City Council Candidates in 8th District to Debate Tonight

All seven candidates in  will participate in a debate tonight in Germantown.

The event, which is being sponsored by Newsworks, will take place at the First Presbyterian Church in Germantown (35 W. Chelten Ave.) and will begin at 7 p.m. Candidates Cindy Bass, Bill Durham, Andrew Lofton, Greg Paulmier, Robin Tasco, Howard Treatman and Verna Tyner will all be there.

Each candidate will get one minute at the debate's outset to make an opening statement, according to an email from WHYY/Newsworks Executive Director of News Chris Satullo. Then, they will begin to answer questions, some of which were put together by voters at three  put together by Newsworks in March and April. Others were framed by Newsworks staff based on concerns or issues brought up during the forums.

Questions will be asked in both short and long form. Three to four candidates will answer each long form question (they'll have a two minute limit), though others who are not asked the question will have a chance to respond; all seven candidates will field each short question (with a one minute limit per answer).

Debate organizers said they hope to ask a total of 12 questions during the two-hour session.

Each candidate will then be able to make a one-minute closing statement.

The Committee of Seventy, G-Town Radio, Germantown Community Connection and the League of Women Voters are also sponsoring the debate. It will be moderated by Satullo.

Come back to Chestnut Hill Patch Thursday for full debate coverage.