The following format has been shared with candidates participating in the Cowichan-Malahat-Langford All-Candidates Forum, to be held Sept. 16, starting at 6PM, at the Water Wheel Park bandshell…
Candidates may arrive early (5:30 pm) and circulate among the public until the questioning period starts. The five candidates and the moderator will be seated at tables on the stage of the bandshell. A timer will be seated on the benches on the ground level in front of them. A corded microphone will be available for each candidate.
Once we are finished with introductions, each candidate will have two minutes for opening comments. The order of these will have been randomly selected.
We have previously used with success the lottery ticket system we’ll be employing this evening and believe you’ll find it satisfactory. As people enter the bandstand area, they’ll be told they will have a chance to ask a question if their number is drawn. They will be given one-half of a two-part numbered ticket. A volunteer will also circulate and hand out tickets to anyone who would like to have one. The other half of the ticket goes into a hat and tickets will be drawn by a volunteer.
When an audience member’s number has been called, he/she will have one minute to pose a question for all the candidates. Candidates will have two minutes to answer the question. The timer will notify you when ten seconds are left and when your two minutes are up.
When the questioning period is over, each candidate, again in random order, will have two minutes for closing comments.