Voters in the 10th District will be selecting between incumbent Republican Norma Smith and challenger Democrat Tim Knue for State Representative Position 2 in the upcoming Nov. 4 general election.

This is another race in which the editorial board was impressed with both candidates and believe either one would be an effective legislator for the 10th District and the state. And while Smith has served the district well in her first legislative session, the board gave a slight edge, and our endorsement, to challenger Knue.

Smith has a varied and impressive background including working as a special assistant to State Senator Jack Metcalf, serving on the South Whidbey School Board as well as working the private and non-profit sectors. Smith has spent 32 years teaching agriculture and was named the 2002 State Vocational Teacher of the Year. Smith has served as an advisor to the Future Farmers of America, served on the Washington State Professional Educators Standards Board and was president of Washington Association of Career and Technical Educators.

Both candidates have demonstrated a willingness to work across the aisle in a bipartisan manner to get things done and to address the critical issues we are facing today. Smith’s legislative experience is a definite plus, but we believe that’s Knue experience as an educator and his expertise in agriculture give him the experience that will be needed in Olympia when dealing with those, and other, critical issues which affect the district and the state.

For more information about the candidates, visit their Web sites at www.votenormasmith.com or www.timknue.com.

Re-elect McCoy in 38th District Representative race

In the race for the 38th District Representative Position 1, incumbent Democrat John McCoy is being challenged by Cris Larson.

While we applaud Larson for his willingness to get involved, we believe McCoy is the best choice and should be sent back to Olympia for another term.

The three-term legislator has the right priorities — health care, education and family wage jobs — to get us through these difficult times and to lead us into a more prosperous future.

McCoy has served the district, and the state, well and has earned another term in the state House of Representatives.

For more information about John McCoy visit his Web site at www.johnmccoy.org. There was no Web site available for Cris Larson.

To contact a member of The Marysville Globe/Arlington Times editorial board — Stuart Chernis or Scott Frank — e-mail forum@marysvilleglobe.com.