The Chamber’s leadership has arranged to provide you a convenient and timely opportunity to meet the candidates running for local elected office. Once again, we are partnering with the Duluth News Tribune and the Duluth Playhouse at the Depot to make it happen. Today’s Duluth News Tribune provides the details…

In support,

David Ross

The room is reserved, and the candidates are confirmed. (Well, all but one.)

With just 60 days until Election Day on Nov. 5, a full day of candidate forums – of can’t-miss opportunities to hear directly from the Duluth School Board, Duluth City Council, and Duluth mayoral candidates themselves – is now scheduled.

Mark your calendars: Tuesday, Sept. 24, at the Duluth Playhouse inside the Duluth Depot, 506 W. Michigan St.

These forums are co-hosted by the News Tribune and the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce, partners in numerous past political debates. Moderating will be Chamber President and CEO David Ross and News Tribune Editorial Page Editor Chuck Frederick. Monitoring and offering reminders about civil behavior during political exchanges will be representatives of “Speak Your Peace: The Civility Project,” a program of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation.

The forums are free and open to the public, first-come, first seated. No campaign signs will be allowed. No disruptive behavior will be tolerated. Anyone who can’t be there can watch a livestream at duluthnewstribune.com, where the forums will be made available later for streaming.

Candidates will take turns answering questions at four separate forums:

9 a.m. – City Council district candidates: incumbent Gary Anderson and Becky Hall in eastern Duluth’s District 1, Theresa O’Halloran-Johnson in central Duluth’s

District 3 (Roz Randorf can’t attend due to a work commitment), and Janet Kennedy and Jeanne Koneczny of western Duluth’s District 5.

10:45 a.m. – Duluth City Council At Large candidates for two open seats: incumbents Arik Forsman and Noah Hobbs and challengers Mike Mayou and Derek Medved.

1 p.m. – Duluth mayoral candidates: incumbent Emily Larson and challenger David Nolle.

And 2 p.m. – Duluth School Board candidates: Loren Martell and Paul Sandholm in eastern Duluth’s District 3, incumbent David Kirby and challenger Harry Welty in eastern Duluth’s District 2, and At Large incumbent Alanna Oswald and challenger John Schwetman.

In addition to the forums, the candidates will be invited to write columns for publication in the News Tribune about their qualifications and the reasons voters can support them. Those columns are scheduled for publication Oct. 13-20. Prior to that, during the first two weeks of October, the News Tribune plans to offer its endorsements in these local races, determined by its Editorial Board.

Duluthians have important decisions to make on Nov. 5. Our responsibility for picking strong, devoted, and fair representatives, so our communities can develop and be how we want them to be, cannot be taken lightly.

Two months can go by mighty quickly if the time isn’t used wisely to consider all the candidates and all the races. Sept. 24 will be a great opportunity to become self-educated.