Can a Political Office be Truly 'Nonpartisan'?
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According to Ferndale City Council incumbent Jon Mutchler, nonpartisan offices force voters to do their homework, researching candidates rather than defaulting to party affiliation alone.
A party label "makes us lazy."
Eamonn Collins, chair of the Whatcom Democrats, disagrees, stating that in "a deeply broken system," where issues fall into a binary between right and left, he wants to know where candidates stand.
"I think to be an elected official or advocate or a campaigner or even a voter in 2025, is to live with contradictions,"
he said. Author's summary: Nonpartisan offices spark debate.