There have been some great, classic Candidate Debates in political history:

• Lincoln-Douglas 1860
• Kennedy-Nixon 1960
• Carter-Reagan 1980
• Carlson-Locke 2000 (Carlson-Locke? Well, anyway…)

And now…the 34th District Candidates Forum…2010!

Yes, our fellow Americans, you heard read it here first. You read it here because our sister site The B-Town Blog is pleased to announce that they’ll be hosting a gathering of the four announced candidates for 34th District State Representative, Position 2, which of course includes White Center.

It’ll be held Tuesday, April 27, from 7pm to 8:30pm at the Highline Performing Arts Center, next door to Highline High School on SW 152nd just down the road a bit in Burien.

We’re expecting a big turnout and a lot of energy at this event. Since no incumbent is running (current State Representative Sharon Nelson is running for the Senate this go-round) this is the first open seat for Position 2 in quite a while.

In alphabetical order by last name, here are the four candidates you get to grill:

• Joe Fitzgibbon
• Mike Heavey
• Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy
• Marcee Stone

The source of most of the questions to be asked will be YOU, the curious and informed citizen. Yep, you can ask whatever you want. No kidding. This event is open to everyone and there is, of course, no cover charge.

Remember, one of the four candidates you’ll meet April 27 will go on to become your new representative in Olympia in January. So let them know what’s on your mind! Bring your neighbor. Bring your friend. Bring your vote-canceling spouse!

The primary is set for August 17. The two candidates with the highest number of votes move on to duke it out in the General Election, set for November 2. We’ll be covering that for you, too.

As the big day gets closer, we’ll be announcing more info on the format, so be sure to stay tuned (you can subscribe to our RSS Feed here).

Aren’t you glad you don’t live in North Korea or Cuba? Nights like April 27 just don’t happen often in those parts.

From the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council’s website comes this news – they’re seeking applicants for open positions in District 1, District 3 and At-Large, with a filing deadline of 6pm Monday, March 29th.

Here’s the blurb:

The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council is seeking applicants for open positions in District 1, District 3 and At-Large.  District candidates must be 18 years and older and a resident of their district. At-large candidates must be a resident of the area, and/or a business/property owner in the area or an official representative of a non-profit in the area.  The Burien annexation of a portion of North Highline has created the openings, whose terms end June 2011.  Filing deadline is 6:00 PM on March 29, 2010, and the selection of the candidates will be April 1, 2010, at the regular meeting of the NHUAC.

We are also accepting applications for the upcoming May 20 election. One position in each district and three At-Large positions will be up for election to a two year term.  District boundaries are: District 1, the unincorporated area east of highway 509; District 2, between 509 and 4^th Ave SW; District 3, between 4^th Ave SW and 16^th Ave SW; District 4, west of 16^th Ave SW.  Application for the election must be postmarked by April 5, 2010.

Candidate Filing Statements and additional information about the NHUAC are available on our website: www.northhighlineuac.org or by contacting Ron Johnson, (206) 767-3053.

The council represents residents and business/property owners of the North Highline Unincorporated Area in their dealings with King County and surrounding cities.  Some of the issues of concern include zoning/rezoning, parks, human services, surface water management, land use, transportation/ roads/ Metro issues, drug houses, public safety and projects to improve the quality or delivery of county services.

The council is comprised of 13 members representing the communities of Beverly Park, Boulevard Park, Glendale, Riverton Heights, Salmon Creek, Shorewood, South Park, Top Hat and White Center.  The area is divided into four legislative districts with two representatives from each district.  The five remaining council members serve as at-large representatives of the community.

The North Highline Council meets on the first Thursday of each month at the North Highline Fire District Office, 1243 SW 112^th Street.

Here is a map of the districts.

Here is an application for the open position to be selected April 1.

Here is an application for the May Election.

ACORN will be hosting a summer candidate forum for the five Seattle Port Commissioner candidates on Sunday, Aug. 9th at 2pm.

The forum will take place in a neighborhood backyard at South 124th Street and 12th Ave South, with an old fashioned summer picnic-like atmosphere.

Candidates scheduled to participate include:

• Rob Holland
• Max Vekich
• Tom Albro
• Al Yuen
• John Creighton

This forum will give the community a chance to hear answers to prepared questions and to ask a few questions of their own.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Boulevard Park ACORN sponsors Seattle Port candidate forum

WHEN: Sunday, August 9th, beginning at 2pm

WHERE: South 124th Street and 12th Avenue South

INFO: From the ACORN press release:

In an effort to learn more about the people who may become the next Port of Seattle Commissioners, Boulevard Park ACORN, one of many active neighborhood-member groups of ACORN, is sponsoring a Port of Seattle Candidate Forum.

For the past two-and-half years King County ACORN has worked to improve the air quality in neighborhoods near the Port of Seattle and get those improvements into the Port’s clean air standards. King County ACORN has fought to bring the plight of the truckers who work at the port to light and improve their working conditions. Many of the truckers are ACORN members.

The forum will be held on Sunday, August 9 at 2:00 PM. The location is S 124th Street and 12th Avenue S. It will be held outdoors in a big neighborhood backyard with the BBQ grill cranking out hot dogs. Soda pop and chips will be available. A donation is requested to help cover the cost. For more information call the ACORN office at 206-723-5845.

ACORN is the nation’s largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families with over 350,000 member-families organized into 800 neighborhood chapters in 103 cities nationwide. Since 1970, ACORN has taken action and won victories on issues of concern to our members, including better housing for first-time homebuyers and tenants; living wages for low-wage workers; more investment in our communities from banks and governments, and better public schools.

The King County Police Chief’s Association is hosting a County Executive Candidate’s Forum tomorrow (Thursday, June 11th), from 10am to 11am at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center located at 19010 First Avenue South in Burien.

The candidates running for King County Executive are invited to the forum, which is open to the public and press, and according to Burien Police Chief Scott Kimerer, so far here’s who’s confirmed:

• Dow Constantine
• Ross Hunter
• Susan Hutchison
• Fred Jarrett
• Larry Phillips

The Police Chief’s Association is comprised of the 34 King County police chiefs, the Sheriff, corrections professionals, as well as state and federal criminal justice partners.

The goal of the candidate’s forum is for each candidate to present their vision for public safety and the criminal justice system in King County. Questions from the chiefs will be asked of the candidates.

WHEN: Thursday, June 11th, from 10am to 11:30am

WHERE: Criminal Justice Training Center, located at 19010 First Avenue South in Burien (map below)

INFO: This is an open forum, and both the public and press are invited.

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