EDITOR,

Although this general election is very important to the future direction of our country, our local elections will also impact the direction of our communities. Having spent 20 years volunteering for our schools and being active in local elections, I have seen first-hand the impact one person can have on a local community.

It is perfectly natural for someone to cite party affiliation as reason enough to vote for a political candidate. But in the upcoming nonpartisan 5th District Supervisor race, we need to put partisan politics aside and dig deeper. We need to listen to the candidates, examine their background and experience, and question their moral character. We need to then quite simply vote for the person most qualified for the job.

During the past several months, I have had the opportunity to examine the candidates for 5th District Supervisor. I have met several times with both of them, and have learned about each one’s character, leadership qualities, and depth of experience each would bring to the job.

To me, the choice is clear — Bruce McPherson will make by far the better supervisor for this county’s 5th District.

Kathy Ritchie, Boulder Creek