NORTHEAST TALLAHASSEE, FL — Local news organizations are setting aside competition this election season to help voters hear directly from the candidates asking for their vote.
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A new partnership between the League of Women Voters of Tallahassee and the Capital Region News Collaborative is bringing candidate forums to voters across the community.
The Capital Region News Collaborative includes ABC 27 and five other local news outlets. Together with the League of Women Voters of Tallahassee, the group is hosting a series of candidate forums ahead of the August primary election.
League leaders say the goal is to give voters access to reliable information about the people seeking their vote. The League of Women Voters of Tallahassee has sponsored candidate forums for city races since 1959.
"The number one thing I hope they walk away knowing is information about who's on the ballot and information regarding who they may want to choose. We do not advocate or support or endorse any candidates. What we want to do is get information about who the candidates are, who is running and what their positions are," Danielle Irwin with League of Women Voters of Tallahassee said.
The forums run from June 17 through June 23. Races include:
- Tallahassee City Commission Seats 3, 4, and 5
- The Tallahassee Mayoral Race
- Leon County School Board District 5
- Second Judicial Circuit Judge Groups 7 and 13
Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley says voters should also pay attention to their registration information as the primary approaches.
"I think a lot of voters are concerned somewhat about the new driver's license numbers and how it impacts their ability to vote. It doesn't have a negative impact on your ability to vote. However, when you go into the DMV and you are updating anything on your license or just getting a replacement, they will ask you a question: would you like to have your voter information updated? Say yes," Earley said.
Earley says keeping that information current helps ensure the voting process runs smoothly and helps election officials maintain accurate records.
Early voting for the August primary runs from Aug. 8 through Aug. 16. Election Day is Aug. 18.
The first of two forum days begins Wednesday morning. ABC 27's Jade Bulecza will serve as one of the moderators on Thursday. The forums can be watched live on the ABC 27 Facebook page.
"We need candidates to run for office and we need voters to pay attention in these forms to understand what everyone's platform is," Earley said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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