With the 2023 city primary election just around the corner, some candidate forums aim to help voters get to know the people who want to make decisions about the issues that are closest to home.
There are three Lawrence City Commission seats and five Lawrence school board seats will be decided at the polls on Nov. 7. Some of those seats will have primary elections, also. See the list of candidates, details about the races and find our ongoing election coverage at LawrenceKSTimes.com/election2023.
Here are the candidate forums coming up ahead of the primary election. Although two of the forums planned thus far are hosted by a political party, school board and city commission seats are elected on a nonpartisan basis.
We’ll update this post as we hear about additional forums or other events that will offer you a chance to get to know the candidates. If you know of one we’re missing, please send us an email at hello (at) lawrencekstimes (dot) com!
School board candidate forums:
• The Douglas County Democrats will host the school board candidates for a forum at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 8 at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St. The event will open with networking beginning at 9:30 a.m. “Come to hear candidates answer questions that elaborate on their views and platforms. The public is encouraged to attend,” hosts say.
• The Lawrence Kansas Branch NAACP will host a forum from 3 to 4 p.m. and an informal meet-and-greet from 4:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 8 at the Lawrence Public Library auditorium, 707 Vermont St.
Lawrence City Commission candidate forums:
• The Lawrence Kansas Branch NAACP will host a city commission candidate forum from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, July 8 at the Lawrence Public Library auditorium, 707 Vermont St. Informal visiting with candidates will follow from 2:30 to 3 p.m.
• The Douglas County Democrats will host a city commission candidate forum starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 15 at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St. The event will open with networking beginning at 9:30 a.m.
In addition, Douglas County Clerk Jamie Shew will speak about the upcoming primary and the roles and responsibilities of poll workers during the next Women for Kansas Lawrence/Douglas County chapter meeting. That’s set for 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, July 8 in Meeting Room C at the Lawrence Public Library.
The deadline to register to vote in order to cast a ballot in the Aug. 1, 2023 primary is Tuesday, July 11. Advance voting begins Wednesday, July 12.
Douglas County voters can check their voter registration, register to vote and/or request an advance ballot by mail at KSVotes.org. Learn more about voting in Douglas County at this link.
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