Kelly Raap Interview
Unedited Candidate Interview for the 2026 Grant County Commissioner District 3 Race
I interviewed all 4 candidates for the Grant County Commissioner District 3 race for 2026.
All 4 Candidates were asked the exact same 20 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
Kelly Raap Interview Audio File
Kelly Raap Interview Grant County Commissioner District 3 race for 2026
Brent Dowlen: [00:00:00] Grant County Commissioner District 3 candidate interview, Kelly Rapp. Kelly, tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, and your connection to Grant County and the communities in District 3.
Kelly Raap: Well, thank you for having me here today. Um, first of all, I am a resident of Grant County, have been my entire life.
Um, I was moved to Royal City when I was one and graduated from Moses Lake High School. I have been married for thirty-three years and lived in the Ephrata-Quincy area. My husband and I farm and ranch and have been here pretty much most of my life. Uh, my family’s history is here. A lot of decades of, of generations of both my husband and my family being in Grant County.
I have a background in finance and accounting. I have a background in agriculture. I have worked on our farm, budgeted for our farm for thirty-three years. Um, I, I’ve been here... I just, I, I, I’m, I’m part of Grant County, and that’s [00:01:00] who I am
Brent Dowlen: What experiences in your personal life or career best prepared you for public office or county leadership?
Kelly Raap: Experiences that I have, um, that have prepared me for this position. I believe that Grant County agriculture is one of the biggest industries in our county, and I have been a part of that through farming and ranching, we have livestock as well, for thirty-three years. I, I understand some of the concerns that our agriculture community has, and I hope that I can be a voice for them.
That said, that’s not the only industry in our community, so, you know, having these other-- the, the data centers and all that, I think I need to understand those perspectives as well. I do have an accounting background. I currently work for an accounting firm out of Ritzville, Washington. It’s an ag accounting firm.
However, I do payroll, bookkeeping, and, um, have a background in financial budgeting. Uh, I hope that where [00:02:00] this is a budgeting position, that’s a huge asset to what I’m, I’m needing to do. Um, I’ve worked for the school district. I understand some perspectives of the different businesses in our community by being in our community for as long as I’ve been.
I, I feel like I have a good perspective and a well-rounded perspective as to what our commissioners might be addressing.
Brent Dowlen: What do you believe people misunderstand most about the Grant County government and the role of the county commissioner?
Kelly Raap: What people probably misunderstand the most is the role that the commissioners play.
I don’t think that’s a very-- I don’t know that a lot of people really know what the commissioners do, and it’s a, it’s a big portion of our county’s how we’re run. I mean, we are responsible for infrastructure, our roads, our, you know, sustaining our power rates, our water resources, our sheriff’s departments, and all the, all the things that go into running a county.
The commissioners will [00:03:00] play a role in decisions that are made, and I think that that’s misunderstood. I just-- I don’t want this to be a position that’s a popularity vote. I want it to be a position that’s elected because the person has the ability to run and, and do the jobs that are required to do. So I, I, I hope that this election is, is...
I hope people run and, and-- or excuse me, I hope people vote based on a people’s ability for the job and not just the popularity.
Brent Dowlen: What values or principles guide your decision-making when you’re dealing with difficult issues or public pressure?
Kelly Raap: I have a very conservative approach, and I have the ability to have a very level, level head when it comes to dealing with different people.
In the jobs that I’ve had, I’ve had to-- I’ve had people be, you know, upset about different things in, in different roles or whatever, and I think listening to people is probably one of the key elements. Hearing what people have to say, even if [00:04:00] you have this-- a different of opinion, you have to be able to have a conversation with the different perspectives that are out there and, and just listen to people.
And then do your own research to actually, you know, take the time to, to come to the table with some informed answers rather than You know, approaching people with your own viewpoints, you gotta have some, some ability to listen and learn and take the time to, to find out what you can do to help people that if they’re frustrated with something.
Brent Dowlen: Outside of politics and work, what keeps you grounded and connected to community?
Kelly Raap: Well, I think being with an agriculture family, we are farmers, we’re ranchers. We-- I, my, my family has been part of the fairs. We are-- I, my father-in-law is in the Republican Party. Um, we deal with a lot of different aspects of our community.
I’ve been here since I was a child, so I’ve worked different jobs through my career, um, through the different ages and, [00:05:00] and times of my life. Um, I think that what keeps you grounded is being a part of the community and staying in-informed about what’s going on and being around people and talking to people, and I think that’s been one of my greatest things.
I, I know a lot of people around here ‘cause I’ve been here forever.
Brent Dowlen: That’s fair, fair. Why are you running for Grant County Commissioner District 3 specifically, and why now?
