HOT POLITICAL RHETORIC doesn’t fend off the chill of autumn weather.
If you’re a registered voter in Clallam County or Jefferson County, you should have received your General Election ballot this week.
If not, contact the election department in your county courthouse (see Page 2 of today’s PDN Voter Guide, included with this issue).
Elections are entirely by mail in both counties, and ballots are short this go-around.
Being an odd-numbered year, 2009 is an “off-year election,” meaning all open positions and most ballot issues are local.
The exception is statewide initiatives and referendums, of which there is one each this year.
I’m thankful there aren’t more state issues — but regretful that there are so few local candidates on North Olympic Peninsula ballots.
The shortage is due to a dearth of contested races.
For example, four out of five Olympic Medical Center (Hospital District No. 2) board seats are uncontested, as is one of two Sequim School District director seats.
The leading contested race on my ballot is for District 3 commissioner of the Port of Port Angeles.
I know both candidates personally and am impressed with the gentlemanly campaign both are waging.
Incumbent John Calhoun’s challenger is Brad Collins, who’s now a co-worker of mine at Serenity House of Clallam County.
Despite the port’s name, the district covers all of Clallam County.
Likewise, the Port of Port Townsend, which has two open commissioner seats this year, covers all of Jefferson County.
Incumbent Herb Beck was a Port Townsend port commissioner when both ports were part of the business news beat I covered from 1989 to 1995.
Leif W. Erickson is Beck’s challenger. The other incumbent, Dave Thompson, is challenged by Bob Schuessler.
Except for Beck, I know none of these gentlemen, but I covered the ports long enough to know its worth your time to check out these candidates if they’re on your ballot.
Ballots that are much shorter than in 2008, give us time to become informed voters.
Instead of yawning and haphazardly voting for the most familiar name or the nicest smile, there’s an opportunity to research issues and candidates.
If you’re a city-dweller, your ballot is longer than the one I received Wednesday, with good reason.
Although my mailing address is Sequim, I can’t vote in city elections any more than my Canadian co-workers can legally vote in U.S. elections.
Considering the contentious spirit pervading city races, I’m quite happy they aren’t on my ballot.
Living in the unincorporated area of Clallam County, my husband, Dale, and I have steered clear of city politics — but there’s a big sign for a Sequim City Council candidate out in our pasture this year.
The candidate is a friend and client of Dale, the pasture fence belongs to Dale — and Dale noticed a large ad attacking his friend, paid for by someone who also lives outside the city limit.
Vitriol isn’t helpful to the election process.
Disagreement doesn’t mean the other side is evil, stupid, crooked or lunatic. It just means they have a different view.
Different perspectives produce different views.
As sporting event replays demonstrate, a player who appears to be in bounds from one angle may be clearly out of bounds when viewed from another angle.
Likewise in politics, different perspectives support different views.
Everyone wants a livable community, the controversy is over how to achieve that goal.
To repeat a classic phrase:
Civil discourse requires that we disagree without being disagreeable.
Heated political attacks leave most voters cold.
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Martha Ireland was a Clallam County commissioner from 1996 through 1999 and is the secretary of the Republican Women of Clallam County.
She and her husband, Dale, live on a Carlsborg-area farm. Her column appears Fridays.
E-mail: irelands@olypen.com.