On Thursday, April 14 at 8:00 p.m. EST, Hamilton County mayoral candidates Sabrena Smedley and Weston Wamp are meeting in a Republican Primary forum, publicly airing on WTCI-PBS and WUTC 88.1, a non-profit coalition announced today. All candidates who qualified to be on the Republican Primary ballot were invited to participate.
Partnering organizations include the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, Chattanooga 2.0, the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, United Way of Greater Chattanooga, and Venture Forward. WTCI-PBS and WUTC are presenting media partners.
The Republican Primary forum will be moderated by Ray Bassett, host of Scenic Roots on WUTC 88.1 FM. After brief introductory statements by each candidate, the debate will follow a standard format in which candidates will have up to two minutes to respond to questions, followed by up to one minute of response from the opposing candidate.
“At the Foundation, we believe that creating opportunities for sharing information and building relationships is as crucial as our monetary investments in the community,” says Dwayne Marshall, Community Foundation VP of Community Investment. “We are excited to work with our partners to create space for shared learning and informed decision-making this May and August as part of the Hamilton County government election cycle.”
Viewers and listeners should expect candid discussions about the candidates’ experiences, priorities, and opportunities for the future of Hamilton County. The focus will remain on substantial issues and solutions for the community.
“WTCI understands the value of an informed community. It is mission-focused work. A candidate forum is an opportunity for those on the ballot to communicate their vision for our community. Working with our partners, it is imperative that we offer multiple platforms for this important programming,” says Bob Culkeen, president and CEO of WTCI-PBS.
Candidates will respond to questions submitted by the coordinating partners. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.
“We look forward to furthering our understanding of Sabrena Smedley and Weston Wamp’s perspectives on key issues for Hamilton County. We’re proud to continue to be part of this partnership bringing the opportunity to know where these candidates stand on key issues to our community,” said Lesley Scearce, President and CEO of United Way of Greater Chattanooga.
Early voting will be held in Hamilton County from April 13 through April 28. The primary election will be held on May 3. More information about how and where to vote can be found at the Hamilton County Election Commission website at https://elect.hamiltontn.gov.
