If you have not received yours yet, ballots for the Aug. 7 primary were mailed this week.

There are several local candidates Kirkland residents should look for on the ballot to decide who should represent you in Olympia.

The Reporter recently featured profiles of each of the candidates running for the 45th Legislative District, Pos. 1. Those candidates include incumbent Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland; political newcomer Jacob Bond, a Democrat from Kirkland; and Republican Joel Hussey, of Redmond.

Goodman, who is seeking a fourth term in his seat, said he is running again because he feels like Olympia is getting things done. He wants to add to that and build on his own record of things he accomplished, including introducing 123 bills, with 68 enacted.

Just one of nine in the state legislature who has a law degree, Goodman has put his background to use in Olympia, helping to reform domestic violence, DUI and wage garnishment laws.

Bond, however, says that Olympia is broken. The 27-year-old combat veteran vows to bring common sense back to Olympia. His priorities include veterans, education and job creation.

Also a political newcomer, Hussey wants to bring some “business sense” to Olympia’s growing debt disasters. A University of Washington MBA graduate, Hussey founded his own company, Tailwind Capital, which leases commercial aircraft to clients all over the world and manages their investments. The fiscal conservative believes the state’s top priority, education, can be properly funded by trimming other expenditures, not additional revenue.

In the Municipal League’s annual review of candidates running for local elected office, the organization gave Goodman the highest rank of “outstanding.” The league also rated Hussey “very good” and Bond “not qualified.”

Residents in the Finn Hill neighborhood should also keep an eye out for candidates running for the 1st Legislative District that represents that area.

That district will present one of the longest-running incumbents in Olympia – Democrat Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, 71, who is running for state senator.

In the primary, McAuliffe will face-off against two-term Northshore School Board member and former president, Republican Dawn McCravey, and Democrat Guy Palumbo.

Both McCravey and Palumbo are running to improve state education. Palumbo also emphasizes helping small businesses.

There are also several candidates on the primary ballot for the 1st Legislative District, Pos. 1.

Three candidates are challenging incumbent Rep. Derek Stanford, a Democrat, including Republicans Sandy Guinn and Brian Travis, and Democrat Greg Rankich. Guinn has served on the Bothell City Council and as deputy mayor.

Travis cited transportation, education and state’s rights as his top priorities. Rankich is the president and CEO of Xtreme Consulting Group, a business and IT consulting firm based in Kirkland. He recently made a $3 million donation to the Washington State University athletic department.

The top two candidates from each primary race will advance to November’s general election.

Statewide, there are other several important races to look for too, including governor, lieutenant governor (Kirkland’s Bill Finkbeiner, a Republican, is one of the candidates), attorney  general and state auditor, to name a few.

Don’t forget to return your ballot through the U.S. Postal Service or at a ballot drop box.

The deadline to return ballots is election day, Aug. 7. Ballots must be postmarked by then or in a ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on that day.

If you don’t receive your ballot within 10 days of election day, contact the Elections Office at (206) 296-VOTE (8683).

If you care who will represent you in the State House, exercise your right to vote!