Kelly Raap: That’s a very good question. Um, this is something my husband and I have discussed for the past four years, um, knowing that there was potential that this position would be coming open.
Um, in my career, I have worked since I was a child. I’ve had a job that would benefit myself or my family and have moved into different positions because of the needs of my family. Um, when my son was in school, or as a baby, I stayed home and, and was a mom, and I worked for five years just on the farm, just doing our budgeting, [00:06:00] just doing our finances, helping with tractors and bailing and, and our cattle and that.
When he went into school, I transitioned into a school district position so that I could still be a mom, still benefit my family by earning some money, earning some benefits for our family. My husband’s self-employed, and we don’t have medical benefits outside of the ones that I’ve earned. Um, so I continued to contribute in whatever way was best for my family.
When my son graduated in twenty twenty, I was with the school district for twelve years, and when he graduated, he went into the Marine Corps and was gone for four years. So I transitioned to a position that was more of a hybrid position with this accounting firm that I was flexible with the needs that I could do for my family.
I could still work the tractor and, um, do our budgeting as well as have a full-time job ‘cause I was able to do it hybrid and work from my home, um, predominantly. So that was the benefit. My son is now back, and he’s working with us on our farm, [00:07:00] so now’s my opportunity to do something for my community. I’ve never had the time previously to, to set aside time to just be focused on something I can do to benefit our community.
So I’m at the stage in my life where I think this is the perfect chance to contribute something back to the community who has supported us for so many years.
Brent Dowlen: What do you believe qualifies you to lead Grant County through the next several years of growth and change?
Kelly Raap: Can you repeat that?
Brent Dowlen: What do you believe qualifies you to lead Grant County through the next several years of growth and change?
Kelly Raap: So I think the qualifications that I have are, first of all, again, agriculture is a predominant industry in our community, and I am a huge part of that.
So I can address some of the issues that we have as an agricultural community. I think my background in, in budgeting, in, um, accounting and finance, my attention to detail, my work ethic [00:08:00] has all prepared me for, for this position. Um, um, I mean, I have all the answers or know all of the, the details of what needs to happen at this point, but I’m the type of person who works hard and is willing to put in the time and effort to understand the needs of our community and, and go out and meet with people and talk to people and learn more about the other industries and the value that they have in our community as well.
Brent Dowlen: What is the biggest issue you believe District Three is facing right now that isn’t getting enough attention?
Kelly Raap: The biggest issue I think that our county is probably dealing with is our road infrastructure. I think that’s one of our-- And, and I say that because of our current overpass issues that we’re having on the freeways.
That’s not a county issue. However, if those bridges, in my opinion, are having some iss- some problems, my concern is, is that as a county, are we doing our due diligence in maintaining the infrastructure that we have and that we’re responsible for? There’s [00:09:00] too many, too many industries that rely on our road system to, to not be taking the time to do our due dil- diligence.
And I think that that’s one of the-- in my opinion, one of the main things that we need to address and at least make sure. I’m not sure that we’re-- we potentially are doing a good job, but I’d like to personally look into that, you know, and, and make sure that we’re doing the job that we need to be doing.
Um, there’s a multitude of things I think our county needs to work on, but in my opinion, that’s probably the most important.
Brent Dowlen: Quincy and the surrounding communities have seen rapid industrial and population growth over the last decade. Do you believe the county infrastructure is keeping pace, and what would you prioritize first?
Kelly Raap: I believe our county is keeping pace. I think our commissioners have done a good job in, in trying to keep a balance in our communities, um, in, in the needs that we’ve, we have. Um, as far as keeping pace and, [00:10:00] and continuing moving forward to that, I think our, our land zoning needs to, you know, just always address the needs of our, of the businesses coming in as well as the ones that are currently here.
So I just wanna stay balanced in that fact. Um, maintaining our power rates and, and our water resources are gonna be a big deal that we have to address moving forward as industries move in that try to utilize them in a different way than we currently are. So I think that we’ve gotta continue to work toward keeping a good balance in the infrastructure that we have and, and the resources that we have in our community.
Brent Dowlen: Housing affordability and housing availability continue to be a major concern across the district. What role should the county government play in addressing housing challenges while still protecting rural communities?
Kelly Raap: I think housing is a big problem in our community, especially with labor, you know, that we’re needing in our, in our areas of farming and in the, in the different [00:11:00] businesses that we have.
Um, I think that probably our, um, the process that we do our permitting and the challenges that are faced, I’ve talked to a lot of people who, who are wait months and months for, for permits to be approved and different things, and I think that’s something we need to address, and try to figure out how to keep that balance, maintain our standards that we’ve set, but maybe speed up the process for people so they can get homes built, get the things needed that so our housing can be improved
Brent Dowlen: District 3 includes farming communities, industrial development, and growing residential areas.
