Published: October 13, 2008 11:33 pm            

Ashland mayor forums tonight

Event hosted by Human Rights Commission

ASHLAND — The Ashland Human Rights Commission will host two local candidate forums this evening at the Ashland Community and Technical College auditorium.

The first forum will begin at 7 p.m. and will feature the candidates for Ashland mayor: Chris Hammond, Paula Hogsten and Tom Kelley.

Longtime Human Rights Commission member and co-founder David Welch will serve as the moderator, with local television personality Randy Yohe of WSAZ Channel 3 and Independent news reporter Carrie Kirschner Stambaugh serving as panelists.

The second forum will feature state 100th District representative candidates Mike Stewart (R) and Kevin Sinnette (D). It will begin at 8:30 p.m. following a short break with refreshments after the initial forum.

Welch will also serve as the moderator for the 100th District debate and panelists will include Yohe and CNHI Frankfort Bureau reporter Ronnie Ellis.

Audience members are encouraged to submit questions for the candidates at the forum. All submitted questions will first be reviewed by the moderator and the panel to determine which are appropriate before being asked, Welch said.

Welch said Monday the organization is hoping for a large turnout. “The Ashland Human Rights Commission believes an informed voter is extremely important in asserting and protecting civil rights of all citizens. An uniformed voter is less likely to be aware of his or her rights,” he said.

“In addition, we think this is an appropriate public function to inquire as to all aspects of city government and the state representatives representing our city.”

The Human Rights Commission has sponsored candidate forums for the last decade, according to Welch. He said Tuesday’s forum, however, will be the first it’s hosted for a state race.

Welch said two factors influenced the decision to have a forum for the 100th District candidates. The first was the presence of a competitive race to replace outgoing Rep. John Vincent, R-Ashland. Vincent was rarely opposed during his tenure in office — and the second is that the 100th District has been redrawn in recent years and is now completely within the City of Ashland, he said.

The Ashland Human Rights Commission will aslo host a forum for Ashland Board of City Commissioners candidates at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 at ACTC. The forum will be moderated by Welch and feature a panelist of local television and newspaper journalists.

CARRIE STAMBAUGH can be reached at cstambaugh@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2653.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.