For Immediate Release
August 19, 2008
For Media Queries: Gerry Lanosga, IDC board member, glanosga@indiana.edu, 317-697-6083 (cell)
INDIANA DEBATE COMMISSION INVITES HOOSIERS TO ASK QUESTIONS IN DEBATES
Voters can Submit Questions for Candidates Online or by Mail
INDIANAPOLIS--The Indiana Debate Commission is inviting the public to post questions for gubernatorial candidates by filling out a simple online submission form.
All questions submitted to www.indianadebatecommission.com concerning state issues will be considered. Live questions will be asked of the three candidates from the pool of those who have contacted the commission with questions. The commission's non-partisan review committee will select participants.
Formats include the following:
- In Merrillville : A single moderator will read e-mails and mail-in questions submitted by the public.
- In Jasper: A town hall-style meeting will be conducted with voters asking questions directly of the candidates.
- In Bloomington: A single moderator will be interacting with candidates in a conversational style.
The commission confirmed three types of forums at its Monday meeting, the first to include a format in which a moderator reads voter questions sent by e-mail or traditional mail for the event scheduled at the Star Theatre in Merrillville , Ind., the evening of September 16. A time for the broadcast will be announced later this week.
In the next two weeks, the commission will also announce moderators for each of the debates.
Voter questions for the candidates--Republican Mitch Daniels, Democrat Jill Long Thompson and Libertarian Andy Horning--are of primary importance to the commission, a diverse coalition of citizen and media groups that incorporated in the fall of 2007.
"These three formats will provide the best opportunities for interaction from the public, including one debate that will allow selected participants to ask questions during a live broadcast," said Kevin Finch, president of the commission and news director at WISH-TV.
Voters who submit questions may be invited as well for VIP seating at the three debates, which are scheduled for September 16 in Merrillville, Ind.; September 23 in Jasper, Ind.; and October 14 in Bloomington, Ind.
For Hoosiers who do not have online access, questions can be submitted in writing and mailed to:
Indiana Debate Commission
3909 North Meridian Street
Indianapolis , IN 46208
ATTN: Indiana Governor's Debate
The deadline for submitting questions for the first debate is Friday, September 12. Additional information about tickets for the upcoming events will be released as soon as the information becomes available.
About the Indiana Debate Commission
The Indiana Debate Commission is a non-partisan, statewide group of affiliate organizations dedicated to promoting debates at the state level. Incorporated in the fall of 2007, the IDC will work with candidates, sponsors, venues and citizen groups to promote open, unbiased and transparent debates for Hoosier voters. For more information visit: www.indianadebatecommission.com
Indiana Debate Commission Affiliates
Indiana Coalition for Open Government (Founding Group)
Indiana Associated Press Managing Editors
Indianapolis Association of Black Journalists
Indiana Associated Press Broadcasters Association
Marion County Alliance of Neighborhood Associations
The Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations
The Indiana Broadcasters Foundation
Indiana Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists
League of Women Voters of Indiana
The Radio-Television News Directors Association
AARP
Hoosier State Press Association
Indiana State Bar Association
