Jefferson chapter helping sponsor metro council candidate debates

The Jefferson County KFTC Chapter, Louisville Urban League Young Professionals, FORward Radio, Zones of Hope, Louisville Black Lawyers Association, University of Louisville’s Malcolm X Debate Team, HOPE by HOPE and several neighborhood associations will host the Open Mic Debate Series the week before the May 17 Primary Election.

These Metro Council candidate debates will take place with candidates in Metro Council Districts 2, 4 and 6.

The purpose of the Open Mic Debate Series is to improve voter turnout in Metro Council Districts 2, 4 and 6 by educating and empowering voters leading up to the May 2016 primary election.

Organizers were spurred to plan these events after the low voter turnout during the November 2015 general election. Candidates in all three districts have been invited to the debates and will be asked questions developed by KFTC and solicited from the audience during the events.

“Many registered voters could tell you their preference between Trump, Cruz, Clinton and Sanders but struggle to tell you who their Metro Council candidates are. The goal of this debate is to change that and remind people that local politics matter,” said Kevin Cowherd, Advocacy Chair of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and a KFTC Member

The first debate will take place in Metro Council District 2 on Tuesday, May 10 at Newburg Middle School (4901 Exeter Ave, Louisville). Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the debate starts at 7 p.m. and will conclude by 8:30 p.m.

Candidates Caroline Grundy, Rasean Crawley, and Rick Harrison have confirmed their attendance. The debate will be moderated by Lonita Baker, president of the Charles W. Anderson Jr. Bar Association (formerly Louisville Black Lawyers Association) with assistance from the UofL Malcolm X Debate Team.

The second debate will combine Metro Council Districts 4 and 6 and will take place on Thursday, May 12 at the Main Branch of the Louisville Public Library (301 York Street) in the Centennial Room. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the debate starts at 6:30 p.m. and will conclude by 8 p.m. Candidates David James, Carol Clark, Bryan Burns, Marshall Gazaway and Barbara Sexton Smith have confirmed their attendance.

This debate will be moderated by Donovan Taylor of One West, with assistance from the Malcolm X Debate Team. For this debate the cosponsors listed above are being joined by the Irish Hill Neighborhood Association, the Smoketown Neighborhood Association, the Phoenix Hill Neighborhood Association and the 100 Block of Ormsby Avenue Association.

“Our organization is pleased to collaborate with KFTC to help our constituents make a responsible choice in the District 4 primary, the first truly contested election for that office since Louisville-Jefferson County merger,” say Randy Webber, president of the Smoketown Neighborhood Association.

All the debates are open to the public and audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions during the debate.