Ballots hit mailboxes last week, and political debate has reached a new level of intensity throughout the community and on the popular community forum, Nextdoor, especially about who will win the open seats on Mercer Island’s City Council.

In the past year since My MI launched, I’ve attended or watched online more City Council meetings than I ever imagined in order to better understand what is happening on Mercer Island – what people are saying  and what decisions our City Council members are making.

These voices and decisions have shaped the interesting stories and developments around Mercer Island – and a lot of exciting things are happening or possibly happening in our community. We are getting a new grocery store! We are getting a Pagliacci’s! We are NOT getting a new mixed-use development in the heart of Town Center! We MIGHT be getting a new center for the arts!

These stories continue to unfold, and we can all make an impact on how they unfold – by voting. So I have a simple request – please vote!  Mail in your ballot by November 3rd.

If you’ve decided to vote, but you don’t know who to vote for, then here are some letters to the editor from your Mercer Island neighbors endorsing their chosen candidates:

Mercer Island Reporter – Letters to the Editor

Drinkwater Knows Our Community – Karin Davies, Dr. Kristina Crothers, Carina Evens, Dr. Katharine Lamperti, Kathryn Lerner, Becky Showalter, Yvonne Willard, Nicki Winder

Vote for what’s best for Mercer Island’s future – Robert W. Thorpe

Challengers will bring a fresh look to issues – Charles and Karen Neff

Bassett provides great leadership – Sue Bennett

Challengers will put Islanders first – Steve Hearon

Brahm concerned about growth – Sally and Larry Brown

Challengers will bring new perspectives – Kevin Scheid

Bassett supports environment – Nancy Lee

Give new voices a chance on council – Beatrice Rauch

Bertlin committed to all Islanders – Toby Suhm

Granbois will listen to citizens – Al Lippert

Bassett has grasp of issues – Bruce Schatzman

Incumbents running scared – Gary Robinson

Bassett knows Islanders’ needs – Joe Petrucci

Leaders have made Island better – Stephen Smith

Don’t shoot the messenger – Ross Lehman

Bertlin focuses on critical issues – Alan Merkle

MIHS alumni support Granbois – Michelle (Wiseman) Munoz

Bertlin thoughtful, objective, outgoing – Bart Dawson

Bassett has integrity, intelligence – Myra Lupton

Drinkwater has skills for school board – Charles S. Cobbs, M.D.

Granbois using scare tactics on budget – Carole Branom

‘Peculiar decisions’ made by our local government – David L. Dunner, MD

Looking for more information?

You can also learn more about the candidates by reading their personal statements, originally published on the King County Elections website, or by attending an upcoming candidates forum.