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League forum policy should be changed

EDITOR:

During our municipal election process, the League of Women Voters normally hosts a “candidate forum” in which questions are put to the candidates, so that the voters can learn the candidates’ opinions and policies. This season, the Gladstone forum was cancelled, and the Escanaba Forum was cancelled. The League of Woman Voters has a national policy that requires a certain minimum of candidate participation to conduct the forum — they require half of the total number of candidates plus one. For the upcoming Gladstone election, there are four candidates, so the League requires three candidates to proceed with the forum. Candidates Brad Mantela and Dave Phalen declined to participate, so the Gladstone forum was cancelled. (After the Gladstone forum was cancelled, Brad Mantela changed his mind and decided to participate, but it was too late, the Gladstone Forum had already been cancelled.) For the upcoming Escanaba election, there are four candidates, so the League requires three candidates to proceed with the forum. Candidates Ronald Beauchamp and Michael Sattem declined to participate, so the Escanaba forum was cancelled. All of these candidates who declined to participate are incumbents. I can imagine reasons why incumbents might refuse to participate: 1. Maybe they believe that the voters already know them well enough; or 2. Maybe they think that if the forum is held, it would give their opponents “free” publicity.

I think that the League should change their policy to allow whichever candidates want to be questioned in the forum to participate, regardless of the number of candidates.

Ralph Blasier

Escanaba

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