By Khalida Sarwari
Millions will flock to the polls on Nov. 6, but before the final votes are cast the League of Women Voters of Southwest Santa Clara Valley is holding a series of forums and events to help inform voters about the issues and candidates that will appear on the general election ballot.
A series of candidate forums is scheduled to take place in October, kicking off with a forum on Oct. 3 from 7-9 p.m. at the Saratoga High School Library, 20300 Herriman Ave.
The event will feature three candidates running for two positions on the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District board.
Also that night, a session will feature three candidates–Nai Hsueh, Patrick S. Kwok and Mary Amanda McChesney–running for one vacancy in Santa Clara County Water District 5.
Another forum for the Los Gatos-Saratoga high school board will take place on Oct. 4, 7-9 p.m., in the library at Los Gatos High School, 20 High School Court. The forum will also include a session featuring two candidates–Garnetta Annable and Benjamin T. Cogan–competing for a seat on the Santa Clara County Open Space District 4 board.
The league will hold a forum in the cafeteria at Westmont High School, 4805 Westmont Ave. in Campbell on Oct. 10, 6:30 p.m., featuring four candidates–incumbents Rick Costanzo and Diane Gordon, newcomer Kalen Gallagher and retired school teacher Linda Goytia–running for two positions on the Campbell Union High School District.
Three candidates–Juliet Tiffany-Morales, Leah K. Read and Michael Snyder–running for two positions on the Campbell Union School District will also participate in the forum.
A third session will be held for three candidates–Julie Reynolds-Grabbe, Robert Varich and Brian Penzel–running for a pair of vacancies on the Moreland School District governing board.
The final candidate forum will be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 18 at the Orchard City Banquet Hall, 1 W. Campbell Ave. in Campbell. The forum will feature candidates running for U.S. Congressional District 18. Participating in that forum will be Anna Eshoo, the Democratic congresswoman for California’s 14th District, and Dave Chapman, a software engineer from Mountain View and member of the Republican party.
There will be a second session for two candidates–Adrienne Grey and Ron Bonhagen–running for one position on the West Valley-Mission Community College District 6 Governing Board.
The League of Women Voters is also hosting a series of pros-and-cons events on the 11 state measures: Oct. 1, 10:15 a.m., at Loma Prieta Elementary, 23800 Summit Road in Los Gatos; Oct. 1, 7 p.m., at Lakeside Elementary School, 19621 Black Road in Los Gatos; Oct. 9, 7 p.m., at the Campbell Community Center (cosponsored by the American Association of University Women); and Oct. 22, 7 p.m., at the Campbell Library, 77 Harrison Ave.
Voter registration events will be held on Oct. 17 at Prospect High School and on Oct. 18 at Branham.
All events are free and open to the public.
For more information about the League of Women Voters of Southwest Santa Clara Valley, visitwww.lwv-sw-santaclara-valley.org.
League to host forums featuring candidates, issues on 2012 ballot
