Sudbury League Of Women Voters Nixes Live Candidate Forum

SUDBURY, MA — The local League of Women Voters will not hold a live candidate forum at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School for the 2020 town election, opting instead for pre-recorded forums in contested races only.

There are 12 positions up for election in 2020, including a Select Board seat, and seats on the Sudbury School Committee, Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee, and the Goodnow Library Board of Trustees. The recorded forums will be broadcast on Sudbury TV throughout the election season. Candidates in uncontested races will get the chance to record a statement to voters.

"We think this approach will allow more time for the candidates in each of the contested races to present themselves to the voters," Sudbury League voter service chair Nell Forgacs said in a statement. "We will not be trying to squeeze panels for all the contested races, no matter how many candidates are involved, into one 90-minute live event. We can offer the candidates for each contested office ample time to address the issues."

The Sudbury League said that the live event at Lincoln-Sudbury was well-watched on TV, but the live audience was small.

The forums will be recorded on Feb. 29 (2020 is a leap year). Citizens can submit questions either by emailing sudburycandidatesnight@gmail.com (deadline: Feb. 25 at 5 p.m.) or putting questions in a drop boxes by Feb. 25 at the Goodnow Library and Senior Center.

The 2020 election will be held March 30, and the last day to file to run is Feb. 6.