I interviewed 2 candidates for the Grant County PUD Commissioner Dist #3 race for 2026.
Both Candidates were invited to be interviewed
Both Candidates responded were asked the exact same 18 questions in the exact same order
They never saw each others answers
The answers have not been altered, edited, modified, editorialized, changed, or edited in any way by the staff, ownership, or affiliates of this publication.
For each I have posted the transcript, not a story, their words. (transcripts by AI)
For each I have posted the audio from the interview.
A full list of the questions
Below the interviews I will post their posted bio from their candidate website, their sign and a link to their website and or FaceBook
The Interview Begins Here
Jacque Rasmussen Interview Audio File
Jacque Rasmussen Interview Grant County PUD Commissioner Dist #3 Race for 2026
Brent Dowlen: [00:00:00] Jacque, tell us a little bit about yourself. What should voters know about you, your background, and what led you to seek the seat on Grant County PUD Commission?
Jacque Rasmussen: My name is Jacque Rasmussen. I am proud to call Grant County home. I was raised in Grandview, Washington. Um, I’m the oldest of five. I have two brothers, two sisters.
My parents are hardworking. My dad worked at Hanford, and my parents were also farmers. We raised horses, cattles. We grew alfalfa. So a lot of my younger years were spent on the farm, riding my horses, um, you know, doing farm chores. But through those experiences, and they were wonderful experiences, but through those experiences, I learned the value of hard work, I learned responsibility, and I learned how to take care of the land.
Um, after graduating from Grandview High School, my husband and I married. We’ve been [00:01:00] married for 43 years. We moved to Cheney and attended Eastern Washington University. We graduated in 1991 with our teaching certificates, and Quincy School District hired both of us. So we made Quincy our home for the past 35 years.
Um, we raised our three children here. We taught the children in this community, and we’ve watched Grant County grow. Um, and so it was really a hard decision for me when I decided to retire, um, because I loved what I did. I loved being part of Quincy School District, and I loved the students that I taught.
Um, so even though I’ve retired from teaching, I still want to serve, but I want to serve in a different way, and because, like I said, I, I do love this county, I decided that I wanted to step up and run for Grant County PUD Commissioner[00:02:00]
Brent Dowlen: Every commissioner brings a different background to the board. What experiences in your career and personal life have prepared you to oversee a complex public utility with large budgets, critical infrastructure, and long-term planning responsibilities?
Jacque Rasmussen: Okay, so like I said, I’ve worked in Quincy School District for 35 years, and a lot, a lot of that has prepared me, I believe, for, um, the serving on the commission.
Um, so when I was a teacher, I worked with families, I worked with students, I worked with administrators, I worked with community leaders, I worked with colleagues, and I learned to be a good listener. I learned... And, and not just a listener, an active listener. I learned to collaborate. I learned to communicate well with people.
Um, s- and I think that that’s huge. If you want, if you wanna be a commissioner, then I think that it’s really important that you [00:03:00] listen to the ratepayers. The other thing is, at, you know, at working in the school district, I took on a lot of leadership responsibilities. I was, um, on our district leadership teams.
I was on building leadership teams. I was on the, uh, Quincy Education Association executive board. I mentored many teachers, and I also ran the mentoring program when new, new teachers came to Quincy School District. I oversaw that program for a lot of years. I also, um, was a volleyball coach. I was an academic coach, I was a cheer coach, and I was a dance coach, and those experiences taught me the importance of teamwork and everybody working together towards a common goal.
Um, but, but I truly think that one of my biggest strengths is being a good listener, and, and that’s what I would bring to the table, is, um, listening to our ratepayers and making sure [00:04:00] that they are engaged in part of the process when big decisions are being made that are, that’s going to impact them
Brent Dowlen: How do you define the role of PUD commissioner?
Where should governance end and management begin?
Jacque Rasmussen: So I liken it to Quincy School Board and Quincy teachers. And so I, you know, when you think of that, the commissioners are the governing body of the PUD. And, um, the CEO, the general manager, he runs the day-to-day operations. So as the commissioners, um, you know, they oversee the budgets.
They oversee the, like, the, the big projects. They’re the voice. You know, they should be communicating with, uh, the rate payers. Um, they’re, uh, they’re in charge of, um, hiring and evaluating the CEO[00:05:00]
Brent Dowlen: What qualities do you believe are most important in evaluating and working with the general manager and CEO?
Jacque Rasmussen: I think, um, what’s really important that I’ve said earlier is, um, communication, being able to communicate well, being able to collaborate. I also am somebody that will do my homework. I’m not going to just be spoon-fed information.
I want to know, and I’ll do the homework. I know how to research too. I worked as a librarian for a lot of years, so I will do my research, and I’m not afraid to ask the tough questions. And I... W- can you repeat the question?
