UPDATE: GOP Candidates Declined Event Due to Scheduling Conflicts

UPDATE (Aug 21., 10:24 a.m.): A message on behalf of the Windham Woman's Club from resident Ruth-Ellen Post indicated that GOP state representative hopefuls were given clear notice of the date and time for the candidates' night event.

Post said that three Republicans had responded with a "yes" to the event prior to the letter received yesterday, which saw all candidates declining to participate.

According to Post, that invitation was mailed to candidates on July 31.

Below is an excerpt of the notice sent to candidates:

As the Windham Chairman of your party was informed early on by email on July 9 – even as this event was still being planned -- a Candidates Night solely for Windham’s primary candidates for NH State Representative has been scheduled for the evening of August 21 at Town Hall, beginning at 7:00 p.m.  We hope that news was conveyed to you at that time for your planning.

Of course, this is a very new kind of “Candidates Night” for the Woman’s Club as well as for the candidates involved and, as such, it calls for a new format.  We have worked hard to create a format that both accommodates the special nature of primary elections and also ensures fairness to all involved.  It is explained in detail in the enclosures you are receiving with this letter. The event will be covered by WCTV.

UPDATE (10:57 p.m.): Five of the six Republican hopefuls for state representative bowed out of tomorrow's candidates' night at Windham Town Hall due to scheduling conflicts, according to Windham GOP Chair Travis Blais.

Blais said that many of the candidates had the wrong information for the event's date and time and had other things scheduled. He added that only one candidate could actually make the event, so the candidates decided that nobody would attend to be fair.

An Earlier Story Follows

A letter received this morning from five of the six Republican candidates for state representative in Windham said that none will be attending tomorrow's candidates' night at Town Hall, according to club President Rebecca Howard.

Howard said that the situation was a first for the club, but could not comment on the reason why all of the GOP candidates were declining.

She issued a statement about the Republican absence from tomorrow's event:

The Windham Woman's Club has a tradition of presenting a Candidates' Night before each election. We were excited to have the opportunity to host another Night featuring the candidates for the primary election for state representatives from Windham.  The evening will proceed as scheduled without the Republican candidates, but it will be a shame that the townspeople will not have the opportunity to hear the viewpoints from all the candidates.

Several of the candidates had previously confirmed appearances before the letter was delivered to Betty Dunn, who serves as school district moderator and was scheduled to oversee the Republican side of the event.

Town moderator Peter Griffin is penciled in for the Democratic side.

The five candidates declining to attend are Mary Griffin, Walter Kolodziej, Mark Samsel, Kevin Waterhouse and Charles McMahon. All but Samsel are incumbents.

The sixth candidate, Donna Mauro, had previously declined an appearance because she is preparing for the Republican National Convention, slated for next week in Tampa, Fla.

With the redistricting in the state, Windham now has four state representative seats.

Howard said that the letter will be read prior to the event tomorrow night.