To help voters navigate through the thicket of competing political campaigns during the election season, the Municipal League of King County just published its series of candidate ratings for legislature, supreme court and Seattle city council.

The nonpartisan community group has been rating candidates for office since 1911 based on four critieria: Involvement, Effectiveness, Character and Knowledge. The ratings are the only independent non-partisan, non-agenda driven evaluation of candidates in the area. On the group’s web site voters can see the ratings and read questionnaires filled out by the individual candidates.

I served as a volunteer on one of the evaluation committees that met evenings throughout August to rate some candidates for legislature. I can attest to the nonpartisan nature of the process and the fairness of everyone involved (the natural result: candidates from both parties earned high and low ratings). A printed voters guide with the ratings will be available at Safeway stores and other locations in King County next week.