One thing that helps voters make up their minds in elections is to hear directly from the candidates themselves. Last week, the Spokesman published a Q&A with all four candidates for Redmond mayor. This upcoming edition will include city council candidates responding to the same format.

I think the answers are instructive. And seeing them written down in print is a way to peak into a candidate’s thought process. And limiting the word count is a way to see what issues candidates prioritize.

I like written answers, too. Live debates and forums can help identify people who can think on their feet and craft a good turn of phrase. Those are wonderful skills in campaigns, and sometimes, in actually doing the job. But a key skill in being good at a difficult job is sitting down with a problem and articulating your ideas on how to solve it. It shows when the responder has a mastery of the issues at hand — and it shows when they 

If I was on the Commission for Presidential Debates, I’d include a take-home test. And the answers to really tough questions would be published in newspapers across the country for voters to look closely at.

But debates and forums are crucial, too. And I’ll be moderating what is one of the last events of this election cycle on Oct. 22 (today!) at the VFW Hall. It kicks off at noon and will feature all four candidates for Redmond mayor. At 2 p.m., all five candidates for Redmond city council are expected to face off in a forum moderated by Mike Fincher of KPOV.

It’s not all local politics in today’s paper. We talked to numerous local businesses that have been victimized by a string of burglaries. Read about what was stolen and how you can help identify a suspect.

There is plenty of other stuff in this upcoming paper, including stories about an arson a redux of a disaster training event at the Redmond Airport and a look at a drop in attendance at many Redmond elementary schools.

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To reach our newsroom, stop by from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 361 SW Sixth. Or give us a call at 541-548-3203 or email news@redmondspokesman.com.

-Tim Trainor is editor of the Redmond Spokesman.