WILLMAR -- A strong and long tradition of providing non-partisian information on political elections continues this week during the Willmar League of Women Voters candidate forums.
Three debates featuring candidiates from three contested races will be held in Willmar. Another 10 debates will be held in Appleton.
The "primary focus" is to educate voters and encourage voter participation, said Beth Johnston, co-chair of the voter services committee for the Willmar League of Women Voters.
"It's a step in strengthing democracy and empowering people," she said.
Statewide, the League of Women Voters has scheduled debates in nearly every single race.
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The Willmar debates, which begin at 7 p.m., will be broadcast live on WRAC-TV and channel 8 and will be taped for later rebroadcast. The first two Willmar debates will also be broadcast live on KWLM radio.
People are invited to come to the Willmar Municipal Utilities building and watch the candidates debate in person. If political intrigue alone isn't enough, the League will be providing coffee and cookies as an extra inticement to get people to attend the debates at the MUC.
The Appleton debates will be broadcast on Pioneer Public Television, Channel 10. Because of limited space, the public cannot attend those debates. Two debates were already held last week in Appleton.
For the first time, the League is working with Heartland Community Action Agency to sponsor the debates.
Both are non-partisan entities that share goals to educate the public on issues, provide opportunities for voters to hear candidiates discuss issues, stimulate public interest and participation in elections and provide an opportunity for candidates to "engage" constituents, said Johnston.
Part of the funds were used to create a brochure that provides local residents with a long list of voter resources. Grant were also used to help publicize the debates and off-set transportation costs for volunteers who drive to Appleton to answer the telephones to take caller's questions.
The forums will include opening and closing statements by the candidiates and time to respond to questions.
Members of the League will have a list of questions to ask the candidiates during the 55-minute debate, and have sought input from Willmar's social studies' students about issues to bring to the candidiates. Johnston said questions that are called in from the public or asked by the audience are also very valuable.
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The questions that are called in will be screened by the League volunteers before the moderator presents them to the candidates.
"We really get some great questions from the public," said Johnston. The debates "should be very interesting to listen to and participate in."
Questions can be called in to the Willmar debates at 320-905-4715, or in advance to Johnston at 231-1703.
