Hopkinsville’s League of Women Voters will host several election forums that begin this week to help local voters learn more about the people seeking office.
Twenty-three candidates accepted the invitation to participate in the forums and answer questions posed by the league.
The forums at the Hopkinsville Municipal Center will not have in-person audiences, but a livestream will be available on Spectrum TV channel 376 and on the league’s Facebook page, league spokeswoman Donna Johnson said.
Here is the schedule for the forums:
Tuesday, March 29
- 4 p.m. — Amy Craig and Anna Norris, Republican candidates for Ward 5, Hopkinsville City Council.
- 7 p.m. — Jamie Lynn Lienberger and Ardell Owens, Republican candidates for Ward 9, Hopkinsville City Council.
- (Prior to the Lienberger-Owen forum, Matthew Handy, Republican candidate in Ward 12, will introduce himself. His primary opponent Elizabeth Draude has withdrawn from the race.)
Wednesday, March 30
- 4 p.m. — Tyler DeArmond and Adam Vanderkolk, Republican candidates for sheriff.
Thursday, March 31
- 4 p.m. — Melinda Humphries and Erica Newby, Republican candidates for county clerk.
- 5 p.m. — Michael Pendleton and Alethea West, Democratic candidates for Hopkinsville mayor.
- 6:30 p.m. — Vince Farrell and James R. Knight Jr., Republican candidates for Hopkinsville mayor.
Monday, April 11
- 4 p.m. — Darrell Gustafson and J.E. Pryor, Republican candidates for District 4, Christian Fiscal Court.
- 5 p.m. — Phillip Peterson and James McKnight, Republican candidates for District 6, Christian Fiscal Court.
- 7 p.m. — Walker Thomas and Larry Curling, Republican candidates for 8th District, Kentucky House of Representatives.
- (Prior to the Thomas-Curling forum, Russ Guffey, the Republican candidate for District 7, Christian Fiscal Court, will introduce himself. His primary opponent, Mike Walker, withdrew from the race and will remain on the Christian County Board of Education.)
Wednesday, April 13
- 5 p.m. — Jerry Gilliam, Katie Moyer, Dan Mason and Tommy McGraw, Republican candidates for Christian County judge-executive.
The primary election is May 17. The general election is Nov. 8.
(This story was updated to include Dan Mason as a participant in the April 13 forum for Republican candidates in the judge-executive’s race.)
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
