Coming September 23, Online Election Forums

Note: Again in September we’ll be prerecording our program and sending out a link for you to view. This will allow us to guarantee our candidate forums are free of any technical problems that could impact candidates' ability to communicate with our audience. Unfortunately, this eliminates an important aspect of our programs—the ability to ask questions. We look forward to returning to that in future meetings.

No registration is required.

Please expect an announcement with a link to our September program on September 23.

We expect to return to live Zoom meetings and to preregistration starting in October.

The Races:

Superior Court Judges Positions 2 & 4

Superior courts are called general jurisdiction courts, because there is no limit on the types of civil and criminal cases heard.  Superior courts also have authority to hear cases appealed from courts of limited jurisdiction. Superior court judges are elected to four-year terms. Vacancies between elections are filled by appointment of the Governor.

Public Utility District No. 1 Commissioner

Public Utility District No. 1 is governed by a Board of Commissioners comprised of three local citizens elected on a nonpartisan basis by Whatcom County residents. A PUD Commissioner is elected every two years during the general election to serve a six-year term.

The Commission establishes PUD policies, set rates, adopts system plans for electric and water utilities, and approves revenue obligations. In addition to guiding PUD operations, the Commissioners appoint the general manager.

The Candidates:

Superior Court Judge Position 2

Judge Deborra Garrett is not running for reelection for position 2. 

James Erb is the Senior Assistant City Attorney for Bellingham.

Evan Jones is a Deputy Prosecutor for the Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney’s office

Superior Court Judge Position 4

David E. Freeman was appointed to the Whatcom County Superior Court in 2020 when Judge Raquel Montoya-Lewis was appointed to the Washington Supreme Court.

Jim Nelson has worked as a private attorney for 31 years.

Public Utility District (PUD) District 1 Commissioner

Christine Grant teaches energy policy at Western Washington University’s Institute for Energy Studies.

Jeff McClure is an architect and founding partner of RMC Architects in Bellingham seeking his third six year term.