2020 Election: Candidate Forums
LWV-RICHARDSON FORUMS
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, candidate forums were conducted online this year during the week of September 14th for candidates in Texas House Districts 102 and 112. Forums were conducted using the Zoom platform, and all candidates were invited to participate.
Questions for the forums were submitted via email by members of the public and screened for repetition and inappropriate content according to the League of Women Voters of Texas Guide to Candidates Forums.
Texas House District 102
Both candidates running in HD102 were invited by email to participate in the forum. Democratic incumbent Ana-Maria Ramos (in HD102) was the only candidate to accept our invitation to participate.
The Republican challenger, Linda Koop, declined to participate.
Current League policy states that the forum will proceed even if only one candidate participates. During a forum with only one participating candidate, the League must acknowledge the absence of the missing candidate and state that holding the forum for only one candidate does not imply endorsement of the participating candidate.
Texas House District 112
All three candidates running in HD112 were invited by email to participate in the forum. Democratic candidate Brandy K. Chambers and Libertarian candidate Shane D. Newsom accepted our invitation to participate.
The Republican incumbent, Angie Chen Button, declined to participate.
LWV-DALLAS FORUMS
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The League of Women Voters of Dallas plans to hold several online forums. For more information, visit their website.
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October 6 12:00 p.m. – Texas Representative District 102
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October 15 5:30 p.m. – 5th District Court of Appeals
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October 21 12:00 p.m. – Texas Representative District 114
LWV-COLLIN COUNTY FORUMS
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The League of Women Voters of Collin County has recorded several online forums. For more information, visit their website.
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September 21 6:30 p.m. - Collin County Commissioners Precincts 1 & 3 and Tax Assessor-Collector
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September 22 6:30 p.m. - District Court Judges: 366th, 380th, 401st, 416th, 468th, 469th, and 471st
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September 24 6:30 p.m. - Texas Representatives Districts 33, 66, 67, 70, and 89
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September 29 6:15 p.m. - Texas Representatives HD66 and HD67 (Education-focused candidate forum hosted by Raise Your Hand Texas, moderated by LWV-CC)
LWV-RICHARDSON POLICY ON PARTICIPATION
In October 2019, the League of Women Voters of Texas changed its policy on candidate forums and debates. LWV-TX now allows an empty chair forum (where only one candidate participates) for state, county, or local offices, rather than requiring that at least two candidates be present. The League of Women Voters of Richardson also voted to update its policies to reflect this change, and all candidates were advised of this change in policy.
Holding a candidate forum in which only one candidate agrees to participate does not imply endorsement of that candidate by the League of Women Voters of Richardson.
For more information on LWV-Richardson candidate forums, visit our Candidate Forums page.