The Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors voted to endorse candidates in the mayoral races for Algona and Pacific, City Council in Auburn and Algona, Port of Seattle Commissioner, and for the first time, the Auburn School Board races, not just on position, but on individual candidate qualifications.

The Chamber invited all candidates running for the positions to participate in its interview process. Each candidate that participated completed a pre-interview questionnaire and scheduled a private interview with the Chamber’s Government Affairs Candidate Interview Task Force.

The general election is Tuesday.

The Chamber voted to approve the following endorsements:

Endorsed highly qualified

• Ray Vefik, Auburn School Board Director, District No. 1

• Ryan Anderson, Auburn School Board Director, District No. 4

• Anne Baunach, Auburn School Board Director, District No. 4

• Largo Wales, Auburn City Council, Position No. 1

• Bill Peloza, Auburn City Council, Position No. 3

• John Hayes Holman, Auburn City Council, Position No. 5

• Wayne Osborne, Auburn City Council, Position No. 7

• Dave Hill, City of Algona, Mayor

• Rich Hildreth, City of Pacific, Mayor

• Josh Putnam, Pacific City Council, Position No. 6

• Gael Tarleton, Port of Seattle Commissioner, Position No. 2

• Bill Bryant, Port of Seattle Commissioner, Position No. 5

Endorsed qualified: none

Not endorsed: none

Candidates invited to participate but chose not to:

• Carol Helgerson, Auburn School Board Director, District No. 2

• Virginia Haugen, Auburn City Council, Position No. 5

• Frank Lonergan, Auburn City Council, Position No. 7

• Bill Thomas, Algona City Council, Position No. 1

• Edward Britz, Algona City Council, Position No. 3

• Timothy Fairley, Algona City Council, Position No.5

• John C. Jones, City of Pacific, Mayor

• Gary Hulsey, Pacific City Council, Position No. 1

• Clinton Steiger, Pacific City Council, Position No. 3

• Kevin Cline, Pacific City Council, Position No. 6 (completed questionnaire, but did not reschedule private interview)

• Richard Pope, Port of Seattle Commissioner, Position No. 2

• Dean Willard, Port of Seattle Commissioner, Position No. 5

“Our Government Affairs focus is on relationship building with the candidates, ensuring they understand our key business issues, and asking for them to include us in their decision making processes,” said Michele Oosterink, Chairman of the Board for the Auburn Area Chamber. “This approach leads to decisions that are more balanced and help to improve the economic vitality of our business community.”