Debate Includes All Five Candidates for Mayor
Tonight is a big night in the 5-way mayoral campaign in Superior, Wisconsin. At 7:00 p.m. this evening the five candidates will square off in a their first debate in anticipation of next week’s primary election. The setting is the UW-Superior Experimental Theatre, located near KUWS. The debate will be broadcast live via Wisconsin Public Radio, and the televisions from across the bay in Duluth have been invited to cover the debate and are expected to attend.
Panelists include Danielle Kaeding with Wisconsin Public Radio, Shelley Nelson of the Superior Telegram, and Ron Brochu of Business North. The moderator will be former Douglas County Administrator Steve Koszarek
Debate Format
Candidates will be allowed two minute opening statements. The panelists will address each of their questions to an individual candidate. Candidates will have two minutes to respond, followed by a two minute rebuttal from other candidates. The candidates will not be allowed to interrupt each other. Reporters will alternate questions between the candidates until it is time for closing statements.
Each reporter will have the option for one follow up to each question with the moderator controlling the time for rebuttal time of two minute for candidates.
There will be two minute closing statements. There will be no opening statements.(*) The debate will last 60 minutes, but WPR may extend the debate to two hours if panelists and candidates agree more time would adequately cover the list of topics.
The candidates will be seated next to each other at one table, with the panelists seated at a second table. The moderator will be at a podium in between the tables on the stage. The tables will be positioned to face the audience and the candidates and reporters.
Each candidate will be allowed to have a blank legal pad and a pen, but no previously written material.
(*)The info in this post came directly from WPR, and seems to contradict itself on the topic of opening statements
Audience Rules
There will be no audience participation in the debate. Disruptions will not be allowed. Offenders will be warned, and may be ejected from the auditorium. Applause after it is over is appropriate.
Explore Superior encourages our voters to turnout for this event as this will give all an opportunity to see how these candidates react under pressure, and should be a strong indicator of their knowledge about the issues facing Superior in coming years. Our six part series featuring questions we submitted to the five candidates last week will start later today. We apologize for not rolling it yesterday as promised, but your erstwhile cub reporter experienced a computer meltdown, and was not able to get the rubber bands in his computer wound up again until early this morning.
