Hometown! to Host Primary Election Forum Featuring Keys Candidates
The July 13 event at the Tennessee Williams Theatre will feature countywide, Key West city and Keys Energy Utility Board candidates ahead of the Aug. 18 primary election.
KEY WEST, Fla. — With the Aug. 18 primary election expected to decide many of the races that will shape the future leadership of Key West and Monroe County, Hometown! will host a nonpartisan candidate forum featuring nearly every countywide, city and Keys Energy Utility Board contest.
The Primary Election Candidate Forum will take place Monday, July 13, at the Tennessee Williams Theatre on the Key West Campus of the Community College of the Florida Keys. The event is free and open to the public.
Doors open at 4 p.m. for a candidate meet-and-greet, with the forum beginning at 4:30 p.m. A cash bar will be available.
The forum will begin with countywide races, followed by a brief intermission before candidates in Key West city races and Keys Energy Utility Board contests take the stage.
Organizers said the event is designed to give voters an opportunity to hear directly from candidates before casting ballots in a primary election where many races may be decided.
Panelists for the forum include John Carroll, editor of the Key West Citizen; Mandy Miles, editor of Key West Weekly; Joe Moore, news director at US1 Radio; Richard Fowler, former judge and attorney; and Bryan Green, a community leader.
Hometown!, a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, said its mission is to strengthen civic engagement by providing voters with fair and trusted opportunities to learn about candidates and issues.
A recording of the forum will be made available to Hometown! supporters shortly after the event, followed by a public release through the organization’s website and social media channels.
Ahead of the forum, Hometown! Board Chair Todd German will preview the event on US1 Radio on Friday, July 10. Hometown! Board Member Sheldon Davidson will also discuss the forum on Pirate Radio Friday, July 10, at 9:45 a.m.