Candidates for county, state offices invited to forum

Cape Girardeau voters have the opportunity to bring their questions directly to local and state political candidates at today's voters forum.

The League of Women Voters of Southeast Missouri and the Department of Communications at Southeast Missouri State University are sponsoring the forum from 7 to 9 p.m. today and Thursday at Glenn Auditorium in Dempster Hall at Southeast Missouri State University.

Speaking at today's forum are candidates for Missouri House of Representatives District 158 and Cape Girardeau County Commission District 2.

The District 158 candidates are:

Republicans: Phil Brinson, Nathan Cooper and Eugene "Pete" Frazier III.

The District 2 candidates are:

Democrat: James Bowers

Republicans: Walter White, James "Clay" Waller, Bill Stanfield, Dan Niswonger, Jay Purcell, Bill Reynolds, Dennis "Doc" Cain, Kathy Swan and Barry Hovis.

All District 2 candidates with the exception of Waller have confirmed their attendance at the forum.

Speaking at Thursday's forum are candidates for Cape Girardeau County commission District 1, sheriff, treasurer, administrator and coroner.

The District 1 candidates are:

Democrat: Fred Wilkinson

Republicans: Doug Flannery, Robert Cox Jr., David Blumenberg, Charles Roberts, Larry Bock, David Hahn, Don Crowder, J.W. Strack and Richard Rushin.

Candidates Cox, Blumenberg, Bock, Hahn and Rushin will attend the forum.

Sheriff candidates John Jordan, incumbent, and Alan Foust will attend, as will treasurer candidates Dean Sawyer, Roger Hudson and Len Barreca; public administrator candidates Sharla Harrison and Phyllis Schwab (opponent Deborah McBride will not be in attendance) and coroner candidates Edward Frenzel, John Clifton and Mike Hurst.

League of Women Voters members Glenda Quinn and Eileen Steinberg, and one person not yet chosen, are moderating the forums.

Each forum will start with a two-minute opening statements from each candidate, followed by a question and answer period in which moderators take written questions from the audience and present them to the candidates, who are allowed nine to 10 minutes in which to respond.

Following the question and answer period, candidates will present a two-minute concluding statement.

kalfisi@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182