Update - Sun, Nov 6 - two additional items.

Link to League of Women Voters videos of their candidate and issue forums in October.

Oct 15: US Congressional 1st and 2nd, EMS Levy and Greenways Levy. At 1:39:30 is start of Greenways discussion and my opposition to this levy.

Oct 18: 40th and 42nd state district candidates

Oct 22: Initiatives 732, 1433 and 1464.

Second is a link to our Auditor’s map of ballot drop boxes. Final collection is at 8 pm on Tuesday evening. Don’t mail after Monday as you risk a late postmark. There are 15 drop boxes and they are great for a quick drop of a ballot and saving 68 cents postage. There are 15 boxes spaced throughout the county.

Update - Fri, Nov 4: Have added info on I-1464 because of big vague post card mailing today to all of us. More updates will follow depending on other last minute campaign blitzes.

​I have been urged to post recommendations for how to vote this election. While I tend to be liberal in my voting, I consider myself a very liberal independent. Some of my friends feel I’m a closet conservative. This list is to help those who also feel they are liberal, environmentalists, progressives and yet independent. This list leaves out the big contests where we all already know how we want to vote, Hillary or Trump, U.S. Congress, governor, etc. And also leaves out some resolutions I know little about.

This list is of important contests that will have real impacts on all of us.

State candidates:

Lieutenant Governor, vote Cyrus Habib, the Democrat. A truly incredible person who actually wants to use the office to do something.

Secretary of State, vote Tina Podlodowski, the Democrat. She will improve voting access for all of us - such as postage-paid ballots. Her opponent, the incumbent, failed to file her own candidate paperwork on time. Duh.

Commissioner of Public Lands, vote Steve McLaughlin, the Republican. I attended the only forum that had all 7 candidates for this office and McLaughlin and Mary Verner were the two most impressive. DNR needs a person who understands logging and recreation. Steve McLaughlin is the better choice.

Attorney General, vote Bob Ferguson, the Democrat. He is absolutely the only qualified candidate of the two. He is our present AG.

Superintendent of Public Instruction, vote Erin Jones. She is the the progressive and liberal candidate who will do a great job.

State ballot issues:

I’m not going to tell anyone how to vote on gun legislation. We can all take a minute, read the ballot and decide.

Initiative 1433 - vote YES. I like raising the minimum wage - even beyond $11. Allow ever working person to earn enough to at least pay the rent and eat. And it helps the economy.

Initiative 1464 - (added on Fri) If you are uber liberal you might vote yes. If you are conservative then you want to vote no. This is a crazy - radical - bill to give all of us voters “democracy dollars” to fund elections and it sets up some rules further restricting lobbying and such. An experiment that has not been thought through.

Initiative 1501 - vote NO. This is a Trojan horse pretending to be safety for seniors but is really a rogue union trying to prevent members from learning their rights. I’m pro union, but not when they go rogue.

Initiative 732 - vote YES. This carbon tax incorporates common sense, is not a tax increase, and is needed. Amazingly, some enviro groups are against this because it does not punish corporations.

Initiative 735 - vote YES. This urges a constitutional amendment to the U.S. Constitution stating that only humans are people. It is an effort to counter the slow takeover of our democracy by mega and international corporations. Whether conservative or liberal, we should all be in favor of this.

City of Bellingham issues:

Greenways IV Levy - vote NO. This Greenways levy is not Greenways at all, but a deceptive tax increase to benefit the city general fund for regular park maintenance. Mayor Kelli did an end run around the Greenways committee and had the council enable 67%, $20 million, to be controlled and spent on non-Greenways parks as she decides. It also cut by half the property acquisitions. Kelli told me we have enough parks and green spaces. Let’s come back next year and vote on a real Greenways legacy levy.

School Bus Levy - vote YES. This is for safer school buses. I have fought the Bellingham School District over some very questionable projects, but we must vote yes for this and protect our kids.

That is it for the issues that will make a difference.