Letters to the editor for Nov. 4

Why I am voting for Julianne Gale

The Olympian editorial board did not endorse Julianne Gale, taking issue with her concern about clear-cut logging in the 35th Legislative District. As someone who has called Mason County home since I was 5 years old, I can assure you that many of us in the 35th District would like to see more of our forests protected.

Julianne Gale’s support of protecting Legacy Forests on state trust lands means everything to me, as a 19-year-old to whom the threat of climate change feels very real.

The timber industry likes to argue that clear-cut logging is necessary and that a reduction in clear-cut logging will result in job loss. It’s a red herring for industry to say that environmental regulations will hurt jobs on the one hand while the timber industry ships millions of raw logs out of the Port of Olympia every year, literally exporting jobs overseas.

Despite the timber industry’s fear-mongering, new environmental protections can mean more jobs rather than fewer. California has a thriving timber industry even though its maximum cut block size is only 40 acres, compared to 120 acres in Washington state. Many measures that can be taken to protect Washington state’s forests, such as requiring selective harvest over clear-cut logging, actually require more workers in the forest, working jobs that are harder to automate.

I’m voting for Julianne Gale because she’ll work to ensure that our forests and the communities who live amongst them are treated well.

Joshua Wright, Union

Saving democracy

Before you vote Republican because you are unhappy with the economy, think about what they have become.

They don’t concede elections they have lost. They spread big lies of election fraud with no proof. They support or excuse armed insurrection at the Capitol. They pass voter suppression laws wherever they can. They throw out Republicans that stand up for law and order and the Constitution. They are the Trump-Republicans now and they aren’t known for competence. They won’t fix the economy, but they will eventually, maybe soon, put an end to democracy.

Edward Shaffer, Olympia

Why I am voting for Steve Hobbs

Free and fair elections are the bedrock of our democracy, yet they remain under continuous threat from forces in this country that try to undermine them.

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs is the best person to entrust with protecting our elections. He has the knowledge and proven experience to protect each county’s results, secure our elections systems, and safely deliver local, state and national election results. He brings excellent and up-to-date skills with cybersecurity.

.Some politicians and well-funded groups are questioning our voting system, which is nearly 100% mail-in ballot. This system is a model for integrity, efficiency and voting access to all eligible voters.

All these factors point to my adamant support for Steve Hobbs in the mid-term elections.

Elian Wilson, Olympia

Voting is safe and election officials are honest

I’ve lived in Olympia since 1997 and have voted in every primary and general election. Thurston County has been and is blessed with honest, conscious auditors.

My husband of 29 years died March 15, 2022. I quite expected to receive a primary ballot in his name, which I would have marked deceased, and returned, but no primary or general election ballot was received. I presume that either mortuaries or the department issuing death certificates reports to our election office, or the auditor’s office checks regularly.

I always read through the entire election pamphlet as soon as it’s available and mark my choices while waiting for my ballot to arrive, so I’m able to fill out my ballot as soon as it arrives, and deposit it at the drop box across the street from Olympia High School.

We have such a safe and honest voting system in Washington state that I’ve never questioned that my vote wasn’t counted correctly, or doubt the validity of our elections. We can all thank former Thurston County Auditor and Secretary of State Kim Wyman for setting the national standard for voting integrity.

Kathryn Ashe, Olympia