You Won't Believe What Candidates Are Hiding – Join the Explosive Election Forums Tonight!

As Lane County gears up for the upcoming election cycle, Lookout Eugene-Springfield is stepping up to help voters get informed. The organization is hosting two crucial candidate forums on April 13 and April 15, aimed at providing residents with insights into the candidates running for the Lane County Commission and the Eugene City Council.

The first forum will take place at the Wildish Theater in Springfield on April 13, starting at 2 p.m. This event will feature candidates from three different districts, and discussions will be moderated by Lookout's policy and politics correspondent Ben Botkin and Opinion Editor Elon Glucklich. The forum structure is designed to facilitate meaningful conversations rather than traditional debates, allowing voters to hear directly from the candidates on important issues.

Here's the schedule for the Lane County Commission forum:

• District 2: 2-3 p.m. - Candidates include David Lovall, Sean Van Gorden, and William Monsoor.
• District 1: 3:15-4:15 p.m. - Candidates include Ryan Ceniga and Thomas Hiura.
• District 5: 4:30-5:30 p.m. - Candidates include Heather Burch, Jake Pelroy, and Bob Zybach.

Due to limited seating, attendees are encouraged to reserve their free tickets for the forum in advance.

The following event, focused on the Eugene City Council, will occur on April 15 at WOW Hall at 4:30 p.m. This forum will also adopt a structured format, breaking discussions into two segments to accommodate candidates from different wards:

• Ward 4 and Ward 6: 4:30-5:30 p.m. - Candidates include Jennifer Yeh and Tom Stedman for Ward 4, and Tai Pruce-Zimmerman and Greg Evans for Ward 6.
• Ward 3 and Ward 5: 5:45-6:45 p.m. - Candidates include John Barofsky and Jennifer Smith for Ward 3, and Mike Clark, Athena Agiuar, and Jasmine Hatmaker for Ward 5.

This forum will be moderated by Lookout Eugene’s correspondent Grace Chinowsky alongside Glucklich, ensuring that the candidates' responses are insightful and informative.

Lookout’s commitment to providing free election coverage is made possible through community membership support. As stated in their communications, every membership contributes to strengthening local democracy and supports nonpartisan, independent journalism in Lane County. In addition to these forums, Lookout is set to offer comprehensive coverage of all races and measures on the ballot for the 2026 elections.

Voters are also invited to participate actively in the forums by submitting questions they wish to see addressed during the discussions. This engagement helps ensure that the forums are relevant and focused on the issues most important to the community.

With local elections playing a vital role in shaping community policies, these forums represent an excellent opportunity for voters to make informed choices. They provide a platform for direct communication between candidates and constituents, which is crucial in today's political climate.

As April approaches, community members should take note of these dates and consider attending to learn more about the candidates who aspire to represent them. For those interested, securing tickets for both events in advance is advisable, as seating is limited.