Your Voice Matters - Vote For These Candidates Running To Represent Working Families
The Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Central Labor Council represents members with all kinds of political views. This year we did things a bit differently, based on some time constraints, focusing on candidates who sought our endorsement. We invited the candidates' opponents to participate in our process as well. Some agreed to participate, some did not.
When we interviewed candidates for office we focused on questions related to working family issues: wages, hours, and working conditions. The Political Committee, made up of delegates from several different unions, asked the same questions of each candidate.
The Political Committee then discussed each candidate's answers and made recommendations to the Labor Council's delegates at a Monthly Delegate meeting. The delegates then voted on whether to endorse, not endorse, or recommend a candidate.
What’s the difference between an endorsement and a recommendation?
Our political committee felt a candidate was worthy of an endorsement based on their actions on behalf of workers and/or their involvement in their own union.
A recommendation meant we recognized a candidate's interest in seeking our vote, their knowledge of worker issues, and their community involvement in groups or meetings where we felt they would further worker causes if elected.
The delegates voted to endorse Mike Wallin based on his active support of several local projects that could benefit local union workers and for his years of actively supporting and promoting local school levys which benefit our union school workers and the students they serve.
The delegates voted to recommend Ramona Leber for Longview City Council for her knowledge as a former City Council member and mayor and as a member of the Planning Commission.
The delegates voted also to recommend Keenan Harvey, incumbent, for Kelso City Council, based on his membership on the Cowlitz Economic Development Council and his engagement in local city council and County Commissioner meetings in addition to Kelso’s.
The CWCLC let each candidate who we interviewed know the decision of the delegates and we thank all who participated.
We now encourage everyone to vote in this election!