MOSES LAKE — Incumbent public utility district Commissioner Bill Bjork, whose district includes Moses Lake, has an opportunity Thursday night to tell voters what he's accomplished in the last four years to earn a second term. Bjork's challengers, Dale Walker and Bob Bernd, will have a chance to explain why they should be elected instead.

This political contest, along with nine others to be decided by Grant County voters in the coming months, are to be featured at a candidate forum from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the ATEC building at Big Bend Community College.

The candidate forum is sponsored by the college, Soroptimist International, the Columbia Basin Herald, the Moses Lake Business Association and Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce.

The 10 political races featured at the forum include: Grant County Public Utility District commissioner District No. 1, PUD commissioner District B at-large, county commissioner, clerk, auditor, assessor, treasurer, state House and Senate seats and the 4th Congressional District.

Candidates are allotted three minutes each to address the audience to begin the forum, then it's on to questions written by the event sponsors.

No candidate will know the questions in advance, said Sally Goodwin, executive director of the business association. At least two of the sponsors' questions will be answered by each candidate.

Later, questions submitted in writing by the audience will be put forth to the candidates by the forum's master of ceremonies, Alan Heroux, a Moses Lake real estate agent and chairman of Vision 2020.

All 25 candidates from the 10 races have been invited to the forum, Goodwin said.

Four candidates are running for the PUD commissioner District No. 1 seat, currently held by Commissioner Vera Claussen. In June, she announced she would retire at the end of her term, ending a 24-year career as a PUD commissioner.

Terry Brewer, the executive director of the Grant County Economic Development Council, is running for the position. Grand Coulee resident Alan Cain, the owner and operator of Bigdam.net, is a candidate for the position. Retired engineer W. Ron Baker is also running, along with Wilson Creek resident David Stevens.

The audience will also hear from the two Republican candidates for Grant County commissioner, Cindy Carter of Royal City, and Eric Briggs of Ephrata. Their race will be decided by the Sept. 19 primary.

The primary will also determine who will be the next Grant County assessor. Incumbent Laure Grammer and her opponent Norm Lancaster, both Republicans from Moses Lake, are running for the post.

The race for Grant County clerk between incumbent Kenneth Kunes and challenger Kimberly Allen, also Republicans, will be decided by the primary.

The winner of the September primary in those three county races will advance to the November general election without formal opposition, because no Democratic candidates have filed.

The battle for the 13th District House of Representatives seat will be won in the same way. Max Golloday of Ellensburg, a former Kittitas County commissioner, and Judy Warnick, a Moses Lake businesswoman, both Republicans, are competing to fill the seat being vacated by incumbent Janea Holmquist, R-Moses Lake. Holmquist is running for the state Senate.

Lisa Bowen, a Kittitas County Democrat, will face Holmquist for the state Senate seat.

Candidates for Grant County auditor and treasurer have been invited to the forum, along with the four candidates running for the 4th Congressional District.