The “candidate forum” parade has started in full force.
Candidates running for Shreveport Mayor, Caddo District Attorney, Caddo School Board and Shreveport City Council have already been asked to attend one or more forums for neighborhood groups.
These are great for voter education, especially for neighborhoods that may have different priority interests from the candidate.
The fly in the ointment is forums involving the same political races scheduled for the same day and time.
This past Tuesday the Broadmoore Neighborhood Association (BNA) and the Delta Sigma Theta sorority held forums at the same time. BNA was for the Caddo DA race only and the sorority function was for candidates ranging from U.S. Senate to the local school board and DA race along with Shreveport City Council.
As a result of the conflict, Caddo DA Stewart and DA candidate Lauren Anderson chose to attend the sorority function. DA candidates Patricia Gilley and state senator Alan Seabaugh were at the BNA forum; Stewart sent Caddo Assistant Ross Owen as a fill-in.
Conflicting forums with the same candidates were unfortunate and should be avoided if possible.
Maybe the Committee of 100 could take on this needed task—hint, hint, hint.
All Shreveport voters and the candidates themselves would greatly benefit from a website calendar.
John came to Shreveport in January of 1977 when he was transferred to Barksdale AFB.
He’s been active in Shreveport politics since deciding to make Shreveport his home.
John practiced law for 40 years and he now monitors local politics. He regularly attends Shreveport City Council and Caddo Parish Commission meetings.
John is published weekly in The Inquisitor, bi-monthly in The Forum News, and frequently in the Shreveport Times.
He enjoys addressing civic groups on local government issues and elections.