
Freedom Writer - March 1996

ACTIVIST GUIDE
Organizing a candidates' forum

By Kathy Frasca

With 1996 promising to be a big election year, opportunities 
to scrutinize candidates and their agendas should be 
presented to the public. Candidate forums offer voters 
and the media the chance to meet and question those 
who are running for local nonpartisan offices. In order 
to attract a large audience, you or your group can 
team up with and co-sponsor the event with other organizations 
such as the League of Women Voters, the PTA or the 
Chamber of Commerce. Some basic guidelines for holding 
a successful forum are:

_
Each candidate is sent a written invitation (certified 
mail) notifying him/her of the date, time, location, 
ground rules and the program format. Request the candidate 
to respond by a definite date.

Each candidate will be given three minutes for an opening 
statement and two minutes to make a closing statement. 
A timer should signal the candidate with timing cards 
when there are 30 seconds remaining and also when time 
has expired. 

Questions from the audience will be submitted in a 
written format. The questions will be screened in order 
to avoid duplication and then presented by the moderator. 
All candidates will have one minute to respond to each 
question. 

In order to keep the audience's attention, the forum 
should last no longer than 1.5 hours. 

In order to present a fair and impartial exchange, 
no campaign material should be distributed at the forum.

Candidates should appear themselves  no substitutes 
should be accepted.
_

Issue press releases to the media and send fliers to 
different organizations publicizing the event. Advise 
candidates that their names will be advertised on the 
publications as having been invited to attend. 

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Freedom Writer / ifas@berkshire.net

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