Brent Dowlen: What qualities do you believe are most important in evaluating and working with the general manager or CEO?
Jacque Rasmussen: Okay. I, yes, I think I’ve answered it. I think communication is very important. I think, um, collaborating and [00:06:00] listening to different perspectives
Brent Dowlen: When technical experts, engineers, financial staff, and community members all have different opinions, how do you make a decision?
Jacque Rasmussen: I think being informed, making sure that I am informed before making any decision. And I know that deci- I mean, you’re not gonna make everybody happy, but it’s important to listen to the different perspectives and, um, get as much information, you know, from the ratepayers and, and also speaking to the engineers, taking into consideration all of those perspectives and making sure that your decision is informed
Brent Dowlen: What do you believe is the single biggest challenge facing Grant PUD over the next 10 years?
Jacque Rasmussen: I think managing growth, rapid growth, and [00:07:00] I am not opposed to growth. Um, and I, I... and, um, but I think what’s happening is, um, w- uh, it was
Okay, so I, I, I think b- before we’re promising power to large companies, we need to make sure that, that we have that power. Um, right now there’s a, a lawsuit that I’m reading about in, um, Moses Lake because th- th- they’re saying that they were promised power and now they don’t have this power. So I think growth is good.
I support, I support growth, but I think that we have to be responsible and we have to be transparent when we’re letting rate payers know what’s happening, and also our custom- yeah, the customers
Brent Dowlen: [00:08:00] Grant County has become a national hub for data centers Because of its affordable electricity, what role should Grant PUD play in supporting the economic development while ensuring local residents continue to benefit from low-cost hydropower?
Jacque Rasmussen: Um, I think that we need to make sure that the ratepayers, the, the, the farmers, the residents, the small business, they’re not being burdened with the costs of the infrastructures that’s needed for these, um, data centers.
S- um, so I think that, um, we, we need to make sure that we’re protecting property rights and we’re, uh, protecting ratepayers. And I’ve even, uh... The CEO, he has e- of Microsoft, he has come out, and I’ve, I’ve read articles where he has stated that the data centers [00:09:00] should be paying for that, that, that growth, that infrastructure.
And, um, and I believe that growth should pay for, for the growth needed or for the, the infrastructure needed
Brent Dowlen: How should Grant County, Grant PUD balance the needs of the residential cus- customers with the growing demand of the data centers and the other large industrial uses that are coming in?
Jacque Rasmussen: Well, I think Grant County PUD, I mean, they are definitely working with, you know, their, their core customers. They have said that the core customers, they are going to be receiving the lowest, um, r- rates.
So even though their rates are gonna be increasing for the next, you know, 10 years, I think they’ve, they’ve said that there’s gonna be, like, a 3% increase for the next t- you know, 10 years. Um, [00:10:00] big industries, their, their rate increase is, like, 10% each year. So I think Grant County PUD is trying to make sure that the, um, that the, uh, core customers, that their rates are staying low
Brent Dowlen: Grant County continues to grow rapidly, especially in areas like Quincy. How should Grant PUD plan for growth while avoiding the unnecessary cost for existing payers?
Jacque Rasmussen: So, um, I think what, what’s frustrating, I’ve watched, um, the Wanapum Mountain View project, that, that, uh, transmission project, and, uh, you know, the PUD, they quoted that as being $38 million.
That number has more than doubled, and you’re- we’re looking at 86 to 91 [00:11:00] million right now. And when, when I specifically asked about that, they said, “Well, we forgot to add in the, uh, distribution lines.” So that was really frustrating for me to hear that because it’s like how on earth, if you’ve presented this to the public and you’ve told us that it’s gonna be, you know, 38 to $41 million- And how is it now that, that it’s doubled and somebody forgot to add in the distribution lines?
So I think that being good stewards of, of the rate payers’ money, that we need to make sure that we’re spending that money wisely because, you know, they’re, they’re way over budget on this project currently. Um, the other thing that’s really frustrating is the PUD, they hire outside consulting firms [00:12:00] like HDR, which is great, but when you pay that much money, $2.6 million, to hire a consulting firm, and then you ignore their advice or what they analyzed as best versus worst routes, that’s concerning.
$2.6 million we spent on that, and then we’re not going to, um, use their analysis? So I think, getting back to the question, I, I, I believe that as commissioners, we need to make sure that the core customers are being protected, and I think that as commissioners, we also need to make sure that we are spending the money wisely
Brent Dowlen: What does keeping rates affordable mean to you?
What trade-offs are acceptable to accomplish that
Jacque Rasmussen: Keeping rates affordable is very important to me. I- it’s very important [00:13:00] to our farmers and our agriculture co- community because they’re the backbone of this county. So, um, I will do whatever I can to make sure that we keep, uh, the rates low. But I don’t feel...
