Editor,

The Aug. 5 primary is just around the corner.

For those of us who participate in such elections, it means that we, the voters, will decide who is running for office in November. Only the top two contenders for each office will make it to the ballot.

While it’s hard to pay attention to elections, especially in the summer when the weather is beautiful, it is important that we do so.

Indeed, the multiple candidates for some of the offices are counting on us to pay attention to their races and vote accordingly.

As in past years, the League of Women Voters of Whidbey Island provides candidate forums so that you can meet the candidates, hear their positions and listen to their answers to challenging questions.

The League presents an objective, nonpartisan format for high-quality forums and considers it one of the most important services that we provide to our members and the community at large.

The League and Sno-Isle Libraries will co-sponsor two forums this primary season.

The first event is 7 p.m. Thursday, July 10, at the Coupeville Recreation Hall and will feature the four candidates running for Legislative District 10 Representative, Position 2 and the three candidates vying for Island County Treasurer.

The second event, our very first forum on Camano Island, is 7 p.m. Friday, July 11, at the Vista/Madrona Fire Station.

It will highlight the five candidates running for Island County Commissioner, District 3.

Although written questions for the candidates will come from League members, the general public is invited to submit questions for our consideration through the contact page of our website at www.lwvwhidbey.org no later than July 7.

Since seeing candidates in person provides information that papers, ads and brochures cannot provide, we wholeheartedly urge you to take an evening out to become an informed and involved citizen.

Joyce Peterson and

Marshall Goldberg

Co-Presidents of League of Women Voters Whidbey Island

Oak Harbor