Students of Bellingham High School, together with the League of Women Voters, hosted a candidate forum at the High School on October 9, in a first for both organizations. Eighty-five people, many of them students from Bellingham and other high schools, were in the live and attentive audience.
The candidates on stage are running to serve the 42nd District in the State House of Representatives. They were Raymond Pelletti and Alicia Rule for position 1 and Kamal Bhachu and Joe Timmons for position 2. The candidates answered three questions written by the students, three written by the LWV Forum question-writing group, and three by members of the audience. Topics included student homelessness, school funding, mental health services, childcare, gun violence, and climate change.
Student Coral Carillo welcomed the audience, opening the event. Asking the questions from the League was moderator Rebecca Johnson. Asking questions written by the students were BHS seniors Roza Herndon-Schepper, Hunter Mitchell, and Cadence Phelps. Students further served as ushers, aides for voter registration, and audience question-gatherers, alongside LWVBW volunteers. League members Carol Comeau and Michelle Kopche served as timers.
The session was carried live on BTV, will be available on KMRE Community Radio, and can be accessed through the
the Leagues website and the City of Bellingham’s YouTube channel.
The success of the evening was due in large part to careful and detailed planning by civics teacher Jennifer Reidel. It was notable that after the formal forum ended, all the candidates remained in the auditorium answering questions from the many students who crowded around them. Engaged and informed, these young soon-to-be voters bode well for our future.
