I am writing to thank the 220-plus people who attended the “Ask the Candidates” hospital district commissioner candidate forum for showing up on Thursday, Oct. 10, asking hard questions, seeking knowledgeable answers, and, in the process, demonstrating how democracy works.

Thanks also go to the candidates for enthusiastically agreeing way back in July to appear at the forum; to co-sponsors Healthcare Focus Group of Indivisible Vashon and Vashon Unifying for Democracy; to Susan McCabe for excellent moderating; Voice of Vashon for video-recording the event (watch it on the VoV website); Jenna Riggs for designing the poster; Art Chippendale for planning assistance; Tania Kinnear for being time-keeper; Pastor Paul Mitchell for letting us use the Methodist church; and all the volunteers who set-up chairs, manned the Q&A table and cleaned up afterward. We received $109 in the donation jar, which allowed us to provide the church with a $100 good-will offering. Thanks to our attendees for their generosity.

Indivisible Vashon supported this forum as a community service and to encourage participation in the democratic process. The IV Leadership Team consciously decided to focus only on the candidates, rather than endorse the hospital district in order to maintain neutrality and transparency.

So thanks, Vashon citizens, for participating in the democratic process!

— Debby Jackson