'Young Voters' host candidate forum tonight
Event a chance to 'hear candidates in their own words'
In a year when high-profile ballot questions on gay marriage and taxes have overshadowed many local races, the Maine League of Young Voters is hosting a forum tonight at Community Television Network studios to let voters hear from the candidates directly.
For incumbents like At-Large City Councilor Nick Mavodones, who's running unopposed for a fifth term, the night is a chance to reconnect with voters and find out what issues are most pressing. But for newcomers like Jenna Vendil, who's running unopposed for school committee in District 1, it's more like a formal introduction.
"It's a wonderful opportunity for candidates to have their issues and their stances heard by the public," she said. "It's one of the few venues where people in Portland can actually hear straight from the candidate's mouth."
The forum will be held at CTN studios at 516 Congress Street from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is open to the public. Although the event will be filmed for later screenings between now and Election Day, it won't be shown live.
League spokesperson Katie Diamond said all three city offices — city council, school committee and Portland Water District trustree — would be presented separately and that each will follow the same set format. Candidates will have time for a 90-second opening remarks and then have 60 seconds to respond to questions from the League and the audience. Each will have one minute for closing remarks.
If time allows for it, opponents — only three races citywide are contested this year — can pose questions directly to their rivals.
"It sort of becomes an open conversation, which, again, is why we call it a forum," Diamond said.
Although the League will get together later this month to decide on endorsements, she said at this stage the event is about listening to the candidates and giving voters a chance to hear what they have to say.
"This particular forum is an educational forum. We want to give the candidates the ability to speak," said Diamond. "Most people running for office in Portland are not going to do TV spots and aren't even going to make a YouTube video. This is a way to hear the unfiltered version and know ... 'this is what the candidate says on the issue.'"
The League was established in 2003 as the League of Pissed Off Voters, Diamond said. Since then, the national group with autonomous local offices changed their name and began advocating the interests of young people 18 and 35 years old.
All 10 candidates for seven citywide offices are expected to attend.
Match-ups for the Nov. 3 election are as follows. Incumbent District 1 councilor Kevin Donoghue is challenged by taxi driver Charles Bragdon for a three-year term on the city council. District 2 Councilor David Marshall and Mavodones are unopposed.
Vendil and at-large committee member Sarah J. Thompson are running unopposed for a three-year term on the school committee. For the seat in District 2, Edward Bryan is running against Anthony Zeli. Kenneth Levinsky and Oliver Outerbridge are running for a one-year term as a trustee for Portland Water District.
