It’s like a job interview.
And 15 candidates will be available tonight for voters to question during the candidates forum at the Clark County Cooperative Extension Office.
The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and features four different political races and a question-and-answer session on the Nov. 6 ballot question.
After a short welcome, the U.S. House of Representatives District 6 race kicks things off at 6:40 p.m. Challenger Andy Barr has agreed to attend while incumbent Ben Chandler will be represented by state auditor Adam Edelen. Chandler defeated Barr in 2008 by 647 votes. Write-in candidate Randolph Vance is also scheduled to attend.
The 73rd District State Representative race between incumbent Donna Mayfield and challenger JoEllen Reed will follow at 7 p.m. Mayfield is serving her first term as state representative after defeating Don Pasley in the 2010 election.
Reed has served as both a Winchester city commissioner and a Clark County Fiscal Court commissioner.
Starting at about 7:20 p.m., Clark County Judge-Executive Henry Branham and Clark County Attorney Brian Thomas will answer questions for 10 minutes about the county government question on the ballot.
Voters will be asked to approve or reject a proposed change to the county government that would eliminate the three-commissioner format and replace it with a six-magistrate system, which is closer to the previous seven-magistrate system used until January 2011.
Winchester City Commission candidates will answer questions beginning at 7:30 p.m. Incumbents Rich Beach, Kenny Book, Shannon Cox and Kitty Strode are scheduled to attend, as is challenger Ralph Harrison.
Candidates for School Board districts 2, 3 and 5 will close the forum beginning at 8 p.m. Dr. Beth Griffith and Steve Graves are looking to fill the seat vacated by B.J. Swope in District 2. The District 3 seat will be contested by incumbent Debbie Fatkin and challenger Michael McGowan. Incumbent Deanna Wolfe and challenger Ashley Ritchie face off for District 5.
Graham Johns will moderate the event while community volunteers will serve as timekeepers and runners. They also will assist with audience questions.
After introductions, each candidate will be given two minutes to make a statement. Each candidate will be alloted one minute to answer each question.
The forum is sponsored by the Clark County Community Education Program, the Winchester-Clark County Chamber of Commerce, WKYN 107.7 FM and The Winchester Sun.
It will be aired on WKYN 107.7 FM and streamed live at www.clarkcountyforum.com. It will air on local cable channels 5 and 306 starting Friday and running through election day.
