Your ballot shouldn't be the first time you meet the people asking for your vote.

Election season brings signs along our roads, posts across social media, advertisements, mailers, endorsements, and plenty of opinions.

But there is something different about hearing directly from the people who are asking to represent you.

Tonight, The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce invites our community to do exactly that.

Wasco County Candidate Forum

Monday, October 5, 2026

6:00 PM

Mid-Columbia Senior Center

Free and open to everyone

Candidate forums aren't about telling people how to vote. In fact, their value is just the opposite.

They create an opportunity to listen, learn, compare perspectives, and make your own informed decision.

Local Elections Matter

The decisions made by our local elected leaders affect our businesses, our neighborhoods, our families, and the future of our communities.

Economic development. Infrastructure. Housing. Public safety. Transportation. Land use. Community services. The way public dollars are prioritized.

These aren't abstract issues. They show up in our businesses and in our daily lives.

That's why being an informed voter matters.

Before filling in a ballot, we should know something about the people whose names are printed on it. What matters to them? How do they approach challenges? What priorities do they have for Wasco County? How do they respond when they're asked about issues affecting the people they hope to represent?

A candidate forum gives us an opportunity to hear those answers directly.

Creating a Place for Conversation

Part of the Chamber's role is bringing people together.

Sometimes that means connecting businesses. Sometimes it means celebrating a new business, sharing resources, advocating for our local economy, or creating opportunities for partnerships.

And sometimes it means creating a space where our community can listen, learn, and engage.

Hosting candidate forums is one way The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce supports an informed and engaged community while remaining nonpartisan. The Chamber isn't there to tell you which candidate deserves your vote.

Our role is to help create the opportunity for you to decide that for yourself.

That distinction matters.

Democracy works best when we participate—not just by casting a ballot, but by taking the time to understand the choices we're making.

Know Before You Vote

So tonight, we encourage you to show up.

Come listen.

Learn something you didn't know.

Hear directly from the people asking for the responsibility of representing our community.

You may walk away more confident about a decision you've already been considering. You may hear something that makes you think differently. You may simply gain a better understanding of the people and issues that will appear on your ballot.

That's exactly why these conversations matter.

Before you mark your ballot, know who's on it.

Show up. Listen. Ask questions of yourself. Learn about the people who want to represent you.

Then make your own informed decision.

And VOTE!

We hope you'll join us tonight.