No-show candidates are a disappointment. Their absence is a strike against them | Opinion

Tri-City voters will face a busy ballot in the August primary, including choosing nominees in the 4th Congressional District and the 14th Legislative District races for this fall’s general election.

The ballots are on the way soon, and so are a couple of televised candidate forums that should capture the attention of our region even if – regrettably – they didn’t do the same for everyone vying to represent the region.

The first forum, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Benton and Franklin Counties and Northwest Public Broadcasting, will feature the congressional candidates and will air on KTNW TV (PBS) at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, with a repeat at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 30.

The second forum, with interviews of candidates for Positions 1 and 2 in the 14th Legislative District, will be broadcast first at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 17, with a repeat at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 31.

But don’t worry if you miss those dates. Voters can catch the forums anytime on YouTube, the League’s website, or the Richland and Pasco city TV stations.

Ideally the forums would feature robust dialogues between all of the candidates. Unfortunately, some candidates opted out, unwilling to put their views forward for scrutiny.

In the 4th Congressional District, voters will hear from only four of eight candidates. Democrats Mary Baechler of Zillah and Barry Knowles of Yakima, Republican Jerrod Sessler of Prosser, and independent Benny Garcia of Grandview will all be there.

The no-shows are incumbent Republican Dan Newhouse and his GOP challenger, Tiffany Smiley, as well as Democrat Jane “Birdie” Muchlinski and MAGA Democrat John Malan – whatever a MAGA Democrat is.

The district encompasses Central Washington, including Omak, East Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Yakima, the Yakama Indian Reservation and the Tri-Cities.

Meanwhile, the 14th Legislative District forum will feature Republican Andy Kallinen of Lyle, Democrats Chelsea Dimas of Sunnyside and Ana Ruiz Kennedy of Pasco, and Eddie Perez of Union Gap, who lists no party preference. The no-shows for the forum are Republicans Gloria Mendoza of Grandview and Deb Manjarrez of Wapato.

The legislative district looks substantially different this year because of a redistricting plan designed to ensure Latino voters have a voice in who represents them in the Legislature.

The district now includes Pasco, parts of Kennewick, parts of Yakima, Wapato, Toppenish, Finley, parts of Goldendale and the Yakama Reservation. If you’re unsure if that includes you, you can look up your correct district at voter.votewa.gov.

The League of Women Voters is providing a valuable resource by bringing the candidates together. “We’re really excited to present these broadcasts to the public so that they can be informed voters,” says Beverly Johnson-Torelli, a member of the Benton-Franklin League.

It’s disappointing, then, that all candidates won’t be present. Unless the no-shows can provide a valid excuse, voters should certainly consider their absence to be a strike against them.

In addition to the forums, there are plenty of other resources available for voters to assess the candidate options, beginning, of course, with this newspaper. Ballotpedia is a handy reference for seeing who’s running for local, state and federal offices – including governor and the U.S. Senate – and finding their websites and other useful information. OpenSecrets tracks campaign contributions and more.

No one should sit this one out.

Deadline to register online or by mail is July 29, and in-person registration is available at the auditor’s office all the way through 8 p.m. on the Aug. 6 primary election.

The candidates who advance to November will be one election away from having a significant influence on the Tri-Cities and the region’s residents.

As unpleasant as the campaign season can often be, it’s critical that we all participate in making these choices if we want responsible decision-makers as our representatives.

Always show up and be heard, even if some of the candidates don’t. With the state’s vote-by-mail system, it’s never been easier.