A big year for local elections

Written by Ralph Schwartz | The Bellingham Herald | February 21, 2013

By Ralph Schwartz

I haven’t been attending to this blog for a couple days, so my apologies.

Meanwhile, some fantastic discussion has been taking place in the comments, about Tim Eyman and the bill that would restrict public records requests. I read it all with much interest.

On to today’s topic…

Late last week, the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office posted the complete list of elected offices that will come up for a vote this year.

It’s going to be a big year for local elections. A majority of County Council, Bellingham City Council and Port of Bellingham seats are up for grabs this November.

“Up for grabs” is probably putting it too crudely. Incumbents will have a distinct advantage, of course. In two cases I know of as of today, two public officials will not be running in 2013: Bellingham City Council member Stan Snapp, and Ferndale Council member Lloyd Zimmerman.

Ferndale Councilman Jon Mutchler has been sitting in the gallery at County Council meetings, but he’s not “going to school” on the council’s business, if you get my drift. I expect he will seek to retain his Ferndale seat.

As a reporter, it will be my job to pay the most attention to the County Council and the Ferndale Council. The county’s seven-member council now has an intriguing conservative/liberal split, and this year terms will end for two conservative members (Kathy Kershner and Bill Knutzen), and two that I would call liberal (Carl Weimer and Ken Mann, who doesn’t fit as neatly into that category).

See for yourself the full list of Whatcom County offices up for election in 2013.

I have half a mind to get something out there about the sequester being confronted at the federal level (major budget cuts, especially to defense), but there’s been a lot of ink about that this week. I’ll take a closer look at everything and decide if I can give the topic an interesting angle.