How do you balance that economic growth with preserving the character and identity of our rural communities?
Kelly Raap: I think that’s a challenge. Um, I do feel that as a community and with our current administration that we have in, they’re doing a good job with that. I, I feel [00:12:00] that continuing to, you know, do your, do your work to see what the needs are of our community, whether it’s people, you know, in the businesses, the owners of the businesses, the farmers, the agriculture community, or just, you know, the families that are living here and working here.
We do have to try to figure out a balance there. And I think taking the time to study the needs and talk to people, talk-- you know, get out there and figure out truly what our needs are and what their problems are. You can’t address a problem if you’re not aware of it. So taking the time to actually go out and meet with people and, and figure out what these challenges are, and then coming to the table and, and working together collaboratively with, you know, all of our resources to see what we can do.
I think that’s just we gotta work together.
Brent Dowlen: Road conditions and transportation infrastructure are a constant concern throughout Grand County. What would your priorities be for county roads maintenance and long-term infrastructure planning?
Kelly Raap: As I addressed earlier, I believe that, you know, making sure we’re doing our due [00:13:00] diligence in, you know, whether we’re checking these bridges, checking the roads, having people out there that are able to, to acknowledge where the problems are and address them as quickly as we can.
Um, I just think that-- I hope that our, our county is able to, to maintain them the way they are now. I, I hope we haven’t lost any of our structures or have road closures that can be problems for our people trying to get commodities to, to their destinations or people to their jobs or whatever. I think, I think we just gotta keep making sure that we’re doing our job out there and, and finding the problems and addressing them as quickly as possible with the resources that we have.
Brent Dowlen: Water is one of the most important long-term issues in Central Washington. What concerns do you have about water infrastructure, water access, and future planning for the county?
Kelly Raap: I agree. Water is, it’s the backbone of our agriculture community, [00:14:00] and with our data centers that are coming in, their needs for water as well.
Um, I think locating some of these businesses into places where we can use maybe some recycled water or, you know, finding challen- finding opportunities to use water that has been
Maybe not the freshwater, you know, trying to figure out, trying to figure out a way to, to utilize water resources that we have without removing it from the, the agriculture industry or from these other places that we’re needing it. There’s gotta be some opportunities out there that we can address to, to try to maintain our system the way it is, um, and maintaining the structures of our agric- of our irrigation system.
I mean, that’s one of the hugest things that we’ve gotta keep that sys- you know, structurally sound so that we get the water where we need it
Brent Dowlen: Many residents feel [00:15:00] disconnected from county government because decisions are often made in Ephrata while impacts are felt all across the county. How would you improve communication and transparency between the communities you represent and the county government?
Kelly Raap: So my goal, if I get this position, um, I am going to have that as my full-time job.
My current position, I will resign from, and being a county commissioner will be my full-time position. I have an office at my farm where, where I currently work, and I hope to make that my-- a location where people can come to me and, and talk to me and make appointments to come actually visit about their concerns.
Um, I know there’s an office in town in Ephrata, but I don’t think that’s the only location that people need to see you. I think that as a full-time county commissioner, and if that’s my job, I can get out. I will go places. I will go talk to people in the community and try to address the problems that they have.
I, I mean, I think it’s important to make it a priority if you’re a county commissioner to [00:16:00] find out what’s going on in your communities, whether it’s District Three, One, Two, or... A- as a county commissioner, though it’s District Three I’m running for, you represent the entire county, and I think a person has to take the time to go and see some of these other communities and figure out what their needs are as well.
Brent Dowlen: Public safety remains a major concern across the county. How should commissioners work with the sheriff’s office, fire department, EMS, and local cities to improve safety and emergency response?
Kelly Raap: I think as commissioners, we have to support those industries, and we have to be able to I, I, I just-- I support them 100%.
I feel like we need to be feeling-- finding out what their needs are, whether it’s staffing needs, whether it’s, um... I think staffing is probably one of the biggest concerns at this point. But some of the guidance that’s coming down from our state levels, I think we have to back our community services that we have.
And I will be on top of doing what needs to [00:17:00] be done for our-- to maintain the services that we have.
Brent Dowlen: What are your thoughts on the pace of data centers and industrial growth around Quincy and the surrounding areas, and what opportunities and challenges do you see coming with that growth?
Kelly Raap: I support the growth of that.
Um, it’s brought in tremendous job opportunities for our communities. However, I think locating those industries in proper places is one of the biggest concerns I have. The power resources that we have, having to run power lines across people’s property to, to sustain the ones that are coming in is probably a concern of mine.
