News & Press Candidate Forum update
UPDATE- September 24:
We have received the following R.S.V.P.’s from all candidates that will be appearing in the upcoming City of Darlington Council and Mayoral Candidate Forum hosted by the News and Press on Thursday, October 22nd at 6:30 p.m. at the Harmon Baldwin Recreation Center (Darlington Recreation Department) at 300 Sanders Street.
To date, we have commitments from ALL four candidates for mayor:
• James “Jimmy” Cooper
• Gloria Cheeseboro Hines
• William M. Jackson
• Jim Stone
We have also received commitments from ALL twelve council candidates:
• Joan Alston
• Sheila Baccus
• Ronda Duke Brown
• Carolyn Bruce
• Linwood Epps
• Bryant Gardener
• John M. Milling
• Ouida K. Page
• Diane Sigmon
• Joyce Wingate Thomas
• John A. Wallace
• Beatrice Wilson.
The election on November 3, 2015 will be held to fill the seats of 3 At Large council seats, and the office of Mayor of Darlington.
We would like to cordially invite the readers of the News and Press to join us at the event, and to help select the questions asked.
The event will be a time-managed forum moderated by Bill Rogers, Executive Director of the South Carolina Press Association. Mr. Rogers and our publisher, Morrey Thomas, will choose selections from the list of submitted questions from readers one hour prior to the event.
No one on the staff of the News & Press will know the questions ahead of time.
A timer will be available with lights to signify time remaining on the countdown clock.
The format for the event will be:
Council
• Each candidate will be allowed a two-minute introduction to state their platform, their intentions for running for public office, and their goals for the City of Darlington. Note cards will be permissible for candidates to refer to, if they choose to do so.
• Mr. Rogers will ask a list questions to the panel of city council candidates; each candidate will have a pre-determined response time to answer.
• Brief intermission
• The four mayoral candidates will introduce themselves; they will be allowed two minutes to state their platform, their intentions for running for the seat of mayor, and their short and long term goals for Darlington.
• The mayoral candidates will then be asked a separate list questions, again with a pre-determined response time.
We feel this will be an excellent opportunity for candidates to share their goals and plans with the citizens of Darlington prior the election. We will publish their responses in our newspaper and website, and will videotape the event to be shown on our website for community members that are unable to attend in person.
If you have a question you would like to be asked at the Forum, please mail to The News & Press at P.O. Box 513, Darlington, S.C., 29532; email to editor@newsandpress.net; or call 843-393-3811.
