Legislative candidates to debate on Thursday

MOSES LAKE - Legislative candidates Matt Manweller and Kaj Selmann will face off for the second time this week at 11:30 a.m. Thursday in a full-fledged debate.

The event takes place at Big Bend Community College, 7662 Chanute St. NE, Moses Lake.

Manweller, of Ellensburg, and Selmann, of Moses Lake, are running for a seat to represent the state's 13th district.

The college's new president, Terry Leas, is scheduled to moderate the event, which is free and open to the public.

"The debate is activity that's consistent with our educational mission," Leas said. "It'll be an opportunity or forum in which area voters will have a chance to hear the candidates and their positions on various issues."

The two legislative candidates will face off at the school's ATEC building for about an hour or so, organizer Connie Cervantes said.

The debate was planned with bipartisan support from representatives from Grant County's Democratic and Republican parties.

"Politics don't always have to be hating each other," Cervantes said. "We're here working together."

A voter registration drive is also planned at the event.

The last day for voters to register for the upcoming election is Monday. The last day to postmark registrations through mail is Friday.

Moses Lake Mayor Bill Ecret is emceeing the event after moderating a candidates' form earlier this week.

"It allows candidates to express their views openly so that audience members can understand their decisions and make informed voting choices," he said.

Topics generally cover a wide range of issues of interest to the public, including education, farming and law enforcement, Cervantes said.

Each candidate is allowed five minutes to give a response, and two minutes for rebuttal.

"However many questions we could get in, the better," she said.