Um, I think that as we permit these places to come in, and I think they need to, I do. I just wanna make sure that we’re using it on the proper type of land. Um, the zoning on land that’s, you know, potentially got no other use. I don’t wanna be taking out agriculture land for these industries. I, you know, placing them closer to water sources [00:18:00] so that they don’t have to have their water, you know, and power sources, you know, down maybe closer to the dams.
There’s areas where the power is closer. You’re not having to run lines to get them the power that they need. So I just think strategically placing them is one of the key problems that we’re having right now in, in future-- in moving forward as far as additional ones that are coming in.
Brent Dowlen: Small towns often struggle to make sure their voices are heard compared to larger population centers.
How would you ensure communities like George, Royal City, Mattawa, and the unincorporated areas remain represented?
Kelly Raap: Well, I think being a District Three representative, that is my area of-- for our district. And I, I am a community-- I mean, I’m a member of those communities. I’m a member of Quincy. My son graduated from Quincy High School.
I live in Ephrata and south of Ephrata, obviously, ‘cause I’m in this district. Um, Royal City, I have. Mattawa. I just-- I [00:19:00] think you have to get out there and, and again, meet the needs of the people that are in those communities. That is the one I’ll be representing tremendously ‘cause that’s my area. And I will take the time to go to those communities, to go to their city council meetings, to go to the, you know, rotary meetings that they have and, and find out the needs.
I just think you have to take the time to go to each community individually and see what their needs are because they do vary. You know, Quincy, Ephrata, Mattawa, Royal City, we’re all in a small area, but we all have different needs. And so I think you actually have to take the time to go to those areas and find out what their, what their needs are.
Brent Dowlen: What role should county government play in supporting local economic development while also making sure growth benefits residents and are not just outside investors or corporations coming in and buying things up?
Kelly Raap: So what role as commissioner can you play in that? Um, I think [00:20:00] as, as, as industry is coming into our county or as people are purchasing ground in our county, I don’t know that we have a lot of control over who potentially is buying it. But I hope that we can address some of the, some of the issues that we’re dealing with, with outside in corporate people buying up land or something like that.
I’m not sure how to go about maybe addressing that, but it is something that is a concern of mine, and I think I will have to do a little more research on how to, how to address that situation. I, I don’t have an answer for that today. I’m sorry, but I do believe it is a concern. I’m just not sure how I would approach it without doing a little bit more research.
Brent Dowlen: County commissioners are responsible for major budget decisions. Where do you believe taxpayer dollars are being spent effectively? Where do you believe the county could improve?
Kelly Raap: Again, this is a question that without actually looking at the [00:21:00] books and knowing where our, our, our money is being spent, um, I think currently our, our resources that are being spent on our sheriff’s department and our, our safety is hugely important for our community, and it, it appears that we’re doing a good job there.
Um, it appears from an outside perspective that, that our commissioners are currently doing a, the job that they need to do. Um, for my personal lifestyle. I don’t know what other issues people are having that I’m not aware of. I think our road infrastructure is probably one of the biggest things I wanna make sure that we’re funding properly.
Um...
Yeah. I, I’m-
Brent Dowlen: If elected, what would you want residents of District 3 to say about your leadership four years from now?
Kelly Raap: If elected, I hope people will appreciate my [00:22:00] honesty and my hard work and my dedication to keeping Grant County a great place to have a business, to have a farm, to raise a family. We have so many great qualities in our county, and I think that my job is to make sure that we maintain those.
Um, I hope that people feel that they can come to me for any type of need that they have, and I would appreciate, you know, having their, having their vote, having their support, having their confidence in me. I wanna be the person that they need in that position so that they have a voice, and that I can keep a conservative approach and, uh, be accountable for where our taxpayers’ money is going.
Um, it needs to be transparency. They need to know what’s being done and how we’re spending their money. So my goal is to be that person for them.
Brent Dowlen: Thank you, Kelly, for taking the time.
Kelly Raap: Thank you for having me. Appreciate it.
Bio (condensed)
Kelly Raap is a lifelong Grant County resident, farmer, rancher, and accounting professional with deep roots in the agricultural community. She and her husband have farmed and ranched in Grant County for more than 30 years, while Kelly has built experience in budgeting, bookkeeping, payroll, and financial management through both agriculture and her work with an agricultural accounting firm. A graduate of Moses Lake High School, she has also worked in education and remains actively involved in the communities of Quincy, Ephrata, Royal City, and the surrounding areas. Kelly’s focus is on fiscal responsibility, infrastructure, agriculture, public safety, and ensuring local communities have a strong voice in county government.
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All 4 Candidates will be present for the County Commissioners Dist #3 Candidate Forum Wednesday June 17th at 5:30 PM at the Port of Quincy Business & Event Center
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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 Commissioner 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.