Voters will have two opportunities next week to meet and ask questions of candidates in the upcoming Lowndes County general election at separate political forums.
The first forum, Tiffany’s Tea, will be 4-6 p.m. Sunday at Genesis Church on 23rd Street North and is a collaboration between Columbus-Lowndes Federation of Democratic Women and the Memphistown Community Builders. The second, scheduled to be held 6-7:30 p.m. Monday at Columbus Municipal Complex, is put on by the nonpartisan group, Columbus-Lowndes County League of Voters.
The election is Nov. 5 and includes competitive races for sheriff, chancery clerk, county prosecutor, county supervisors for Districts 1, 2, 3 and 5 and constables for Districts 1 and 2.
Tiffany Turner, organizer of Tiffany’s Tea, said the purpose of the first forum is to create a casual atmosphere where voters and candidates can mingle while eating refreshments for the first 20 minutes before a question-and-answer session.
“This is a collaborative effort between organizations to just take the old stigma off of political forums,” she said. “… What we wanted to do with Tiffany’s Tea is make it a bit relaxed, give them a different atmosphere to attend where it is non-confrontational.”
Attendees can write questions and submit them anonymously as they arrive, Turner said. Once the question-and-answer session begins, the candidates will have two minutes to introduce themselves. A moderator will then read the questions, and the candidates have one minute to answer. The forum will be moderated by Dispatch Managing Editor Zack Plair.
Every candidate has been invited, Turner said, not just Democrats.
“That’s something that we cannot afford to be hung up around anymore on our town, especially surrounding local politics,” Turner said. “Because we all have to work together, regardless of party.”
Turner’s husband, Marty Turner, is one of the candidates, running as an independent for District 5 Lowndes County supervisor against Democratic incumbent Leroy Brooks. Brooks is a member of the Columbus-Lowndes County League of Voters.
The league’s forum on Monday night will be more of a town hall-style format. While candidates for constable, tax collector/assessor and county prosecutor will have three minutes for an introduction and presentation, a moderator will only ask questions of candidates running for chancery clerk, sheriff and supervisors positions, according to a Columbus-Lowndes County League of Voters press release.
League president Tyrone Cunningham said while most of the questions would be written and prepared by organization members, but attendees would also have the chance to submit questions that the moderator may ask toward the end of the forum.
Like Turner, he said all candidates, regardless of party, are invited.
“Basically our objective is to … let the electorate to see and hear from the candidates, some that they know, some that they don’t,” he said. “Basically give the electorate the opportunity to see the candidates so they can be more informed when they go to the polls.”
He added they don’t yet know who will be moderator.
Both Turner and Cunningham stressed the importance of voters getting to know the candidates before they vote in November.
“Most of them are free,” Turner said. “… Use these opportunities to get to know the candidates because it’s important to know who we’re voting for.”
Cunningham agreed.
“We’re just an organization that tries to educate the public on the candidates, the people that are seeking to serve in those capacities,” he said. “That’s our objective, our goal, to create a more informed electorate.”
If you go
■ WHAT: Tiffany’s Tea candidate forum
■ WHEN: Sunday, 4-6 p.m.
■ WHERE: Genesis Church, 23rd Street North
■ WHAT: Columbus-Lowndes County League of Voters’ candidate forum
■ WHEN: Monday, 6-7:30 p.m.
■ WHERE: Columbus Municipal Complex, 1501 Main St.
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