Lake Forest League Of Women Voters To Host 2023 Candidate Forums

LAKE FOREST, IL — The League of Women Voters of Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Area is set to host two forums for candidates ahead of the April 4 municipal elections.

All candidates for Lake Forest mayor, Lake Bluff Park Board and Lake Bluff School District 65 have been invited to appear at the forums, according to representatives of the volunteer-run nonprofit.

"The League believes the forum structure best allows citizens to get to know their candidates,” Bev Adamczyk, the League's vice president of voter services, said in a release. “Forums are very different from debates and rallies; they prioritize candidate responses to the issues about which residents care and ask.”

League of Women Voters campaign forums are led by a trained moderator from outside the area with no vested interest in the outcome of the vote who meets candidates immediately prior to the event.

Everyone must leave campaign materials outside of the room, and each candidate will have the same amount of time to answer each question, which are submitted by community members and sorted by trained volunteers to select the best questions and eliminate personal or partisan questions.

Both Lake Forest are forums will be recorded and videos will be posted online following the events.

“We firmly believe our community benefits when citizens participate in the political process,” Adamczyk said. “Candidate forums are an important opportunity for voters to hear candidates answer questions of local interest.”

The candidate forum for the Lake Bluff Park Board and Lake Bluff School District 65 board is scheduled for 2 to 4 p.m. on March 12 at Lake Bluff Middle School, 31 E. Sheridan Place, Lake Bluff.

The forum for Lake Forest mayoral candidates is set for 7:30 p.m. on March 16 at the auditorium of Lake Forest High School, 1285 McKinley Road.