Eight election races will be represented at a state legislative and local candidate forum to be held Oct. 12 at the Athol Community Center.

But first, on Friday at noon, the Kootenai County Democratic Club will host a debate for District 2 candidates seeking election to the Idaho House of Representatives.

Tamara Poelstra will moderate the debate which will take place at the Iron Horse Bar and Grill on Sherman Avenue in Coeur d’Alene, where the Democratic club regularly meets.

“I want to lead an interesting discussion and to encourage the public to participate,” said Poelstra, who has been moderating for eight years. “There will be an opportunity for the audience to ask questions so it will be very interesting.”

Candidates who have been invited to participate include Vito Barbieri, the Republican incumbent in House seat A, and his challenger Democrat Kathy Kahn; and Eric Redman, the Republican incumbent in House seat B and his challenger Richard Kohles, a Democrat. The public is welcome to attend.

The forum in Athol, hosted by the Cedar Mountain Association, will begin at 7 p.m and will last about 2.5 hours, according the event's director, Debra Rose.

Each candidate will have a timed limit to speak due to the size of the bipartisan forum, which Rose believes is the biggest the county has had in recent memory. She expects around 300 people in attendance.

Among the speakers will be Republican Ben Wolfinger and Democrat Tina Kunishige of the sheriff's race; Russell McLain of the District 3 Commissioner's race; Chris Fillios of the District 2 commissioners race; Republican Vito Barbieri and Democrat Kathy Kahn of the District 2 Legislative House seat A race; Republican Eric Redman and Democrat Richard Kohles of District 2 Legislative House seat B race; Todd Banducci and Greg Gfeller of the NIC Trustee Zone 3 race; Judith Meyer of the NIC Trustee Zone 4 race and Brad Murray of the NIC Trustee Zone 6 race.

Republican Bob Bingham, running for a District 3 commissioners seat, was the lone candidate to not respond to the forum's invite. The forum had 13 speakers scheduled until Geri Wile dropped out of the NIC Trustee Zone 5 race due to health reasons.

"I am just very thankful that all the candidates are willing to come and participate, except for the one," Rose said. "They've been really receptive. These decisions they make affect our lives, so this is very important."

Coeur d’Alene attorney Art Macomber, author of House Joint Resolution 5, is the forum's guest speaker.

The Cedar Mountain Association, which hosted a smaller forum earlier this year, is a group focused on protecting rural environment in the county and is active in local politics.