Pietila’s real-life experience makes him the choice for judge

Why bother to vote for all the people towards the bottom of the ballot? Especially for judges — aren’t they all educated the same and have to follow the laws?

I feel that the best judges also need empathy for both victims and the accused. As well as a variety of real-life experiences. Perhaps as a laborer from a blue-color family, the first to go to college and someone who’s worked as a bartender.

A judge also needs to have years of experience as a prosecutor, a defense counselor and also as a lawyer interpreting the law for those of us with business in the courthouse.

Johan Pietila has all of these experiences. Plus, he is a very personable and likable guy. Please consider joining me and voting for Johan Pietila for Jackson County Circuit Court Judge.

Chuck Root / Ashland

Davis has the qualifications to serve as Circuit Court judge

Well-rounded legal experience, vast community involvement, and an appropriate judicial temperament are just three of the desired characteristics that Joe Davis would bring to the Jackson County bench.

I urge your support for Joe Davis for Jackson County Circuit Court Judge.

Mark Schiveley / Jacksonville

Davis’s legal background makes him best choice for judge

Joe Davis is the best candidate for Jackson County Judge. Our judges hear criminal cases, business disputes, many-faceted family issues (divorce, custody, estate claims, housing and rental issues), and so much more.

Joe Davis has experience in all of these, not just in criminal law. He was born and raised in Jackson County and has spent his entire career immersed in the details and broader contexts of Oregon law.

We need his steady demeanor, unfailing fairness and willingness to hear each person who comes before him for help and justice.

Please join me in voting for Joe Davis for judge.

Priscilla Weaver / Jacksonville

Unaffiliated taxpayers deserve access to primary elections

I am one of those “unaffiliated” voters described in the recent editorial. I am not uninformed, or uninterested, just uncommitted to any party which expects lock-step views.

My vote is suppressed — by both major parties. And by Jackson County, because I can’t vote in the primary for our commissioners who run in partisan elections unlike most other counties. And yet, I help pay for these elections.

I appreciate the instructions for those “Indy voters” who don’t know they can re-register to vote in primary elections.

However, I find it exceedingly insulting that I must declare a party affiliation before having my voice heard during spring elections that sometimes matter most. I cannot bring myself to abandon my principles in this regard.

I hope that party loyalists would understand my convictions, as I do theirs. Encourage inclusion of “unaffiliated” taxpayers, and don’t contribute to the suppression of my vote.

Michael Sawicky / Ashland

Arrasmith hasn’t displayed necessary leadership qualities

In a 2021 Mail Tribune editorial entitled, “Strike three, assessor should step down,” three significant errors were documented that were committed by David Arrasmith’s office over the course of his tenure and a call was made for his resignation.

Now we see that Mr. Arrasmith wants to be a Jackson County Commissioner. Leadership is a vital role for a County Commissioner, and Mr. Arrasmith has shown none during those error-filled incidents, and instead scapegoated and blamed his staff.

Jackson County needs individuals who demonstrate honorable leadership in one of the most important positions in our county; not someone who has demonstrated a history of errors and passing the buck. These times call for real leaders.

Patrick Dunlevy / Medford

Nonaffiliated voters still have time to register for primary

There is still time for nonaffiliated voters to choose a party for the May primary election.

Many people object to being labeled a Republican or Democrat. The policies of both parties seem to repel many voters. (But) we end up with a situation where small amounts of voters choose our November candidates.

Forty years ago in Oregon, liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats seemed to dominate policy-making. But people feel extremists gained control of platform writing or policy formulation in both parties, thus alienating many moderates.

Nonaffiliated moderates must understand that they don’t make things better by sidelining themselves. Until Oregon has inclusive primary elections, the only way we can make Oregon politics less worse is by registering in a party and voting for whom we consider to be the “least worst” candidates in primary elections.

Oregon will better reflect what citizens want with the inclusion of the nonaffiliated sidelined voters.

Brent Thompson / Ashland

Davis has background necessary to be Circuit Court judge

We have known Joe Davis for 50 years. A son of Judge Ross and Kathleen Davis, Joe learned respect for the law and reverence for justice.

As a successful attorney, he has helped clients with issues related to family law and business law. As a frequent community volunteer, Joe has served on boards of the YMCA, Living Opportunities, Rogue Community College and Jackson County Legal Aid.

Joe’s calm and patient temperament, combined with his knowledge, would well serve a court with a very busy docket.

There is a line in the chorus of a song that was sung by the Rogue Valley Chorale: “Let justice roll like a mighty stream. …” We can help that stream keep rolling by electing Joe Davis a judge of the Jackson County Circuit Court.

Bud and Mary Jo Bergstrom / Medford

Wallan abortion stance matters should GOP gain state control

The Supreme Court returned women’s reproductive health care decisions to the states. Republican state legislatures and courts have since restricted women’s rights to make their own reproductive decisions.

As a result, Oregon’s state government will decide whether women have the right to make their own decisions about their health care. Currently we do. But, if Republicans control our House, Senate, and Governorship, would that freedom continue?

We should know whether candidates for our Legislature support a woman’s right to make her own reproductive health care decisions, or if they would curtail that right by passing restrictions on abortions.

Republican presidential nominee Trump stated, after a history of flip-flops, that he believes the states should decide on reproductive health care for women. Would Kim Wallan, if elected to a state House Republican majority, restrict abortion rights as her colleagues have done across the country, or would she maintain the current rules?

Trisha Vigil / Medford

ELECTION LETTERS Letters of no more than 150 words will be accepted on local and state elections. Letter-writing campaigns and those that include inaccuracies, unsupported claims, or misleading representations of the facts will not be published. We will not be accepting Guest Opinions on election issues. Note: We are no longer accepting letters regarding the ballot measures on the potential restructuring of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners. Send by email to letters@rv-times.com, or use the Submit A Letter to the Editor form available on rv-times.com.

Letters of no more than 150 words will be accepted on local and state elections. Letter-writing campaigns and those that include inaccuracies, unsupported claims, or misleading representations of the facts will not be published. We will not be accepting Guest Opinions on election issues. Note: We are no longer accepting letters regarding the ballot measures on the potential restructuring of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners.

Send by email to letters@rv-times.com, or use the Submit A Letter to the Editor form available on rv-times.com