Elections

Government

Northwest GOP candidates hope to ride tough-on-crime message for success in November

Politics

A Trump-ey political fight in SW Washington

Moderate Republican voters are taking center stage in Washington’s third congressional district. Trump-backed Republican Joe Kent and Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez are both vying for those votes. The race is getting national attention because the outcome could sway which party holds control of the house of representatives. Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Troy Brynelson tells us how each candidate is making their case, and how voters are responding.

Murray and Smiley clash over the issues in Spokane debate

The debate took place at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Murray is campaigning to keep her job representing Washington state in the U.S. Senate, which she has held for nearly 30 years. Smiley has been running on that fact, calling Murray a career politician. Sunday night's debate showed just how far apart the two candidates are on the issues.

Politics

Hear it again: the promises and pitfalls of ranked choice voting

The Seattle City Council put ranked choice voting on the general election ballot, giving voters the choice of changing the way elections are conducted for the mayor, city council members, and city attorney.

No labels: Some election overseers want to make their offices nonpartisan to inspire greater trust

Should the top elections official in Washington state officially be a nonpartisan? That's one difference between the top two finalists running for Washington Secretary of State. Nonpartisan challenger Julie Anderson wants to make the job independent from political party affiliations. Her opponent, Democratic incumbent Steve Hobbs says it's an unnecessary change. County auditors and sheriffs associations are also chewing over party labels and what those labels convey about the leanings of their offices.

Law & Courts

After incarceration, these voters have a voice

A new group of voters are eligible to participate in the upcoming midterms. Voting rights were restored to formerly incarcerated felons in Washington when new legislation went into effect early this year. Christopher Poulos from the Department of Corrections is here to talk about the new law and its impact on the community.

Politics

Independent candidates test how fed up Northwest voters are with both parties

A quartet of independent candidates on the ballot this November in Oregon and Washington state will test voter appetites for a centrist "third way." They are experienced contenders running for state senate, Oregon governor or Washington Secretary of State. Unaffiliated candidates are popping up around the nation too, with a common theme of being fed up with a divisive two-party system.

Politics

NPR poll shows Biden's approval rating is up but there are warning signs for Democrats

The president's approval rating is up to 44%, but 7-in-10 people say the country is going in the wrong direction, and young and Black voters are among the least likely to vote this fall.

Politics

Republicans and Democrats vie for Latino voters in the Northwest midterms

After former President Donald Trump made gains with Latinos nationally in 2020, both parties started paying closer attention. And as the 2022 fall elections inch closer, campaigners across the Pacific Northwest are trying to capture a larger share of these voters.