WEDNESDAY:

Since it's never too early to start thinking about fall elections, there's a Meet The Candidates event billed as a "Labor Grassroots Mixer" that promises happy hour prices and informal chatting with candidates. Incumbents scheduled to attend include State Representatives Zack Hudgins, Ross Hunter, and Bob Hasegawa, and State Senators Joe McDermott, Eric Oemig, and Adam Kline. Non-incumbents you can meet include Suzan Delbene (running against Dave Reichert for U.S. Representative), Ron Weigelt (seeking the State Senate seat held by batshit anger-management poster gal Pam Roach), and David Frockt (competing against fellow Democat Ken "bring your dog to bars" Jacobsen for State Senate). (Vela Pizzeria & Lounge, 2800 1st Avenue, (basement of the Seattle Labor Temple 5:00 p..m. to 7:00 p.m.)

THURSDAY:

The Legislature made big changes to the General Assistance-Unemployable (GAU) program this year. What will happen to the 4700 people too disabled to work who will lose benefits in the next year and a half? The United Way sponsors a discussion on "The impact of GAU changes on efforts to End Homelessness in King County". (United Way offices, 720 Second Avenue, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., free)

With six Washington bank failures since the beginning of the year, maybe starting your own community bank isn't as crazy as it sounds. A forum called "Angry With Big Banks? Let's Explore The Alternatives: Community Banks, Credit Unions, State Banks" will discuss economic justice issues and ideas to create a State Bank. (Woodland Park United Methodist Church, 302 North 78th Street, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., free.)

Other than a vague sense that bad shit goes on there, how much do you really know about the leadership of the Port of Seattle? The League of Women Voters aim to school you at a forum on Port issues. (Seattle First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard Avenue, 7:30 p.m., free.)