I think that I also support, um, protecting private property rights, and so I don’t think it should come at the expense of, um, you know, the PUD using imminent domain to condemn private, private property for the transmission lines. A lot of people are already paying in rates, and some people are being asked to pay for it with their homes and their farms, and I would do whatever I could as a PUD commissioner to protect, um, private property rights
Brent Dowlen: Grant PUD manages billions of dollars in public assets. How would you approach making investments that will, [00:14:00] that may not pay off for 20 or 30 years while still keeping today’s electric rates affordable?
Jacque Rasmussen: Well, honestly, I think that, um, uh, you know, the way that they sell and buy power, they’ve done a great job, and they’ve been making millions of dollars in the way that they have been selling, um, power.
The PUD operates on a $700 million budget, um, and infrastructure is definitely important. And I believe that when we’re creating new infrastructure, that we first need to u- you know, look at using public lands or current, you know, what the current lines are and if we can add to those lines. Um
Brent Dowlen: Beyond keeping electric rates low, how should Grant PUD measure success?[00:15:00]
Jacque Rasmussen: I think that, yes, keeping the rates low, but I think letting the people, the rate payers be a voice, let them be engaged. Um, right now, uh, Grant County PUD commissioners, they hold their meetings in the middle of the day, 1:00, and it makes it really hard if you want to speak about something or if you want to learn more about something.
Most people are working that time, and they can’t, you know, make it over to those meetings at 1:00 in the day, and now they’ve even cut down on their meetings. It used to be that they had them twice a month. Now they’re just once a month. And, um, I, I would really strongly encourage, or I don’t know, you know, what I could do, but start holding those meetings in the evening and open it back up to once or twice a month rather than, um, just once a month [00:16:00] so the community can become engaged, the community can be a voice.
Um
Brent Dowlen: Commissioners hear from homeowners, farmers, businesses, industrial customers, and environmental groups who are often competing priorities. When those interests conflict, what principles guide your decision-making?
Jacque Rasmussen: I think I’m an honest person, I’m a fair person, I, um, I ask good questions, um, and I make informed decisions.
So, and I listen to different perspectives, and before I make a decisions, I’m gonna make sure that it’s an informed decision and, um
Right is right, and I’m going to try to, you know, make sure that I always, you know, do what best serves our customers [00:17:00] in the county
Brent Dowlen: One of the biggest issues facing Grant PUD today is the controversial-- controversy surrounding acquiring private property and easements for new transmission lines. How do you balance the need to build infrastructure that services the public with protecting property rights of individual landmo-- landowners?
Under what circumstances, if any, do you believe the use of inno-eminent domain is appropriate?
Jacque Rasmussen: So currently I am involved. Uh, Grant County PUD is using, um, eminent domain to condemn our private property. They’re, you know, we’re, um, they’re taking us to court, and we’ve filed a motion to dismiss. So I think I will bring firsthand experience to that if I’m on the commission because I will fight for property rights.
When you’ve worked your whole life for something [00:18:00] and then to have it taken away through the use of eminent domain
It’s really upsetting and it’s really frustrating. However, if it’s necessary and if that’s the only route, I mean, I would look at everything and I would make sure that the property owners have a seat at the table, they’re involved through that whole process. My experience, they were 30% through the project before I learned what was happening to my property.
That was really frustrating. Um, so I believe protecting property rights is very im- v- very important, and I will do my best to make sure that property rights are protected. The other thing with farmers, I don’t think maybe some people understand, when you cut in, uh, to, like 100 feet of their property, [00:19:00] their circle, that’s affecting their entire farm.
So, so the acreage around that whole, uh, circle for 100 feet, they’re losing profit on that because they’re not able to, um, grow that entire, um, that circle, you know, 100 feet. So it’s a huge impact when they’re using eminent domain on, um, residential property, farms. Um, and I guess too, my experience, I don’t want to live under a 230 kV, kV line.
Um, so I’m definitely gonna consider moving because I don’t want to live under a 230 kV line, and I think that that’s how a lot of people feel, that, you know, that they don’t wanna live under that massive of a power line
Brent Dowlen: Grand PD conducts much of its business in public meetings, yet many residents don’t follow those meetings closely. What would you do to improve transparency and help the public better understand [00:20:00] major decisions before they’re made?
Jacque Rasmussen: I would change... I, I would work hard to change the time that they have their meetings.
Um, they hold, they hold their meetings in the middle of the day at 1:00 and Tues- on Tuesdays over at, um, over in Ephrata. It makes it hard for working people to attend those meetings and, um, to, to stay informed. Um, I think communication is very important too. If you’re having a, a, a major project that’s going to be coming through your property, then you need to let those people know.
