Kick it off

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It’s that time of year again; time to stop whining about what is or isn’t being done about growth or education, right sizing or historical preservation, affordable housing, bike paths, open space or whatever it is that’s piqued your political interest over the last couple of years. It’s time to stop complaining because it’s time to start voting, or at least getting ready to vote. Ballots are headed your way sometime between October 12 and 16.

So before you pull that lever … I mean, check that box (voting was more fun when it felt like Vegas) there’s just enough time to get up to speed on all the important issues that are, or will be, impacting your community in the coming days, as well as learn more about all the well-intentioned women and men who have put their names on this year’s ballot.

When we say “all,” we mean all.

There are 64 people running for something this election cycle in Boulder County, and we have spent weeks getting to know each of them as best we can so that when we make our endorsements on October 8, you can rest assured that, even if you disagree with us, we did our homework.

It seems like we say this every year but it’s true: we are impressed by the quality and character of the many people who are willing to give up countless hours sitting on councils or boards in an effort to make our communities and education systems better. We obviously think that some have better visions for the future or more relevant experience than others, but they are all deserving of our appreciation.

Here at BW, we believe that we can best serve you, our readers, not only by providing endorsements, but also by providing information on candidates and ballot initiatives as well. An informed electorate is the key to a vibrant and effective democracy. With that said, we hereby kick off our 2015 election coverage by providing a little insight into the candidates running in the county’s most crowded race.

An impressive 18 names are on the ballot for five City Council positions in Boulder. Seventeen of those folks are actually running for office while one, Logan Wolff, apparently got his name on the ballot but is now not interested in being on council. So if it’s a protest vote you want to cast, Logan’s your man. As for the other 17, they are a diverse lot with many passions and ideas.

Once again this year, Boulder Weekly participated in The Blue Line candidate survey wherein a variety of local organizations came up with questions for candidates to answer. Eventually, our hundreds of questions were culled to the final 70, which were submitted to the candidates. All but three candidates (not counting Mr. Wolff) completed and returned The Blue Line survey. Those not returning a survey were Ed Jabari, Don Cote and Jared Kaszuba.

For obvious space limitations, we can’t reproduce the entire 70-question Blue Line survey. If you want to read the entire survey — which we highly recommend — you can go to www.boulderblueline.org and click on election 2015.

What we have provided here are the candidates answers to 10 of the Blue Line questions that we believe hit on several of the hot-button issues that will be driving voters to the polls.

In an effort to be fair, after we narrowed our questions to these 10, we once again requested answers from the three candidates who didn’t fill out the entire Blue Line survey. Ed Jabari and Don Cote then provided answers to the 10 questions and have been included here as a result. Jared Kaszuba did not, which explains his exclusion.

Our election coverage will continue right up to November 3, so keep reading and don’t get in a hurry to mail that ballot back in. It seems that every year, something turns up in the last few weeks before Election Day that changes public opinion on a candidate or an issue. Don’t be that first-week-mail-in voter who checks the box for the school board candidate who later gets exposed as part of a Koch brothers board takeover. Patience is a virtue this time of year.

The following answers came from the candidates and Boulder Weekly has not edited them in any fashion.

LINK TO BOULDER CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS