Voters will have the opportunity to get to know candidates running in a crowded primary season, when next week Spotlight Newspapers, the League of Women Voters of Albany County and several other community groups partner to present three candidate forums.
Candidates running for the offices of Albany County district attorney, the 110th Assembly District, the 109th Assembly District, the 44th State Senate District have been invited, as have candidates for the Bethlehem Town Board.
Jack Cunningham and Bill Reinhardt, who are to appear in the Democratic primary for the office of Bethlehem Town Board member, have been invited to a forum on Tuesday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m. It will be held at the Delmar Presbyterian Church, located at 585 Delaware Avenue in Delmar.
Lee Kindlon and David Soares, who will appear in a Democratic primary race for the office of Albany County district attorney, as well as Kevin Frazier, Joe Landry, Tim Nichols, Phil Steck and Jennifer Whalen, who will appear in a Democrat and/or Independence Party primary for the 110th Assembly District, have been invited to a forum on Wednesday, Sept. 5, at the Holiday Inn on Wolf Road, 205 Wolf Road, Colonie. The event will begin at 7 p.m. with the assembly candidates, followed by the district attorney candidates from 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. The event is also sponsored by the Colonie Chamber of Commerce, the Capital District Alliance for Universal Health Care, and the Capital Area Council of Churches.
The next day, Frank Commisso, Jim Coyne, Ted Danz, Patricia Fahy, Chris Higgins, Bill McCarthy and Margarita Perez, who will appear in a Democratic and/or Independence Party primary for the 109th Assembly District have all been invited to a forum on Thursday, Sept. 6. It will be held at the Albany Law School, 80 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, in the Dean Alexander Moot Courtroom. Also attending are Sen. Neil Breslin and challenger Shawn Morse, who will be appearing in a Democratic primary for the 44th Senate District. Assembly candidates are to participate in a program from 7 to 8:15 p.m., followed by senate candidates from 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. This event is also sponsored by the Women’s Law Caucus of Albany Law School, The Capital District Alliance for Universal Health Care and the Capital Area Council of Churches.
All forums will be moderated by Charles Wiff, managing editor of Spotlight Newspapers. In all instances, candidates will receive time for opening and closing remarks, in between which they will answer a series of questions provided by audience members and relayed by the moderator. Candidates will all receive an equal amount of time to speak.
The public is encouraged to attend the forums and come with questions to pose to the candidates. No campaign signs or literature will be allowed to be displayed during the forums themselves, though after the evening’s program is concluded candidates and their supporters are welcome to politick. Recordings of the proceedings, including photographs, may only be made by accredited media.
The public is reminded the borders of assembly and senate districts have shifted this year as a result of redistricting, and the new maps may be found at latfor.state.ny.us. This year’s primary falls on Thursday, Sept. 13, instead of the usual Tuesday.
