Election primer 2014

This primary election is likely to suffer from a drop-off in voter turnout. That’s been historically true of the midterm elections, and we don’t see this year bucking the trend. That said, there are some important races at stake—and in our 2014 election primer, we cover just a handful of them.

In this cover package, you’ll read about the contest for the Butte County Assessor’s Office, which pits a county official with name recognition against a longtime professional in the field of assessment; the state water initiative, Proposition 1, from the standpoint of environmental groups; a clear look at both ballot measures related to marijuana, Measure A and Measure B; and first and foremost, Chico’s City Council race. (See Newslines for a write-up on the Ridge’s proposed sales-tax increase.)

We’ve covered every Chico City Council candidates forum over the course of the race, but in this case, we opted for giving readers a side-by-side comparison of the seven candidates with a question-and-answer format. In a few cases, their answers are edited for length and clarity. Our thanks to the candidates for their participation.

If you’re wondering how the CN&R stands on the issues and the candidates, see Editorials for our endorsements.

And to readers, please vote on Nov. 4!