Judge candidates

All Rise!
Who will be your judge?

By Gary Bégin
Two by two they were introduced, but not to debate nor to enter an ark, but simply to answer a few questions and give their opening and closing statements. It wasn't exactly a barn-burner of a night, but it did give a chance for the people to see and compare candidates for Chelan County District and Superior Court judges.
Most of the audience of around 50 were partisan to one or another candidates with placards, T-shirts and various paraphernalia extant in the gallery.
Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Shiloh (Schauer) Burgess introduced the format and ended the evening at the community room of the Pybus Public Market, Thursday, Oct. 18.
She immediately let the crowd know that the evening would not be a debate format.
The first two on stage were Douglas County candidates for District Court attorney Robert Hunter and incumbent Judge Eric Biggar. (See QuadCityHerald.com website for more).
Then the Chelan candidates took the stage. First was Allen Blackmon versus Kyle Mott for Chelan District Court Judge. Mott, a county prosecutor, stressed his history as such and Blackmon his personal legal expertise touting his experience, as does his signage along the highways and byways.
Next up was Travis Brandt, candidate for Chelan County Superior Court Judge. He had the easiest of anyone that night as his opponent was a "has-been," that is, incumbent Judge James McSeveney resigned the bench and was appointed to become an immigration judge by Governor Jay Inslee.
Brandt nonetheless took the stage, gave a few remarks and answered a few questions. Schauer reminded the audience that Brandt still needed to get enough votes or Chelan County would face the prospect of Inslee appointing another judge to the open position.
Finally came the last race to be decided pitting incumbent Chelan Superior Court Judge Kristin Ferrera against her opponent, Wenatchee attorney Charles Steinberg. Ferrera, appointed by Inslee, told the assembled about her accomplishments while on the bench. Steinberg spoke about his many years of running a "general practice" law firm.
Almost every candidate had friends, family and other supporters in the audience, which leads one to think that few minds, if any, were changed.
Judges in Washington state are elected without having to state political party preferences and are expected to be unbiased towards all once elected.
One thing stood out above everything: Wenatchee has many talented attorneys and whomever wins in November, it is likely that we the people will also win.