LWV Candidates Night Oct. 10 in Wooster
The League of Women Voters of Wayne County will host its annual Candidates’ Night on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Shisler Conference Center on the campus of CFAES (formerly known as OARDC) located at 1680 Madison Ave. in Wooster.
“Candidates’ Night is an event that provides Wayne County voters the opportunity to get to know the candidates for public office, ask questions and hear them speak about the issues,” said Joi Hemphill, president of The League of Women Voters of Wayne County and co-chair of Candidates’ Night, along with Peggy Schmitz. “All candidates for contested races receive equal invitations and treatment, and no candidate is endorsed by the League.”
The candidates who will be attending this year’s event are Wayne County commissioner candidates Karla DeMali (D) and Matt Martin (R); state representative candidate Mark Gooch (D), U.S. Congress candidates Matt Diemer (D) and Dennis Kucinich (I); and 9th District Court of Appeals judicial candidate Steven Elliott.
The other candidates for the contested races on the Wayne County ballot either declined to participate due to a scheduling conflict or failed to respond as of Sept. 23 to multiple requests to participate in the event.
The League will use a roundtable discussion format that allows all candidates to participate, regardless of the presence or absence of their opponent. Attendees will be divided into groups, with the candidates sitting down to talk with each group in a rotation, allowing for questions and answers between the voters and candidates in a less formal manner.
Each person will be able to hear every candidate during the evening.
The League of Women Voters is a national nonpartisan organization working to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented.
Candidates’ Night is the signature event of the League of Women Voters of Wayne County. This year additional sponsorship is provided by Amanda L. Roller, the Wooster Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and AloNovus Corp.
It is anticipated the forum will last for two hours with additional time afterwards for attendees to mingle with the candidates. Written information on the two county-wide issues regarding the Wayne County Park District and Wayne County Children Service Board will be available on the evening of the event.
The event is free, and no tickets or reservations are needed.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, and early in-person voting will start Oct. 8 at the Wayne County Board of Elections office in Wooster. Voters must register by Oct. 7.
Other useful information regarding the elections can be found on the websites of the Wayne County Board of Elections and the Ohio Secretary of State. Another way to learn about the candidates is to visit the League’s website at www.Vote411. This website assists voters in checking their voter registration status and provides an online voter guide to the candidates. Find the League of Women Voters of Wayne County online at www.lwvwaynecounty.org and on Facebook at League of Women Voters of Wayne County, Ohio.
Event details can be found at https://lwvwaynecounty.org/event/lwvwc-candidates-night-2024/.