How sad it is that election season is once again upon us and people still insist on voting for a color over a candidate! The “Vote Blue No Matter Who” yard signs and rhetoric are back in full force, but to what end? Candidates can claim preference to any party they wish. Party preference does not necessarily define a candidate’s policies, especially on the local level.

The League of Women Voters has put out two wonderful candidate forums for District 3 County Commissioner ahead of next month’s election. These recorded debates are a wonderful resource for all potential voters, especially when watched with an open mind.

As someone whose 2020 ballot was cast for a mixture of Democrats and Independents, I didn’t anticipate that I’d ever be endorsing a Republican candidate for any position — certainly not publicly. But events of the past two years have majorly shifted my beliefs in a variety of areas, not least the realm of politics.

Marcia Kelbon, throughout both forums, conducted herself with an impeccable decorum and expressed her opinions and values articulately and with a confidence absent in her opponent. After listening to both debates, I walked away with the impression that Marcia’s vision combined with her former job experience would bring a useful skill set and a new way of thinking to the county that we so sorely need. Marcia hits the nail on the head with a variety of issues, from addressing the root causes of homelessness to creating more high-paying jobs so that people can afford to live in this community.

We’ll be missing out on a golden opportunity for improvement in this county if we pass over this prime candidate.

Vote Kelbon!

Kincaid Gould
PORT TOWNSEND