Western New England University will host a Springfield City Council Candidates Forum on Wednesday October 18, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in Rivers Memorial Hall, produced by the Springfield office of the Massachusetts League of Women Voters. The unique event will feature the 10 candidates for at-large Council seats, with moderated questions developed from the public.
“We aim for a fast-paced and engaging exchange in our forums,” said Linda Matys O’Connell of the League of Women Voters.” The format will include rotating the candidates to accommodate all that are on the ballot, and strategically placed rebuttal rounds. The questions will be posed by veteran League moderator JoAnn Berry of Acton, MA.
“The League of Women Voters believes in informed voter participation in government,” said O’Connell. “Voting is a fundamental element of participation, and offering voters opportunities to get the information they need about candidates promotes voting.”
The candidates event is augmented by the League’s online Voter Guide, deployed in Springfield, MA for the first time this year, on the League’s national platform www.Vote411.org. The Guide offers voters customized information on the races and candidates that will appear on their ballots.
The 97-year-old League of Women Voters is an organization that encourages informed and active citizen participation in government, emphasizing voter registration, education and the protection of voting rights. The League works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influence public policy through education and advocacy. The League of Women Voters does not endorse parties or candidates.
The event will be streamed live at http://focusspringfield.com/2017CouncilDebate.
Reservations for the event may be made by emailing SpringfieldLWV@gmail.com or calling or texting 413-655-1837.
