As the race for Akron mayor heats up, the Akron Press Club and local media partners have announced two upcoming debates, as well as the release of a poll ahead of the debates about issues Akronites are most concerned about.
The Democratic debates will be held April 5 and 12, according to a Friday news release from the Akron Press Club. According to the release, candidates who meet the debate criteria will be eligible to participate.
There will be no Republican debate, as just one candidate has filed to run for the primary.
The April 5 debate will be held at noon during an Akron Press Club luncheon at Quaker Station, the release states. Doors will open at 11 a.m. and the debate will last 90 minutes. Proceeds from the luncheon will help fund scholarships for collegiate journalism and public relations students. Individuals who do not wish to eat lunch can attend at no charge, according to the release.
The second debate on April 12th will be held at 7 p.m. at the main branch of the Akron-Summit County Public Library on High Street. The event will be free and open to the public.
Details on how to register, the format for the debates, as well as who will serve as moderators and panelists, are forthcoming, according to the release.
The Democratic candidates include Marco Sommerville, Deputy Mayor of Intergovernmental Affairs under Mayor Dan Horrigan; current city councilmembers Tara Mosley and Shammas Malik; Summit County Councilman and former Deputy Mayor for Administration Jeff Wilhite; Mark Greer, former small business program manager under Mayor Dan Horrigan’s administration; Chapel Hill resident Joshua Schaffer and teacher Keith Mills.
Former conservative talk show host Jim Isabella is the sole Republican candidate.
An issues poll, conducted by the Center for Marketing Opinion and Research, will be released Feb. 27 during a panel discussion at an Akron Press Club luncheon at Quaker Station. Longtime journalist and Akron Press Club board member M.L. Schultze will moderate the discussion featuring panelists Dr. John Green, director emeritus of the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron, and Judi Hill, president of the Akron chapter of the NAACP.
Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions.
The poll was funded by the Akron Press Club, Greater Akron Chamber, Ohio Debate Commission, State and Federal Communications, United Way of Summit & Medina and the Bliss Institute.
The debates and poll are part of a collaboration between the Akron Press Club, Ideastream Public Media, the Akron Beacon Journal and the Ohio Debate Commission.
