By Sheryl Swingley—
MUNCIE, IN—The League of Women Voters of Muncie-Delaware County in partnership with Woof Boom Radio will hold a Delaware County Council Candidate Forum and County Commissioner Debate on Thursday, Oct. 17, in the Muncie Central High School auditorium.
The forum for County Council candidates will take place from 6-7 p.m. and the debate between the District 1 County Commissioner candidates will take place from 7-8 p.m. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Attendees should park in the north parking lot and enter the north side of the school building.
People unable to attend can listen to a live broadcast on WMUN, 92.5-FM, radio or WMUN,1340-AM radio.
The event is free and open to the public.
Campaign handouts, campaign shirts, signs and buttons are not allowed at the event.
The five candidates running for Delaware County Council are Republicans Brad Bookout, Jessica Piper and Eugene Whitehead and Democrats Chris Musick and Roger Overbey. At the time of publication, Piper had not confirmed and Whitehead had declined to participate in the forum.
Voters will have the option to elect this fall three of these five candidates to the Delaware County Council for four-year terms.
“Voters need to know, however, that if they vote a straight ticket, their ballot is not complete,” said Linda Hanson, president of the Indiana League of Women Voters and the spokesperson for the Muncie-Delaware County League. “Voters need to continue and vote separately for county council candidates in another section. Here voters can vote for one party or a combination of parties.”
The county commissioner candidates for District 1 who will engage in a debate are Democrat Ashley Wright and Republican Stephen Brand.
The moderator for the forum will be Steve Lindell, vice president of programming for Woof Boom Radio. Lindell has been on 104.1 WLBC for 31 years and is the director of news operations for the East Central Indiana Woof Boom Radio group.
“The nonpartisan event is being held not to endorse a party, but to help inform and engage area citizens about who they are voting for to help make Delaware County a better place to live and work,” Hanson said.
Audience members will be able to submit questions for the moderator to pose to candidates. Questions from the audience will be screened for appropriateness, relevance to issues and repetition by League members. As much as possible, the questions will be read as written by citizens.
To prepare for the forum and debate, voters can go to VOTE411.org and to become more familiar with the candidates’ positions. If candidates have not posted their information on VOTE411.org, Hanson encourages voters to contact these candidates to do so.
For background, descriptions of what a county council and what the county commissioners are responsible for are below.
The seven-member County Council appropriates all funds for county use; adopts the county budget to provide the personnel, as well as salaries, for services county residents need; fixes the county tax rate; and has exclusive power to borrow money for the county, according to the Indiana League of Women Voters “Citizens’ Handbook.”
According to the Indiana County Commissioners website, “The three commissioners [who are elected to four-year terms] are the custodians of the home rule powers of the county. They are the executive body of the county and are responsible for the following:
- “County buildings, lands and property
- “Audits and authorizes claims against the county
- “Receiving bids and authorizing contracts
- “Supervising many county departments
- “Overseeing construction and maintenance of roads and bridges
- “Exercising many of the legislative powers and duties of the county”
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots, public policy and educational organization. It encourages informed and active participation in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy. It does not support or oppose any political party or candidate.
The League of Women Voters Education Fund and local leagues work to register and provide voters with election information through the election resources of VOTE411.org and candidate forums.
People of all different governing beliefs are eligible to join local chapters of the League of Women Voters. No invitation is needed. To join the Muncie-Delaware County League, go to this site.
