The League of Women Voters of RI and the East Bay Media Group invite the public to two upcoming candidate forums taking place at East Providence City Hall; one on Monday, Oct. 5 and a second on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

On Oct. 5 candidates running for the East Providence City Council Ward 4 seat (Jason Botelho and Michael Spremulli) will meet at East Providence City Hall (145 Taunton Ave.). Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the debate begins at 7:00 p.m.

Debates for City Council Wards 2, 3 and At-large are unable to be held because of IRS regulations that require at least two candidates for each race participate. Only one candidate for each of these wards accepted the invitation to debate. Ward 2 candidate Anna Sousa reasoned that she had a work conflict, while Ward 3 candidate, Christopher Teixeira, and At-large candidate, Jay Medeiros, did not respond to the invitation from the League of Women Voters.

We encourage the public to attend and submit written questions at a meet and greet time, which begins at 6:30 p.m. Cards for writing down questions will be provided. No campaign signs, apparel, hats, button or other materials may be brought into the City Council Chambers.

The public may also submit questions for the candidates to lwvrhodeisland@gmail.org before noon on Oct. 1.

Senate District 14 and school committee

On Tuesday, Oct. 13 candidates for Rhode Island Senate District 14 — incumbent Valarie Lawson (D), and challenger, Brian Coogan (I) — and Ward 4 of the East Providence School Committee (Anthony Padulla and Chrissy Rossi) will meet at the East Providence City Hall. 

Candidates for the Ward 3 seat of the school committee (Libby Merrill and Renee Ignacio) originally had planned on participating in a debate, but Ignacio will be unable to attend due to a medical issue.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. The Senate District 14 debate will be held at 6:00 p.m., followed by the school committee at 7:00 p.m.

Debate for the Ward 2 school committee seat could not be held because one candidate (John Medeiros) did not respond to the League’s invitation. Another candidate forum was tentatively scheduled to be held between incumbent Mayor Bob DaSilva and challenger, Patricio Pinto, but Pinto did not respond to invitations from the League.

We encourage the public to attend and submit written questions at a meet and greet time, which begins at 5:30. Cards for writing down questions will be provided. No campaign signs, apparel, hats, button or other materials may be brought into the City Council Chamber.

For both events, the forum will be live-streamed for those who are not able to attend, and a link to the recording will be available on the League of Women Voters website at www.lwvri.org, through the election on Nov. 3.

The public may also submit questions for the candidates to lwvrhodeisland@gmail.org before noon on Oct. 8.
Democracy is served by informed voters who vote. We hope to see you on Oct. 5 and Oct. 13.