More than 60 community members gathered Wednesday evening in Alpena for a school board candidate forum designed to replace the usual podium-style debate with direct, small-group conversations.
The League of Women Voters of Northeast Michigan hosted the “Candidating” forum, which featured Alpena Public Schools Board of Education candidates Evan Carlson, Sarah Fritz, Claire Kipfmiller, AJ MacArthur and Kayla Ratz.
A different format for meeting candidates
Rather than keeping candidates in a traditional debate structure, organizers used a speed-dating-inspired format. Candidates rotated among roundtables, giving them opportunities to speak directly with small groups of voters.
According to the event description, community feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Attendees said they valued the chance for direct, one-on-one dialogue. Candidates also said the smaller setting helped them feel more genuinely connected to the public than they would have during a standard podium-style forum.
League sought conversational voter engagement
“We were looking for a fresh format where voters and candidates could interact with each other directly and conversationally,” said Kathy Bower, president of the League of Women Voters of Northeast Michigan.
The League of Women Voters of Northeast Michigan is described as a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization focused on empowering voters and defending democracy. The forum’s structure gave Alpena residents a more conversational way to hear from candidates seeking seats on the local school board.