Chamber, News-Press to host nonpartisan forum

BIG CREEK – Voters and candidates will have an opportunity to get to know one another during a nonpartisan candidate forum next Tuesday at the Shoshone Golf Club.

The forum is co-sponsored by the Silver Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Shoshone News-Press.

Local and state candidates from both sides of the aisle have been invited to attend. Candidates will have an opportunity to present their platforms, answer questions and meet potential voters in a low-pressure environment.

Several key races are on the ballot in Shoshone County, including contests for commissioner, coroner and assessor, as well as state legislative seats. Organizers said the forum is open to all candidates, including those running unopposed.

With so much political communication taking place online and through social media, organizers hope the forum will give voters a chance to meet candidates in person and hear directly how they plan to bring change to the county.

"We live in a time where the way we reach people is vastly different than it was even 10 years ago," Shoshone News-Press Local Editor Josh McDonald said. "This forum is designed to help bridge that gap and give people a chance to see these candidates in person, both to put a face to a name and to give them an opportunity to hear directly from them."

Both McDonald and Juli Zook of the chamber emphasized that the forum is not intended as a debate for candidates in contested races, but rather as an opportunity to introduce themselves and answer questions.

"We don't want this to become combative," McDonald said. "Political debates tend to result in tribalism and in a small community like Shoshone County, creating animosity like that doesn't help anyone."

Leaders of both the Shoshone County Republican and Democratic central committees were contacted about the event and asked to share information with their respective candidates. Organizers said they hope every candidate will attend but understand that schedules can be difficult this time of year.

"We want everyone to be there," Zook said. "It's so important for everyone to be represented because, when this is over, it's over. Voices need to be heard, both the voters and candidates. It's important for our community's future. We've been doing this for years, and it's always been successful. We're so excited to keep the tradition of these forums alive."

The Shoshone News-Press and Silver Valley Chamber of Commerce nonpartisan candidate forum will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Shoshone Golf Club. For more information, contact McDonald at (208) 512-3776 or Zook at (208) 659-1764.