Voters will have the opportunity to learn more about candidates in the upcoming local elections at a collaboratively organized candidate forum. McAlester News Capital and the McAlester Chamber of Commerce.
The event will be held June 4th, with doors opening at 5:30pm and the event starting at 6pm in the Clark-Bass Building Conference Center Room 215 on Eastern Oklahoma State University’s McAlester Campus.
Candidates who appear on the June 18 election ballot for Pittsburgh County Assessor, Pittsburgh County Sheriff, Pittsburgh County Clerk and Pittsburgh County District 2 Commissioner are invited to attend.
Candidates who have announced their candidacy for McAlester mayor’s election are also invited to participate.
Three current city council members – Kevin Beatty (6th Ward), Randy Rhoden (4th Ward) and Justin Few (2nd Ward) – have all announced their intention to run for mayor and have put up campaign posters, even though the filing period for candidates is in early June and the primary election is in August.
“We want to give people the opportunity to hear from all the candidates running and decide who they want to represent them,” Publisher Raina Owens said.
The forum is open to the public.
All candidates will be given two minutes for their opening statement, two minutes for their closing statement, and one minute for questions and answers.
Each candidate will be asked a question about the issue and will have one minute to respond while being fair to each other and respecting everyone’s time.
The format is designed to allow voters to hear all candidates answer questions about the responsibilities of the office for which they are running.
Pittsburgh County Interim Assessor is running for a four-year term against Richard Howley.
Pittsburg County Sheriff Chris Morris is running for re-election against Randy Hass.
Current Pittsburgh County Clerk of Courts Pam Smith is being challenged by Tracy Bullock.
Mike Hayes and Don Chapman are running for the Pittsburgh County District 2 commissioner seat currently held by Sandra Crenshaw after Kevin Smith retired in February. Crenshaw is not running for the seat.
Early voting will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 13th and 14th, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 15th.
Polls on Primary Election Day will open at 7 a.m. on June 18 and close at 7 p.m.
