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League of Women Voters  Of Lebanon County

Candidates Night - May 12, 7PM, Municipal Building, Lebanon. Public Welcome!

POLICY & PROCEDURE FOR CANDIDATE EVENTS

bulletOne of the objectives of the LWV of Lebanon County is to provide citizens with information about the elective offices and candidates so that the citizen can make a more informed vote. To accomplish this objective, the League undertakes a variety of activities in the community.

 

bulletGeneral Information
bulletThe LWV of Lebanon County will coordinate all candidate events with the LWVUS and LWVPA as appropriate. The guidelines and rules established by LWVUS and LWVPA will govern the actions of the LWV of Lebanon County in these activities.

 

bulletCandidates Nights/Candidates Forums
bulletCandidates Nights/Candidates Forums are a significant educational activity of the League. Many times these events are co-sponsored with a local radio station, television station and/or cable network. To assist in the planning of these events, the following guidelines are suggested:
    1. Candidates Nights/Candidates Forums will feature contested countywide and/or citywide races of interest to voters. For educational purposes, uncontested candidates for a "row" office and judicial candidates can be invited to give a statement of their qualifications for the elective office.
    2. All candidates meeting the requirements for the elective office as required by the Pennsylvania Department of State shall be invited to participate in the planned event.
    3. For a candidate running a write-in campaign, the candidate must be otherwise eligible to be on the ballot. In addition, the candidate shall have made a public announcement of an intention to run, issued at least one position statement addressing a campaign issue that the candidates on the ballot have made position statements, and have made several campaign appearances.
    4. When the Candidates Night/Candidates Forum are broadcast, the broadcast must meet Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations defining the candidates eligible to participate in the event.
    5. Candidate questions will be developed by the League and remain secret until asked of the candidates at the time of the event.
    6. A coin toss or draw will determine the order of the candidates at an event.

 

bulletOther Candidate Events
bulletCandidates meeting #2 or #3 above can request that the League moderate a debate when a challenge is made. The request must be made through the respective County political party chair, if appropriate. The League Board will consider the request at its next regularly scheduled meeting. If the request must be addressed more quickly, the President will contact the Executive Committee about the request and receive their approval/disapproval. At the Board meeting immediately following this process, the request will be reviewed with the full Board and recorded in the official minutes of that meeting.
bulletOfficial notification of the League’s agreement to moderate a debate resulting from a challenge will be made by letter to the County political party Chairs. All coordination and planning for the debate will be through the party chairs.
bulletIn those cases where the League agrees to moderate a debate, the League will be in complete charge of the event. This includes the selection of the site for the debate, the format of the debate, the questions to be asked of the candidates and the rules for the debate.
bulletThe League’s acceptance of a request to moderate a debate does not imply that area media will broadcast the event. This is the decision of the media and #4 above must be met. When the debate is broadcast, the League will work with the media but retain full control of the debate. This control includes the site of the event, the format of the event, the questions to be asked of the candidates and the rules for the debate.

 

bulletReferences
bulletLWVEF, Face to Face. A Guide to Candidate Debates. Pub. #830. Washington, D.C.: LWVUS, 1996.
bulletLWVUS-CEF, Face to Face: A Guide to League-Sponsored Debates. Pub. #830. Washington, D.C.: LWVUS, 1987.
bulletLWVPA, Making Your League Job Easier. Harrisburg, PA: LWVPA, 1988.
bulletLWV of Lebanon County, "Policy on Sponsorship of Candidates Nights/Events/Debates." 1988.

 

bulletApproval       3/20/01