League of Women
Voters, partners, to hold forums at three Bay Area colleges
PALO ALTO, CA ÑThe League of Women Voters is known for its tireless efforts during election season Ð moderating candidate forums and informing the public about ballot measures. This year it will take its show on the road to three Bay Area colleges to help energize young voters and get more of them to the polls.
The South San Mateo County League of Women Voters and its partner, the Midpeninsula Community Media Center, are organizing 11 election forums at Ca–ada College in Redwood City, Stanford University in Palo Alto, and Foothill College in Los Altos Hills. Students will have a chance to test candidates for U.S. Congress, State Senate, State Assembly, as well as proponents and opponents of three controversial state propositions.
The forums kick off at Ca–ada CollegeÕs Main Theatre on Monday, Sept. 27 and Wednesday, Sept. 29. On the 27th, incumbent Congresswoman Anna Eshoo will face off against her Republican and Libertarian challengers at 11:30 AM, followed at 12:30 PM by the candidates for State Senate who are seeking to fill the seat vacated by Byron Sher. On Sept. 29th at noon, there will be a debate on Proposition 66. Prop 66 would amend the three strikes law and require that the third strike be a violent felony rather than any felony at all. At 1:00 PM there will be a debate on Proposition 72 that would require employers who have more than 20 employees to provide healthcare coverage. The state legislature passed the controversial healthcare mandate in the closing hours of Governor DavisÕ administration but itÕs been placed on hold pending the outcome of this election.
Students at Ca–ada College are preparing questions for the debates and the issues are being discussed in several classrooms. The student activities office is providing a free lunch for any student that registers to vote at the forums. At Foothill College the forums will be run by a student club, the Foothill Academy for California Social Issues, and at Stanford Ð by a campus group called Stanford in Government.
In addition to Props 66 and 72, a third proposition Ð 71 Ð will be debated at Foothill College on Monday, Oct. 4 and at Stanford on Monday, Oct. 18. Prop 71 would fund stem cell research in California. Additionally, the two candidates for State Assembly will face off on October 4 at Foothill. The public is welcome to attend the free forums.
The Peninsula Community Foundation has made it possible for all of the forums to be videotaped by the Midpeninsula Community Media Center and streamed on the internet. Voters will be able to go to the Media CenterÕs web site at any time up to Election Day and click on a particular question to view the answers that were given at a specific forum. The programs will play frequently on community cable channels throughout the peninsula. A complete playback schedule for Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Atherton can also be found on the Media Center web site at www.CommunityMediaCenter.net. The complete schedule of forums to attend is as follows:
Sept 27 Ca–ada College Theatre 11:30 Ð 12:30 PM Congress
12:30
Ð 1:30 PM State Senate
Sept 29 Ca–ada College Theatre 12:00 Ð 1:00 PM Prop 66
1:00 Ð 2:00 PM Prop
72
Oct 4 Foothill Ð Appreciation Hall 12:00 Ð 1:00 PM Prop 71
1:00 Ð 2:00 PM State
Assembly
Oct 18 Stanford Ð Tresidder Union 7:00 Ð 7:40 PM Prop 72
7:40 Ð 8:20 PM Prop 66
8:20 Ð
9:00 PM Prop
71
Oct 20 Foothill Ð Appreciation Hall 12:00 Ð 1:00 PM Prop 66
1:00
Ð 2:00 PM Prop
72