By Chelsea Marr
Columbia Gorge News
We are often asked if Columbia Gorge News will be endorsing candidates during the election season.
As a local, regional newspaper, our goal is to share candidate information as thoroughly as possible for readers to make an informed decision. We do our best to remain neutral and non-partisan in races.
We will vet the positions. If there is a local candidate who has taken questionable action, we will bring that to your attention because we want our readers to be informed.
It is not a race for political colors. It is a race for values.
Local forums
Columbia Gorge News supports candidate forums as a way to highlight local races. This is an incredible opportunity for community members to hear from candidates in a smaller venue, where local questions are at the forefront.
On Sept. 24, Columbia Gorge News will be hosting such a forum at The Hood River Valley Adult Center at 7 p.m. with candidates from the races for House District 52 and Senate District 26. We encourage you to join us.
The forum will be livestreamed, but going in person is truly the best way to be involved. It shows incredible support for our communities when candidates take the time to visit in person, answer questions and be involved with their constitutes.
As a voter, it is more important than ever as misinformation is abundant. It is paramount that research is done to truly make an informed decision.
Oct. 15, Columbia Gorge News will co-sponsor The League of Women Voters of Klickitat-Skamania in Lyle. The candidates are still being pulled together, but constitutes can expect Klickitat County Sheriff candidates, County Commissioner District 2 candidates and Klickitat County PUD District 1 candidates.
There are additional candidate forum opportunities around the Gorge, including a couple more on the Washington side of the river: Skamania Chamber of Commerce Candidates forum on Oct. 7 and Underwood Community Candidates Night on Oct. 9.
In Oregon, a candidate forum for those running for Cascade Locks City Council, including mayor, will be held Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Port of Cascade Locks pavilion.
And on Oct. 1, Gorge UU Fellowship is hosting “Free, Fair, Safe and Secure Elections” from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Rockford Grange in Hood River. This free, non-partisan community forum will feature election officials from Wasco and Hood River counties in Oregon and Klickitat County in Washington.
Columbia Gorge News will continue to promote these events and if you know of one in your community, let us know by emailing info@gorgenews.com.
To be an informed voter is to be a valuable member of the community. It could make the difference in putting candidates into offices who understand and care about our needs in the Gorge. It might seem like a vote makes a small impact, but it has big consequences in the place we call home.
Exercise your right — and the privilege — to vote for the best candidate based on the issues we face.
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