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The Lompoc-Vandenberg branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of North Santa Barbara County, and FUTURE for Lompoc Youth (FLY) will host two nonpartisan dual language candidate forums on Thursday, September 26, and Thursday, October 3, 2024.
The Lompoc Unified School Board Candidate Forum will be held on Thursday, September 26, 2024, and will start at 6:30pm. All candidates were invited to participate. Candidates who have confirmed their attendance are District 1 candidates, Jerri Thiel and Tracy Phillips, District 2 Candidate Mitch Torina (running unopposed), District 4 Candidate Brenda Villa (running unopposed) and District 5 Candidate Carson Link. District 5 Candidate, LeAnne Woolever, did not accept or decline participation in the forum and the deadline to respond has passed.
The city of Lompoc Candidate Forum for City Council and Mayoral candidates will be held on Thursday, October 3, 2024, and start at 6:30 pm. All candidates were invited to participate. All candidates have
confirmed their attendance: District 1 City Council candidates, Steve Bridge and Patrick Wienmiller and District 4 City Council candidates, Jeremy Ball (running unopposed), All candidates running for the position of Lompoc Mayor have confirmed their attendance: Jenelle Osborne, Jim Mosby and Lydia Perez. The forums will be in person (100 Civic Center Plaza, Lompoc) with live interpretation (Spanish and English) and on TAP TV Channel 23, on KPEG 100.9 FM, and via Zoom Webinar with live interpretation.
A Community/Candidate meet up will proceed each forum at City Hall from 5:45 – 6:15 pm where candidates are invited to bring campaign literature. All voters and community members are welcome to attend. The forums will begin at 6:30 pm and conclude at 8:00.
Candidate questions will be collected from the community via Zoom registration and consolidated for use at the forums. A $20 gift card to a woman-owned small business in Lompoc will be awarded to the first 100 people to register for the forums: a maximum of one gift card per person.
There is no cost to attend but registration (whether attending in person or via Zoom) is requested at AAUW https://lompocvandenberg-ca.aauw.net.
According to AAUW Lompoc-Vandenberg branch co-president, Lucy Thoms-Harrington, “By expanding the nonpartisan forums to include live interpretation both in person and via Zoom Webinar, these forums will be accessible to all of our community. We appreciate The Fund for Santa Barbara for the Movement
Building grant to support these important nonpartisan forums so that our community can be informed. ”AAUW is a nonpartisan organization open to all genders dedicated to improving the lives of females. Its mission is “Equity for All”. The Lompoc-Vandenberg Branch of AAUW was chartered in 1964 and has a legacy of hosting nonpartisan candidate forums as a service to the community. For more information about joining or supporting AAUW, please visit lompocvandenberg-ca.aauw.net.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information about joining or supporting the League of Women Voters, please visit https://my.lwv.org/california/north-santa-barbara-county