Tri-City Herald election recommendations for Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021
If your ballot happens to be buried under a pile of mail it is time to dig it out, fill it out and make sure it is turned in by Tuesday.
There are many crucial races this year that will set the direction for the Tri-Cities for years to come, so please do your part and vote.
Over the past several weeks, we interviewed candidates in 21 races and those recorded sessions can be found online.
After each interview we would discuss and debate the merits of each candidate, as well as consider additional information gleaned from Facebook pages, campaign websites, Herald letters to the editor and other sources. While our candidate picks are reached by a consensus of the board, the final decision is not always unanimous.
Our editorial board is made up of Tri-City Herald journalists, retired Herald journalists and community representatives. In many cases, selecting one candidate over another was an extremely tough call. In other races, the choice was clear.
Overall, we were impressed with the quality of the candidates this year, and we appreciate all those who stepped up to run. However, several campaigns were especially ugly this time around, and that is unfortunate. We hope that soon after ballots are counted and the winners confirmed that the community can begin to heal.
If you haven’t had a chance to view our candidate interviews, we highly recommend you take the time to watch them. They offer insight you won’t find anywhere else.
In addition, our recommendations have been published previously in print and online with detail and analysis.
For those looking for a quick list, here are our 2021 election picks. For our online readers, just click on the link and you will be taken to the full editorial in each race that can be found on our website.
The candidates have worked hard to earn your vote. Please do them the courtesy of marking your ballot and making it count by getting it turned in on time.
Benton County
Kennewick City Council, Position 1 — Don Britain
Kennewick City Council, Position 2 — Steve Lee
Kennewick City Council, Position 3 — Jason Lohr
Kennewick City Council, Position 4 — Ken Short
Kennewick School Board, Director 1— Scott Rodgers
Kennewick School Board, Director 2 — Gabe Galbraith
Richland City Council, Position 1— Chaune Fitzgerald
Richland City Council, Position 2 — Marianne Boring
Richland City Council, Position 3 — Sandra Kent
Richland City Council, Position 4 — Ryan Lukson
Richland City Council, Position 7 — Michael Alvarez
Richland School Board, Director 1 — Danica Garcia
Richland School Board, Director 2 — Rick Jansons
Richland School Board, Director 3 — Liz Vann-Clark
West Richland Mayor — Kate Moran
West Richland City Council, Position 1 — John Smart
West Richland City Council, Position 2 — Ken Stoker
West Richland City Council, Position 3 — May Hays
Franklin County
Pasco City Council, Position 3 — Nikki Torres
Pasco School Board, Position 3 — Steve Christensen
Pasco School Board, Position 5 — Amy Phillips
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREBehind Our Election Recommendations
Who decides the recommendations?
Members of The Tri-City Herald editorial board is comprised of experienced opinion journalists and community members, and is separate from The Herald’s newsroom. Conversations are on the record.
What does the recommendation process entail?
Whenever possible, The Herald editorial board meets with opposing candidates at the same time. The questions are largely focused on a candidate’s qualifications and goals. The editorial board then discusses the candidates in each race and decides who to recommend. Board members seek to reach a consensus on our recommendations, but not every decision is unanimous.
Is the editorial board partisan?
No. In making recommendations, members of the editorial board consider which candidates are well prepared to represent their constituents — not whether they agree with us or belong to a particular political party. We evaluate candidates’ relevant experience, their readiness for office, their depth of knowledge of key issues, their understanding of public policy and their ability to work with the current board . We’re seeking candidates who are thoughtful and who offer more than just party-line talking points. The editorial board will endorse both Republicans and Democrats.
Why are the editorials unsigned?
Our election recommendations reflect the collective views of The Herald’s editorial board — not just the opinion of one writer. For the 2022 election, the board includes: Cecilia Rexus, Herald editorial writer; Laurie Williams, Herald executive editor; Jack Briggs, retired Herald publisher; Ken Robertson, retired Herald executive director; Matt Taylor, retired Herald editorial writer; Mike Paoli and Martin Valadez, community representatives.
This story was originally published October 29, 2021 at 10:22 AM.