TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Dozens of candidates and elected officials gathered at 2nd South Wednesday night for a speed representing event, giving Twin Falls County citizens a chance to sit down face to face with the people running for state and local offices.
The event, organized by Indivisible Twin Falls County, uses a format more commonly associated with singles meet-and-greets, adapted to connect voters directly with candidates and officials.
"This is our third event at speed repping — we are giving our everyday citizens a chance to come and speak with the candidates that are running for state and local offices here," Kim Hafer said.
I spent 8 minutes sharing a table with Twin Falls County Commissioner Suzanne Hawkins and got to hear what mattered most to her this election cycle.
"Right now, I think it's Twin Falls County protecting our Agland is probably one of the biggest issues we're dealing with," Hawkins said.
It is also the first time in five elections that Hawkins has run unopposed.
"I have ran for different offices in Twin Falls and this is the first time out of my five elections that I've been un opposed," Hawkins said.
Melanie Folwell, executive director for Idahoans United and one of the lead organizers of the citizen ballot initiative Proposition 1 about abortion, said the speed representing format was new to her.
"Not this particular format, this is new," Folwell said.
Folwell reflected on the tone of the conversations at the event.
"We may have our own very dearly help beliefs about this issue and others, but we can have respectful, dignified conversations," Folwell said.
The event also offered more insight into the day-to-day functions of government. Twin Falls County Assessor Bradford Wills, who is running unopposed in the general election, was still glad to give me a quick overview of the duties of his office.
"My job is to value roughly 50,000 properties in the county and do that on an annual basis, and I don't have anything to do with the taxes other than I create the value that is the basis for your taxation — so that's where I get involved," Wills said.
In-person early voting begins Oct. 13 at Twin Falls County West Building.
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