The Municipal League of King County (Muni League) will release its 100th set of election ratings next week for 124 legislative, judicial and local candidates.

The ratings will be released to the media at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, July 19. A public rating release party will be held on Tuesday, July 20 from 7-9 p.m. at Spitfire (located at 2219 4th Avenue, in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood) with many candidates, volunteers, board members and community leaders in attendance. The Muni League celebrates its 100th year of operation in 2010.

To determine candidate ratings, volunteers throughout King County have joined the Municipal League’s Candidate Evaluation Committees to study the public record, review candidate questionnaires, speak with references, and conduct interviews with candidates. Committee members then rate each candidate on four criteria: Involvement, Character, Effectiveness and Knowledge. The possible ratings are Outstanding, Very Good, Good, Adequate and Not Qualified.

The non-partisan ratings process is similar to a job interview and investigates each candidate’s potential to be effective in the office they seek and to beneficially serve the community. Political affiliations or stances on particular issues are not considered during the League rating process.

“Our people and process are what make these ratings such important tools for voters,” said Matthew Stubbs, the Muni League’s Candidate Evaluation Committee Chair. “Committee volunteers commit to a nonpartisan assessment process that has been developed and refined by the League for the past 100 years. We use that same process with each candidate we evaluate to make sure League ratings are fair and consistent.”

Since 1910, the Municipal League of King County has operated as a voluntary civic organization dedicated to effective and responsive government. This is the 100th year the League has produced candidate ratings in an effort to promote a government in King County that is open, effective and accountable.