A dozen state and local offices are up for election on Nov. 7. If you’re looking for ways to get to know the candidates and their views better, attending or watching a forum might be helpful.
There were lots in the spring ahead of the May primary (seriously, a ton), but the general election cycle features a much lighter schedule.
Most of the candidate events in Philadelphia are focused on the two mayoral candidates, Democrat Cherelle Parker and Republican David Oh, though voters will also decide races for City Council, judges at various levels, and a bunch of city row offices.
Here’s a roundup of the events on the horizon.
Are we missing a forum or debate? Let us know at tips@billypenn.com.
DAG One on One with Cherelle Parker
Date: Friday, Oct. 20
Time: 3:45 to 4:45 p.m.
Location: Center for Architecture and Design, 1218 Arch St.
The Design Advocacy Group, a longstanding, multidiscipline volunteer organization that issued an anti-arena statement this summer, will host Parker for a conversation on issues affecting the built environment, like housing, urban planning, historic preservation, and transportation. (Oh will appear for a conversation with the group five days later, see below.)
The event is free and no registration is technically required, but DAG is requesting attendees RSVP here to get a headcount.
LGBT+ Community Candidate Night
Date: Monday, Oct. 23
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.
William Way Center, Liberty City LGBTQ+ Democratic Club, and the Philadelphia Gay News are hosting an “open forum” where members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies can hear from and ask questions of “local candidates” (the description doesn’t list who exactly is expected to appear).
No registration is required.
6ABC Mayoral Town Hall
Date: Monday, Oct. 23
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Television
Action News anchor Sharrie Williams will moderate a town hall featuring Oh and Parker on 6ABC. You can submit questions for the candidates here.
Pa. Appellate Court Candidates’ Forum
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 24
Time: 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Location: Virtual (Zoom)
Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, a Philly-based nonprofit, will host a moderated online event with candidates running for statewide court seats.
Registration is free at this link. If you have questions you’d like the moderator to ask the candidates, you can email them to staff@pmconline.org.
People expected to participate include:
- Carolyn Carluccio (Pa. Supreme Court candidate, Republican)
- Daniel McCaffery (Pa. Supreme Court candidate, Democrat)
- Maria Battista (Pa. Superior Court candidate, Republican)
- Jill Beck (Pa. Superior Court candidate, Democrat)
- Timika Lane (Pa. Superior Court candidate, Democrat)
- Megan Martin (Commonwealth Court candidate, Republican)
- Matt Wolf (Commonwealth Court candidate, Democrat)
Philadelphia Bar mayoral candidate forums
Dates: Tuesday, Oct. 24 and Wednesday, Oct. 25
Time: 5 to 6 p.m.
Location: Philadelphia Bar Association Conference Center, 1101 Market St., 11th Floor
The Philadelphia Bar Association is hosting both candidates for Philly mayor, but on separate nights.
The events are open only to members of the Philadelphia Bar. (If you’re a member, you can register here for the Oh event and here for the Parker event.)
DAG’s One on One with David Oh
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 25
Time: 4 to 6 p.m.
Location: Center for Architecture and Design, 1218 Arch St.
Like it plans to do for Parker five days earlier, DAG will host Oh to talk about issues related to design, planning, development, and construction.
The event is free and no registration is technically required, but DAG is requesting attendees RSVP here to get a headcount.
KYW Newsradio mayoral debate
Date: Thursday, Oct. 26
Time: 8 to 9 a.m.
Location: On the air
KYW is hosting a live debate between the two mayoral candidates during its “Philadelphia’s Morning News” program. It’s the only scheduled debate between the two candidates during the general election cycle thus far.
You can tune into either 103.9 FM or 1060 AM to hear it, or you can listen online.
Our Vote, Our Future Mayoral Forum
Date: Thursday, Oct. 26
Time: 6 to 8 p.m.
Location: The Liacouras Center at Temple, 1776 N. Broad St.
Hosted by the Urban Affairs Coalition, the forum will focus on gun violence, education, the arts, housing, the economy, and other topics particularly relevant to Philadelphians. The mayoral candidates will have separate conversations with moderator Andrea Lawful-Sanders of WURD — first Parker, then Oh — and there will also be time for audience Q&A.
In-person registration is free at this link, but space is limited to 200 attendees. You can submit questions for the candidates when you register. The forum will also be livestreamed on WURD and We Talk Weekly.
Past general election candidate events you can watch back
Even if you miss them, some candidate forums and Q&As are still watchable online after the fact. We’ll link to them here.
Here’s what’s available so far:
- Children’s Mayoral Conversation with Cherelle Parker and David Oh, hosted by the Please Touch Museum (Tuesday, Oct. 17)
- 6ABC Philadelphia Mayoral Town Hall (Monday, Oct. 23)
- Pennsylvania Appellate Courts Candidates’ Forum, hosted by Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts (Tuesday, Oct. 24)
- Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court forum with PennLive editorial board (Tuesday, Oct. 24)
- KYW Newsradio mayoral debate (Thursday, Oct. 26)
- Our Vote, Our Future Mayoral Forum, hosted by the Urban Affairs Coalition (Thursday, Oct. 26)
Updated Nov. 2
