CRESTVIEW — Voters can meet local political candidates, discuss issues and concerns, and listen to the candidates debate during candidate forums tonight and tomorrow.
The North Okaloosa Republican Club will host forums for county commissioner and county clerk candidates on July 30 at Warriors Hall. School board candidates meet the following night.
Both events begin at 5:30 p.m. with an hour-long meet-and-greet, during which voters may speak with candidates one-on-one. The debates begin at 6:30, with candidates answering submitted questions.
Organizers hope more people will take these opportunities to consider the candidates, their records and their approaches to issues of concern.
“The people who show up at the forum are the same ones who always show up at forums,” Republican club president JB Whitten said.
“It is the citizen’s role to get in there and try to prompt candidates. You have to be informed and you have to know what’s going on,” Whitten said.
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: North Okaloosa Republican Club Candidates’ Forums
WHEN: County Commissioner and County Clerk Forum, July 30; School Board Forum, July 31. Meet-and-greet begins at 5:30 p.m. each night; forums begin at 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Warriors Hall, Whitehurst Municipal Building, Stillwell Boulevard at Industrial Drive, Crestview
CONTACT: NORC President JB Whitten, 610-1176 or norcoffl@outlook.com
THE CANDIDATES
CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT AND COMPTROLLER
Charles Baugh Jr., Crestview (Republican)*
J.D. Peacock, Shalimar (Republican)
Dance Spence, Crestview (Republican)
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION, DISTRICT 4
Don Amunds, Mary Esther (Republican)*
Trey Goodwin, Fort Walton Beach (Republican)
Henry Kelley, Mary Esther (Republican)
SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 1
Cindy Frakes, Shalimar (no affiliation)
Lamar White, Shalimar (no affiliation)
SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 3
Joseph Slusser, Baker (no affiliation)
C.W. Soldier Hyden, Laurel Hill (no affiliation)
Rodney Walker, Fort Walton Beach (no affiliation)
SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 5
David E. Scholl, Laurel Hill (no affiliation)
Melissa Thrush, Niceville (no affiliation)
*Candidate invited but unable to attend due to a schedule conflict
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Republicans host candidate forums, hope for larger-than-usual turnout