorsement right here.
Bellingham mayor: Seth Fleetwood
Learn the endorsement right here.
Whatcom County Council at-large: Jon Scanlon
Learn the endorsement right here.
Whatcom County sheriff: Donnell “Tank” Tanksley
Learn the endorsement right here.
Candidate profiles
Examine county govt candidate Satpal Sidhu right here.
Examine county govt candidate Dan Purdy right here.
Examine Bellingham mayor candidate Seth Fleetwood right here.
Examine Bellingham mayor candidate Kim Lund right here.
Examine Whatcom County sheriff candidate Donnell Tanksley right here.
Examine Whatcom County sheriff candidate Doug Chadwick right here.
Residents Agenda prime questions
Learn candidates’ solutions to Residents Agenda questions right here.
Query #1 (Homelessness)
What do you imagine are the precise causes of Bellingham’s homelessness disaster? Do you have got a metric in thoughts to gauge your administration’s success in addressing homelessness? And what’s your timetable for that metric? What do you imagine is the very best kind of homeless shelter — low-barrier, or ought to one thing be anticipated from residents who wish to be sheltered at these places? Ought to “unlawful campers” face citations, prison fees — or do you have got different concepts?
Query #2 (Lake Whatcom)
Lake Whatcom reservoir continues to be abused with development, sewage, visitors, motorboats, jet skis and fertilizers. What are the highest three actions you’ll take to considerably lower the human impression on Bellingham’s consuming water reservoir?
Query #3 (PeaceHealth providers/native management)
As a result of PeaceHealth continues to chop providers, what’s going to you do to make sure that PeaceHealth makes use of its tax-exempt standing to contribute to neighborhood advantages? With just one hospital in Whatcom County, and all main coverage choices made on the company degree in Vancouver, WA, what concepts do you need to return coverage choices to native management? (Editor’s notice: PeaceHealth introduced Sept. 1 their palliative care program can be reinstated in early 2024.)
Query #4 (PeaceHealth tax-exempt standing)
The close to monopolistic energy of PeaceHealth on this county is taken into account by many as detrimental to well being, entry to providers and well-being of our neighborhood. Contemplating that PeaceHealth has not too long ago reduce providers that may negatively impression residents’ entry to crucial well being providers, what are your ideas about permitting PeaceHealth’s native/regional tax-exempt standing to proceed?
Query #5 (Inexpensive housing)
How ought to we create extra reasonably priced housing in Whatcom County?
Query #6 (Neighborhood-based providers)
What particularly will you do throughout the first 90 days of your time period to fund and supply community-based providers for earnings assist, housing, behavioral well being and substance use dysfunction therapy (together with hurt discount)?
Query #7 (New jail)
Will you assist constructing a brand new jail in Whatcom County? And why?
Query #8 (Legislation enforcement coaching)
Legislation enforcement (peace) officers should be higher educated (sociology, psychology, human habits, defensive strategies, medical help, range, and so on.) to cope with quite a lot of conditions. In addition they should be higher paid and revered/trusted locally due to the very difficult conditions that they must cope with each day. How will you accomplish this?
Different election protection
Stakes are excessive on this odd-year election: Whatcom County voters to determine jail measure, key workplaces
Might giving money to homeless individuals scale back the issue?
Defend Lake Whatcom with extra land acquisition, house owner assist
Frustration with PeaceHealth has grow to be a political difficulty
Inexpensive housing methods: stabilize rents, add density
Partisan politics are infiltrating college boards — Whatcom County is not spared
Candidates hope to show marketing campaign {dollars} into votes
Minimal wage hike, renter relocation help as much as voters
Whatcom County candidates state their instances at discussion board
Whatcom jail proposal leaves voters with questions
