NORTH WHIDBEY: Sound Off: Decorum, integrity are vital to local politics (BRIT KRANER/WNT)

North Whidbey Pool, Park and Recreation District Commissioner Brit Kraner wrote a Sound Off column for the Whidbey News-Times decrying uncivil behavior at a recent candidate forum. Kraner’s column appeared in the paper’s Jul. 19, 2023 edition.

They Said It

As I sat and watched the candidate forum, I was stunned by some of the behaviors that I witnessed. The most concerning was that one candidate’s support team was visibly laughing at another candidate as he spoke.… While one candidate smirked towards his opponent, another handed him water and supported him the best he could in the moment. I think sometimes the candidates get wrapped up in the horse race and lose sight of what they are actually trying to accomplish.

…the way you treat your opponent is a reflection of you, and it does nothing to prove that your opponent is not a worthy opponent. I am appalled by the behaviors that I saw from elected members of this community. What I have seen currently is that there is a candidate that has no regard for his visibility in the community or how his constituents would actually interpret their behavior. The people that you choose to have around you, as a candidate, are a reflection of you.

On the Ballot in 2023