Chamber to host candidate forums for upcoming election
The Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce will host the first of its 2022 election forums when it presents a candidate forum at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Owensboro City Hall, 101 East Fourth St.
The forum is an opportunity for voters to begin learning about candidates on the November election ballot, Chamber President and CEO Candance Castlen Brake said.
“A large part of this is building awareness of how important elections are and how important it is to vote,” Brake said Friday.
The Chamber of Commerce does not take a position on individual races, Brake said.
“We often say, ‘our only candidate is Owensboro,’ ” Brake said.
Tuesday’s forum will feature candidates for the offices of Central Daviess County commissioner, 13th District state representative and Owensboro city commissioner.
Central County commissioner candidates Larry Conder and Tyler Sagardoy will answer questions beginning at 5 p.m. District 13 candidates DJ Johnson and Michael Johnson will be questioned at 5:30 p.m., and the Owensboro City Commission candidate forum will begin at 6 p.m.
Brake said most of the candidates will be able to attend.
The forums will be moderated by Messenger-Inquirer Executive Editor Matt Francis.
This is something the Chamber has done traditionally,” Brake said. “We allow our membership an opportunity to connect with people running for office, so they can make informed decisions.”
The questions come from the Chamber membership and from the organization’s advocacy committee, Brake said.
“They are all issues that are going to (have been) dealt with and discussed by all the candidates,” Brake said.
The forum will be recorded and will be available for viewing beginning Wednesday on the Chamber’s social media accounts, Brake said.
On Thursday, October 6, the Chamber will host a forum with county judge-executive candidates Charlie Castlen and Bruce Kunze during its Rooster Booster breakfast at 7:30 a.m. at the Owensboro Convention Center.
On October 27, the Chamber will hold it’s “Red, White and Blue” forum, beginning at 4:30 p.m. on the lawn of the Daviess County Courthouse. Red, White and Blue is a large event, where candidates for local, state and national offices are invited to address the crowd.
“Each candidate will stand up and deliver their stump speech,” Brake said.
Food and drinks will be provided by the Fraternal Order of Police. The event is sponsored by Big Rivers Electric Corp. Candidates for all the local races, along with state and Congressional candidates, have been invited.
By James Mayse Messenger-Inquirer