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Upcoming forums aim to connect Nelson voters and candidates

City of Nelson: Several events are being held in the weeks leading up to the municipal election.
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There are a number of candidate forums and events being held in the upcoming weeks.

As the municipal election approaches quickly, voters eager to meet the mayoral, council and school board candidates have a variety of upcoming forums and events to help get informed.

On November 15, voters are being asked to choose between three mayoral candidates: incumbent Mayor John Dooley, council member Deb Kozak and retired cop Pat Severyn.

For council, the candidates are incumbents Bob Adams and Robin Cherbo, who are joined by new candidates Michael Dailly, Charles Jeanes, John Paolozzi, Jason Peil, Anna Purcell, Valerie Warmington, Brian Shields, Justin Pelant, Jeff Shecter and Janice Morrison.

Voters are allowed to choose six out of the 12 candidates running for office.

For Nelson/Bealby Point, three candidates are vying for the two school board trustee spots: Bob Abrahams, Curtis Bendig and Bill Maslechko.

Tonight, the Nelson Public Library, West Kootenay Ecosociety and NelsonVotes.ca will offer citizens an opportunity to spend three minutes one-on-one with candidates asking questions, raising issues, and connecting personally.

A spin-off of speed dating, Speed Candi-dating has proven to be a successful format for connecting citizens and candidates running for political office.

All candidates for mayor and council and for school board trustee have been invited to participate.

On November 5, the Social Planning Action Network (SPAN) is holding an all candidate’s meeting at the Best Western on Baker Street from 7 to 9 p.m.

Billed as a “reverse forum”, the event will give the public the chance to speak while candidates listen to concerns ranging from housing, seniors’ services, health care access, mental health, poverty and childcare.

The next event, held on November 6, will give children a chance to meet the candidates. Trafalgar School has invited all eligible candidates to meet the students at 10:15 on Thursday for approximately an hour.

Each candidate will have a few minutes to introduce themselves, and two students will ask pre-determined questions.

The public is welcome, but you have to check in at the office upon arrival.

One of the largest events will be held at Central School on November 10 at 7 p.m. All of the mayoral, council and school board candidates are invited.

Moderated by Deb Zeeben and put on by the Nelson University Women’s League, the event features a panel that will put questions to the candidates, giving them a two-minute window to respond. They will also take questions from the audience.

At the beginning of the night, each candidate in attendance will be given three minutes to introduce themselves and their platform.

And then on November 12, the Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce is hosting a debate for the three mayoral candidates at the convention centre of the Prestige Lake Resort from 7 to 9 p.m.

The evening will be organized as a conversation between Glenn Hicks of 103.5 Juice FM. The questions posed to the candidates will be prepared by the chamber and the local media, including the Star.

Dooley, Severyn and Kozak will all be given a chance to give opening and closing remarks.

For more election coverage visit the Election 2014 tab at nelsonstar.com.