Santa Maria mayor, city council candidates to take part in upcoming public forums

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The public will have an opportunity to hear directly from Santa Maria political candidates during a series of upcoming forums.

The two events are co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Northern Santa Barbara County and the Santa Maria Valley Chamber and will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 24, and Friday, Oct. 4, both at 5 p.m. at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Santa Maria.

On Sept. 24, candidates for Santa Maria City Council Districts 1 and 2 will be featured, while the candidates for mayor will speak on Oct. 4.

According to the two sponsors, each candidate will answer various questions regarding their experiences, qualifications, and plans to improve the city.

Audience members will also have an opportunity to submit written questions that will be directed towards candidates during a question and answer period.

The public will also have a chance to personally meet the candidates afterwards, allowing voters with the ability to speak with them directly in a one-on-one manner.

The candidate forums are free to attend and the public is asked to provide an RSVP ahead of time.

"We are proud to partner with the Santa Maria Valley Chamber on these forums to provide voters with the opportunity to stay informed in this election with the Candidate Forums, fostering dialogue and transparency in our community," said Alison Wales with the League of Women Voters. "This is a unique opportunity to engage and interact with local candidates, on a fair and moderated platform."

Refreshments will be provided and Spanish translation services will be available.

There will also be two candidate forums for upcoming school board races in Santa Maria for Santa Maria-Bonita School District and Santa Maria Joint Union High School District.

The school board forums are scheduled for Monday, Oct. 7 at the Santa Maria Betteravia Government Administration Building.

The Santa Maria-Bonita School District candidate forum will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., while Santa Maria Joint Unified School District candidates will speak from 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.

For more information about the candidate forums, or to register to attend, click here to visit the forum information webpage.