Lincolnwood's Election Debates: We Need Questions!

Skokie Patch will be hosting election debates for Lincolnwood’s upcoming mayoral, trustee and school board races.

Voters in Lincolnwood have a very unusual election season with many contested races.

Your vote is important and will affect future decisions made in Lincolnwood. The debates will be a great opportunity to see, hear and question the candidates.

What sets these elections apart is the high number of candidates running for office. At the debates, each candidate will address the audience and community (via closed circuit tv) and answer questions posed by the moderator. The Chicago Sun-Times will also be covering the event.

When And Where Are The Debates?

All forums will take place at Lincolnwood Village Hall, 6900 Lincoln Ave.

The following are the different debates:

• Village Trustee, March 14, 7 p.m.
• Mayoral, March 26, 7 p.m.
• School Board, District 74, March 27, 7 p.m.

We Need Questions!

Skokie Patch is seeking questions from Lincolnwood residents for all the debates. You can submit as many questions as you’d like for one or all of the events.

Email your questions to georges@patch.com.

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Who is Running?

Running for Village President (mayor):

• Peter Moy (Forward Vision Party - former village president)
  
  
• Georgia Talaganis (Independent Party - former village clerk and library president)
  
  
• Gerald Turry, (Independent – current incumbent president)

Running for Village Trustee (There are three open seats):

• Ronald Cope (Independent)
  
  
• Lawrence Elster (Independent Party - Incumbent)
  
  
• Demerise “Reese” Gratch (Independent Party)
  
  
• Jean Ikezoe-Halevi (Independent)
  
  
• Craig Klatzco (Independent)
  
  
• Mira Mazur (Forward Vision Party)
  
  
• Jennifer Spino (Forward Vision Party)
  
  
• John Swanson (Independent Party - Incumbent)
  
  
• Martin Youkhanna (Forward Vision Party)

Running for School Board District 74 (Four seats, four-year terms):

• Scott Anderson (Incumbent - President)
  
  
• Kathryn O’Brien
  
  
• Kevin Daly (Incumbent)
  
  
• Mahmood Khan

• John Vranas (Incumbent)
  
  
• Meeta Vakil
  
  
• Georjean Hlepas- Nickell is also running for an uncontested two-year term.

Forum Ground Rules:

1) Legally qualified candidates found eligible to be on the April 9, 2013 ballot are invited to participate in the debates.

2) The moderators and timekeeper will be selected by Skokie Patch.

3) There will be no substitutes or stand-ins for the candidates.

4) Candidates will have access to the site one hour before the forum.

5) No campaign banners, signs, literature handouts or other campaign paraphernalia will be allowed in the forum.

6) The audience will be asked to refrain from applauding or in other ways demonstrating support or nonsupport for a candidate. 

7) The moderator gives opening and closing remarks, and will introduce the candidates.

8) Speaking order will be determined by randomly drawing candidate names from a container. A separate draw of names will be conducted for opening and closing statements.

9) Each candidate is permitted to give an opening and closing statement limited to two minutes.

10) Candidates will be asked a series of pre-determined questions that were submitted by the community at large and selected at the moderator’s discretion.

11) The moderator will pose questions to candidates in a staggered format. Each candidate’s response will be limited to two minutes. After all candidates have responded, a one-minute rebuttal may be given at the moderator’s discretion. 

12) Time limits on responses will be strictly observed. A timekeeper will flash cards to indicate the amount of time left. 

13) The moderator will have the responsibility of enforcing time limits. The moderator will also have the authority to interrupt the proceedings to enforce the ground rules and format that were agreed to by the candidates.

14) The candidates will not interrupt one another.

15) The candidates' closing statements should be significantly related to the matters discussed previously. Because there is no opportunity for rebuttal following the closing statements, candidates should refrain from personal attacks or charges.

16) Candidates will abide by the Village of Lincolnwood General Policy and Conditions for Use of the Village Hall for Political Campaign Forums and Debates.

Election day is April 9.

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