Image of Downtown Bellingham in 2018. (Fernando Gonzalez / Bellingham Metro News)
The public is invited to an evening discussion at Sehome High School covering the 42nd District Senate and Whatcom County prosecutor races ahead of the November election.
BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Cascadia Daily News is hosting a free public election town hall Saturday, October 10, offering Whatcom County residents an opportunity to hear from candidates seeking local and state office ahead of next month’s general election.
The event, organized by the Bellingham-based newspaper, is scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Sehome High School Theater, located at 2700 Bill McDonald Parkway. Doors will open at 5 p.m.
The gathering will feature discussions involving two races on the November 3 ballot: Washington’s 42nd Legislative District Senate seat and Whatcom County prosecuting attorney.
Cascadia Daily News has organized the event as a community discussion rather than a traditional candidate debate. The format will allow participating candidates to address issues facing local residents, explain their positions and respond to questions from the audience.
The first discussion will focus on the Whatcom County prosecutor’s race between Jesse Corkern, who prefers the Democratic Party, and Ryan Swinburnson, who lists no party preference.
Both candidates have confirmed their participation, according to the event’s official registration information.
The discussion will be moderated by Cascadia Daily News criminal justice reporter Annie Todd and is expected to address several challenges facing the prosecutor’s office, including employee turnover, attorney retention and the handling of criminal cases.
The office plays an important role in Whatcom County’s criminal justice system, making decisions about which cases are prosecuted and representing the state in criminal proceedings.
The second portion of the evening will focus on the 42nd Legislative District Senate contest between Republican Erika Creydt and Democrat Michael Shepard.
Shepard has confirmed that he will attend, but CDN put out in an previous event update that his opponent would not—but we are still keeping an eye out incase circumstances change.
Cascadia Daily News Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Martin will moderate the Senate discussion.
Affordability, taxes, health care and other issues affecting Northwest Washington residents are among the topics identified by organizers for the Senate portion of the event.
The 42nd Legislative District includes communities in northern Whatcom County, and the election will determine who represents the district in the Washington State Senate.
The town hall comes less than a week before Washington begins its general election voting period. According to the Washington Secretary of State’s Office, ballots will be mailed to registered voters by October 16, with Election Day scheduled for Tuesday, November 3.
For residents still deciding how to vote, the event offers an opportunity to hear candidates discuss local issues in person before ballots arrive.
Admission is free, but advance registration is required. Organizers are suggesting an optional $10 donation to help cover the cost of hosting the event. A donation is not required to attend.
Free parking and accessible parking will be available at Sehome High School.
Residents interested in attending can register through Cascadia Daily News’ official Eventbrite page or visit cascadiadaily.com/events.
Additional information about the town hall can also be found in Cascadia Daily News’ original event announcement.
The event is organized and hosted by Cascadia Daily News. Bellingham Metro News is independently sharing the event information as a public service for Whatcom County residents.
About the Author
Discover more from Bellingham Metro News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
