HomeElection Forums

Election Forums

The League of Women Voters conducts election forums for both primary and general election races. Forums sponsored by the League of Women Voters provide opportunities to hear from candidates as they respond to questions from a moderator. All candidates in contested races are invited to attend our forums, which are guided by our board-approved Election Forum Policy.

In 2023, the policy requires a forum to be cancelled if there is only one candidate and their opponent does not provide us with a statement to read on their behalf. When multiple candidates for similar positions (e.g., a council or school board) are participating in a forum together, the forum will continue as long as there are at least two candidates. When a candidate declines our invitation, the reason provided will be made public.

Click here to view primary election forums.

General Election Forum Recordings

Election day is November 7. Hear directly from the candidates at forums listed below.
All races will be recorded and available to view here on our website.

NEW: Do you want to know what candidates said in answer to specific questions?
Start the video and then click on "YouTube" to view it on YouTube. In the grey box below the video, click on the word "More...". Click on the time stamp next to the question of interest to start the video at that point.
Transcripts also available; click the button at the bottom of the description box.

Whatcom County Executive
Candidates Forum

Candidates: Dan Purdy & Satpal Sidhu

Whatcom County Council Forum

Candidates:
County Council District 4: Kathy Kershner
(On Oct. 2, Candidate Mark Stremler cancelled his attendance "due to an unforeseen event the same evening")
County Countil District 5: Jackie Dexter and Ben Elenbaas
County Council At Large: Hannah Ordos and Jon Scanlon

Whatcom County Sheriff Forum

Candidates: Doug Chadwick and Donnell "Tank" Tanksley

Jail Proposition

Vote Yes: Peter Frazier and Stephen Gockley
Vote No: Josh Cerretti and Jason McGill

Bellingham Mayor Forum

Candidates: Seth Fleetwood and Kim Lund

Bellingham City Council Forum

Candidates:
City Council Ward 1: Hannah Stone and Eamonn Collins
City Council Ward 3: Liz Darrow and Daniel Hammill
City Council At-Large: Jace Cotton and Russ Whidbee

Bellingham School Board Forum

Candidates for Director Position 2:
Aran Clausen and Katie Rose

Blaine School Board Forum

Candidates:
Director position 1: Kimberly Akre
(Candidate Erika Creydt did not attend because she was taken ill.)
Director position 2: Ben Lazarus
(Candidate Dean Berkeley did not attend and did not give us a reason for his absence.)
Director position 3: Cliff Freeman
(Candidate Jeffery D. Carrington declined the League's invitation because we were unwilling to share the questions with him beforehand.)
Director position 4: Derrick Bovenkamp and Ryan Ford

Ferndale Mayor Candidates Forum

Candidates: Greg Hansen and Jon Mutchler

Ferndale City Council Forum

Candidates:
City Council Position 1: Matthew Durkee and Herb Porter
City Council Position 4: Wyatt Shedd Stewart and McKenna Pinto-Gonzalez

Ferndale School Board Forum

Candidates:
Director position 1: Beth Perry and Kevin Erickson
Director position 2: Antonio Machado Catano
(Candidate Brent Bode was unable to attend due to a out-of-town business trip.)
Director position 3: Nancy Button and Toni Jefferson

Lynden School Board Forum

Candidates:
Director position 2: Danny Martinez
Candidate Nick Sawka declined our invitation due to a prior commitment.
Director position 3: David E. Vis
Candidate Jim Verburg did not respond to our invitation.
Director position 5: Candidate Kenneth "Spin" Owsley declined our invitation due to a prior commitment; Doris Smith declined our invitation but submitted a statement to be read on her behalf.

Meridian School Board Forum

Candidates:
Director position 1: Corey Culp
(Candidate Jana (Bjornstad) Haugen notified us the night before the forum that she would not be attending.)
Director position 5: Michelle Simmons and J. Riley Sweeney

Forum for Blaine City Council: CANCELLED
Council Ward 2, position 3: Sonia Hurt
(Candidate Steven Tojek agreed to attend but then informed us that he could not get off work and did not provide a statement. Under those circumstances, our "empty chair" policy calls for cancellation.)

Forum for Mt. Baker School District Board - CANCELLED
Director position 5: Russ Pfeiffer-Hoyt
(This forum was cancelled because candidate Theresa Sygitowicz was out of town and did not wish to provide a statement for the forum. Under those circumstances, our "empty chair" policy calls for cancellation.)

Forum for Nooksack School District: CANCELLED
(Candidates Shelley Harder and Joshua Clausen were unavailable for personal reasons)