With the Nov. 8 general election just days away, a candidate forum Thursday night will help Pottawatomie County voters decide how to mark their ballots.
The Pottawatomie County Advocates for Voter Education (PAVE) has scheduled the forum for Thursday, Oct. 27, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Shawnee City Hall commission chambers. It will feature Democrat Gregory Hardin and Republican incumbent Dell Kerbs for the Dist. 26 seat in the Oklahoma House of Representatives as well as the Dist. 3 county commissioner post, where Republican Abbigale Thompson is challenging incumbent Democrat Eddie Stackhouse. Thompson has declined to participate.
Those candidates will make brief opening and closing statements, and will answer written questions submitted from the audience and screened for relevance and duplication. Those planning to attend are encouraged to write out their questions in advance to help include as many questions as possible, although cards will be available at the forum so questions can be written there.
The forum will be broadcast and recorded on the City of Shawnee website.
Also invited to the Oct. 27 forum are candidates for Dist. 23 District Judge Joe Dobry and Traci Soderstrom. Because the Code of Judicial Conduct prohibits judicial candidates from discussing many issues, they are invited to give five-minute presentations and visit informally with those at the forum. Both have already accepted the invitation.
PAVE is a non-partisan group of volunteers which began as a League of Women Voters chapter. New members are always welcome; go to the group’s Fadebook page if interested.
The forum is open to the public at no charge.
