Open to the student body and community, Baker University will play host to an election forum Tuesday.
Candidates from both the Republican and Democratic parties, who are running for various offices from the local on up to the state level, will discuss their stances on topics ranging from environmental issues to gay marriage at 7 p.m. in Mabee Hall, room 100.
The forums themselves have been coordinated and planned out by Bruce Anderson’s, associate professor of political science, Campaigns and Elections and Introduction to American Politics classes.
“I expect that students working on the forums will have a hands-on experience in American politics at the gut level offered to few students outside Baker,” he said. “It teaches organizing skills, helps them to learn how to contact and work with leadership in both parties and introduces them to the gritty level of a political campaign as participants.”
To prepare for the forum, students from both classes have arranged a list of questions to ask candidates. A moderator will be in charge of asking the questions, and the candidates will have 30 to 45 seconds to come up with their responses. At the end of the forum there will be extra time for the audience to ask questions.
“We are going to tailor the questions to fit the office the candidate is running for, whether it be a local issue in Baldwin (City) for a local candidate or immigration for a state candidate,” junior Kendra Hanson said.
Candidates who currently are scheduled to attend the election forum for the Democratic Party are Adjunct Professor of Psychology Tony Brown, Nancy Thellman and Tom Holland, who is presently the Representative of the Kansas House 10th District.
Republicans who will be attending are John Coen, David Brown and Roger Pine, the State Senate Representative for the 3rd District.
Patrick Wilbur also will be in attendance as a Libertarian candidate who is running for the Kansas State Senate in the 3rd District.
The classes also will co-host a Republican and Democratic meet with the Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Wednesday at The Lodge. The Republican candidates will be present Monday and the Democratic candidates will be present Wednesday.
The election forum corresponds with Election Watch, which is an event open to the entire campus Nov. 4 to witness the voting results announced.
“I hope that the students involved in the planning of the event will get a taste of what being involved with a political campaign is like,” sophomore Dani Weimholt said.
