The daily onslaught of the 2020 Presidential election, the COVID-19 pandemic and California’s continuing wildfires suck up a great deal of people’s allotted mental bandwidth these days, so it can be easy to forget that there are consequential local races on the November ballot that are worth your consideration. If you’ve not yet spent time attempting to better know the candidates running for, say, the Eureka City Council, you are forgiven. This year has been a lot. 

If you live in either wards two or four, hey, this concerns you! Larger map here.

But what do you say we take a look at these political hopefuls, shall we? Recently the Humboldt County League of Women Voters held a helpful online candidate forum with all-but-one of the Eurekans officially vying for the two up-for-grabs seats on the Eureka City Council — three candidates in Ward Two, and five candidates in Ward Four. The entirely civil — weird, right? — two-hour event included the candidates’ thoughts on a number of Eureka-centric topics, from the city’s response to coronavirus, its handling of homelessness, their stances on needle exchange programs and more. 

SEE ALSO: Candidates Answer Your Questions on LoCO Elections

Because LoCO knows two hours in front of a screen constitutes a daunting commitment in 2020, we’ve gone ahead and broken the forum up by question into easily searchable sections. Just scroll down and if a particular topic strikes your fancy, click the link and, bam, you can jump in right there! Democracy made easy. 

We will start with the candidates’ opening statements: 

ABOVE: Ward Two candidate opening statements (from left to right): Lucinda Jackson, Kati Moulton and Dot Jäger-Wentworth. (Another official ward two candidate, Tamar Shirley, did not participate in the forum.)

(Click the candidates’ names to be taken to their LoCO Elections page to see the their answers to additional questions from community members (if they’ve bothered to answer them).)

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ABOVE: Ward Four candidates opening statements (from left to right): Scott Bauer, Eddie Morgan, Matthew Owen, Liza Welsh and William Tuttle.

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-QUESTIONS-

Question #1: “How do you feel the City of Eureka has done in dealing with ongoing problems of homelessness and poverty? What changes would you make?”

Question #2: “Discuss the plans that are underway for addressing the impacts of sea level rise on Eureka.”

Question #3: “What programs could the council implement to ensure all people, especially people of color, are treated with equity and inclusion in Eureka?”

Question #4: “Some businesses throughout Eureka have closed. How will you help local businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?”

Question #5: “How will you support expansion of broadband to the area?”

Question #6: “What is your position on the current situation regarding the needle exchange program in the city?”

Question #7: “Do you have a plan and a schedule for funding and repairing some of our badly degraded streets?”

Question #8: “Please comment on California Proposition 15, the Schools and Community First initiative.”

Question #9: “What is your view point on ranked choice voting?”

Question #10: “Eureka is considered by many to be a climate change refuge location. People relocating here will put a strain on housing. What are your ideas to address this challenge?”

Question #11: “Other than the COVID-19 pandemic, what do you feel are the top three issues or challenges facing the City of Eureka?” 

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SEE ALSO: (AUDIO) HUMBOLDT HOLDING UP: Humboldt Political Junkie Eric Kirk on Local Supervisor and City Council Races, Measures, Voting in the COVID Era and More!