MOSES LAKE - About 75 people wanted to hear politicians talk about issues.

They attended a forum Monday at Moses Lake High School to hear from eleven candidates vying for a variety of races in the Moses Lake area.

Ballots are mailed Oct. 21 and the election is Nov. 8.

The candidates were allowed a chance to voice their reasons for running for positions on the Moses Lake City Council, Moses Lake School District, Grant County Hospital District and Port of Moses Lake before a question and answer period.

Moderator and Moses Lake city councilmember Bill Ecret asked each set of candidates a range of questions, covering everything from gang violence to quality medical care, before time ran out on the two hour event.

Several people who were present said they were primarily interested in the Moses Lake council races, although they wanted to hear what issues were important to other candidates as well.

Hayden Wise, 17, said his attendance was a requirement of a high school government class, but he probably would have come anyway.

"I just wanted to see what the candidates all had to say," he said.

The forum was sponsored by the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce, the Moses Lake Business Association and the Columbia Basin Herald.