The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith will host three public forums in April and May for candidates in three local political races: the Republican candidates for the District 8 senate seat, the Democratic candidates for Sebastian County Judge, and the candidates for Mayor of Fort Smith.

The District 8 forum will occur at 6 p.m. April 9, the Sebastian County Judge at 6 p.m. April 30, and the Fort Smith Mayor at noon May 2. The April 9 and 30 events will be held in the theater of Windgate Art & Design, located at 535 N. Waldron Road, while the May 2 event will be held in the Reynolds Room of the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center, located at 800 N. 49th Street. All forums are free and open to the public.

 

The Senate forum will include the candidates Denny Altes, Frank Glidewell and Rep. Mat Pitsch, while the Sebastian County Judge forum features Mosie Boyd and Ken Blevins. Rep. George McGill and UAFS student Luis Andrade will speak at the mayoral forum.

 

In each discussion, candidates will share their vision for Fort Smith, followed by a question-and-answer session with UAFS students and the Fort Smith community.

 

The forums are hosted by the UAFS chapter of the American Democracy Project and signify an effort to promote civic engagement among students and the community, according to Dr. Williams Yamkam, assistant professor of political science and chair of the UAFS chapter of ADP.

 

“We are very excited to host the forums with the candidates for various local elective offices,” Yamkam said. “As part of ADP’s goal to implement Chancellor Paul Beran’s instructions to foster civic engagement and political participation on the UAFS campus, and because of UAFS unique bond with the River Valley community, it became paramount for us to provide a platform for various local candidates to face the voters and discuss, in a civil manner, the salient issues that our community and our state face.”

 

For more information on the events, contact Yamkam at Williams.yamkam@uafs.edu or 479-788-7981.