Candidate forum set for Monday at high school

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » The League of Women Voters of Saratoga County will host a Meet the Candidates forum Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Saratoga Springs High School.

The forum will take place in the teaching auditorium.

“It gives people a chance to see the candidates at the same place at the same time. The candidates get to make an opening statement, they answer questions from the audience and then [make] a closing statement,” said Francine Rodger. “In all of the years I’ve gone to candidate forms I have always learned something, and I think it’s a great opportunity.” Election Day is Nov. 7. Under League policy, when only one candidate of a race is available that candidate may not participate in the event.

The candidates for mayor, public safety commissioner, supervisors and city court judge are included in the forum.

Three city positions up for election — accounts commissioner, public works commissioner and finance commissioner — only have one candidate per position; John Franck, Anthony “Skip” Scirocco and Michele Madigan, respectively. Each can attend the event, be introduced and speak with members of the audience after the event is over, she said.

“There’s a lot of ways of learning about candidates. They can read the things that come to them in the mail, candidates come to their doors, but we have these forums; both candidates are there at the same time in the same space answering the same questions, so you get to compare them,” said Rodger. “The League has been doing these for just forever as a way of helping citizens make an informed decision on Election Day. That’s what we want. We want people to look at the candidates and think about who they are voting for and make an informed decision.”

The event will be divided into four segments with the candidates for judge (Andrew Blumenberg and Francine Vero), public safety (Don Braim and Peter Martin), supervisors (Matthew Veitch, John Safford, Pat Friesen and Tara Gaston) and mayor (Mark Baker and Meg Kelly).

There will be an opportunity for the audience to ask questions.

“The limitations, of course, are always time. Not every question can be answered in the time we have. If there are a lot of questions, it’s the first one up in line — they get to ask their question,” said Rodger. “We try to make them brief and get in as many possible, but I can’t guarantee everyone’s question will be answered.”

Rodger said if all goes well the public will be able to watch a video of the event on the The League of Women Voters of Saratoga County’s website and Facebook page.