EDITORIAL: Vote to support local schools

If you live in one or both of the Kalispell school districts, you received a mail ballot several weeks ago.

Possibly you opened it at that time, and promptly sent it back with your ballots marked either for or against the school bonds being requested by Kalispell Public Schools. If you did, thanks for doing your civic duty and voting.

But many of you, we suspect, either didn’t open the envelope at all, or put it aside to consider later. After all, you had two weeks to read up on the school bonds, do research, make phone calls and still get your ballot in on a timely basis.

We hope you did that research. The Inter Lake is proud that we were able to provide multiple stories in the past three weeks to clarify what the bonds would accomplish for our local students.

We have also editorialized in favor of both the elementary-school bond and the high-school bond, finding that they will help our communities to provide quality education for years to come. Yes, there is a cost in terms of higher property taxes that many of us will pay, but the cost of deteriorating school infrastructure is incalculable on the future of our students and our economy.

Please get out your school election ballot and mail it back today. Mailed ballots need to be received at the election office by Tuesday. After Friday, we recommend that you hand-carry your ballot to the district clerk at 233 First Avenue East in Kalispell to make sure your vote is counted. On Tuesday, the district office will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. to accommodate voters.

Now get ready for the general election!

With absentee ballots for the general election set to land in mailboxes Oct. 14, now is the time to learn about where the candidates in your legislative district stand on the issues.

The Inter Lake will roll out election previews from all the races in the region beginning Sunday with a look at the two candidates vying for the Flathead County Commissioner District 2 seat. Previews of state Senate and House elections will follow.

Kalispell City Council is offering another opportunity to learn about the slate of state candidates. The council is hosting two televised forums with candidates representing districts within city limits.

The first forum on Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. looks at state House Districts 6, 8, 9 and 11. The second forum on Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. looks at state Senate Districts 3 and 6 and House District 7. The forums will be held in the City Council chambers and broadcast on public access channel 190 on cable.

Take time to educate yourself on the issues and candidates — well-informed voters are the best hope for our democracy.