LWV Whitewater Area Program: Offer of League-Sponsored Candidate Forums Cancelled for State AD43 and SD15 Races
The League of Women Voters of the Whitewater Area recently invited candidates running in State Assembly District 43 and State Senate District 15 races to participate in two separate nonpartisan candidate forums in advance of the November 3rd election. Countless similar forums have been offered by the League in years past and went forward to the benefit of district constituents.
This year, the League’s efforts to provide a safe and civil forum for candidates to share their views on issues of importance to voters were thwarted by a failure of one candidate in each of the two races to participate. It was not a matter of rescheduling needs but an outright disinterest in attending by one candidate in the AD43 race and lack of response altogether by one of the three candidates in the SD15 race. In both instances, it was the Republican candidate who declined to attend or respond to the forum invitation. It is, of course, their right to do so.
League-sponsored candidate forums are governed by the League’s nonpartisan policy, which states that the League shall not support or oppose any political party or any candidate. If only one candidate in a two-way race accepts the invitation, the debate must be canceled. If not all candidates accept the invitation in a more than two-way race, as is the case for Senate District 15, the League weighs the impact of public perception on its decision to go forward with the forum. To do so obviously disadvantages the absent candidate and promotes the other party representatives. The League chose to cancel both forums.
The League is reporting on this outcome because it represents a lost opportunity for voters in AD43 and SD15 to hear directly from candidates who wish to represent them. Voters must now do their own research in making an informed decision on Election Day. Visit VOTE411.org to view what’s on your ballot and learn about the candidates.
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The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit our website at https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/whitewater-area and like us on Facebook!
Editor’s note: This press release was provided by the League of Women Voters – Whitewater area.
