Voter turnout in San Juan elections has long been among the highest, sometimes the highest, of the state’s 39 counties—not just in presidential election years but year-in and year-out.

While admittedly not an “apples-to-apples” kind of comparison, the same does not hold true when it comes to voting for the Orcas Power & Light Cooperative board of directors. Those elections have often been decided with a turnout of about 10 percent of the co-op’s 12,000 members, a far cry from the 60-plus percent turnout that’s typical of countywide elections, where the number of registered voters (12,011) is nearly identical to the co-op’s.

Here at the Journal, we hope to see the turnout total rise, significantly, in the upcoming board election, especially given what appears to be on the horizon for OPALCO: its breadth and depth of investment in fiber optics and broadband carrying capacity.

Six candidates are vying for two board positions (both in District 1, which includes San Juan Island). OPALCO has information on its website, and you’ll find articles and information about the candidates in the Journal and on our website. Take the time to become informed, and vote.