They... Y- you know, either contact them by phone, put a door hanger on their door. Um, but to say that, you know, “Oh, well, we put it, you know, in a flyer in your PUD bill,” not everybody reads those flyers. Um, and so they don’t sometimes see it or pay attention to it. [00:21:00] So as a commissioner, if I were elected, I would make sure that if, if there was going to be, you know, a big project like a 230 kV line that’s going to be impacting your property, and especially if you’re in my district or the area that I’m gonna be serving, I’m gonna be contacting you.
Yeah. And I’m going to be letting you know. I’m not gonna wait till you’re 30% through the project and the decision’s already made as to, you know, what route would’ve been best. So, um, I just think, uh, putting myself out there, opening meetings up, um, in the evening rather than during the day and, um, social media is great too.
I think that I would utilize s- social media if I was elected as a PUD commissioner because I think a lot of people, you know, follow, follow on social media [00:22:00]
Brent Dowlen: How will you stay connected with the people in your district so you’re hearing from more than just the loudest voices?
Jacque Rasmussen: I’m fortunate because I have been a teacher for 35 years in this community, so I love s- uh, th- you know, that I love staying connected with former students.
I love, you know, seeing them running businesses, sitting on the city council meetings. Um, so definitely, um, I will always have that personal touch. I, uh, uh, th- part of this campaign has been really f- really fun for me. My, my 35 years has been spent at Quincy school district events, and now that I’m transitioning into th- this campaign, I have enjoyed so much going to city council meetings, uh, att- attending community events, atten- [00:23:00] uh, visiting the senior centers.
Um, and so I just think it’s really important to, uh, be visible, to stay connected with the communities that you serve, and, um, make sure that you are approachable. Like, if people have concerns, if they have issues, I want them to know that they can come, they can talk to me, that I am an approachable person, and that I am going to listen to them, and I’m gonna treat them fairly, and I’m gonna treat them with respect, and I’m going to listen to all perspectives or all sides of something before I make a decision
Brent Dowlen: Is there one current PUD policy or initiative that you believe is working well, and is there one area where you believe the commission should consider a different approach?
Jacque Rasmussen: I think Grant County PUD, they are, they are working well and [00:24:00] they’ve really looked at the core customers. Um, th- you know, they’re tr- they’re trying to keep those rates low.
Um, uh, but you know, prices are m- moving up. We’re needing more infrastructure. So, um, I, I, I think the commissioners are working hard on, on that, and I think that that’s important. I, I believe too that we should keep the rate, rates as low as we can for our core customers. Um, the use of eminent domain and condemning private property, I, I, I think that they need to look at that policy and revisit it.
You know, what, what their current policy is, is that they will pay 25% land value when they take an easement. Uh, and so that’s concerning. If you’re going to take [00:25:00] people’s private property for easements, then you need to revisit that policy, and you need to make it fair for the landowners so that they’re getting fair market value for the, for the land that they’re giving up for the easement.
And I would definitely dive more into that and, um, look, look at those policies more closely
Brent Dowlen: Finally, if the voters only remember one thing from the interview, what do you hope it is, and why should they trust you to serve as their Grant County PUD Commissioner?
Jacque Rasmussen: I hope that they learn that I am a good listener, that I will listen to them. I hope that, um, they vote for me because, um, I think maybe-- I think change is needed at, uh, the, uh, PUD Commission.
Um, the commissioners have served a lot of time on those, [00:26:00] uh, on that commission, and I think that they’re n- we need to get new blood in there and new ideas. And I think that, um, that to get the community more engaged with some of these big decisions that are being made for our county, we need to get, um, uh, the ratepayers involved.
If that means, you know, changing the time of the meetings to the evening, you know, then I think we need to do that.
Brent Dowlen: Thank you for taking the time.
Jacque Rasmussen: Thank you.
Website Bio (condensed)
Quincy resident, retired teacher, wife, mother, and grandmother. I am running for Grant PUD Commissioner to bring transparency, accountability, and a stronger voice for ratepayers while protecting affordable public power and property rights.
Website: Facebook
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Disclaimer:
This interview is presented as part of our commitment to providing accessible, local information to the community. All candidates in the 2026 Grant County Auditor’s race were given the same questions, in the same format, and the opportunity to share their perspectives directly.
The responses published here are the candidate’s own words, presented without editing, interpretation, or commentary beyond basic transcription. Audio recordings are provided alongside transcripts to ensure full transparency.
Welcome to Quincy WA News does not endorse, support, or oppose any candidate. Our role is to provide information so residents of Grant County—including the 98848 communities—can make informed decisions based on their own judgment.