On Wednesday, UC Davis will host a lunchtime Brown Bag Candidate Forum that will bring to campus the Democrat and Republican candidates vying for the 8th Assembly District seat in the March 2002 primary.
The event is open to the public and runs noon to 1:30 p.m. in MU II of the Memorial Union. Seating will be limited.
Co-sponsored by the UC Davis Staff Assembly, the Institute of Governmental Affairs, and the Office of Government & Community Relations, the forum will give candidates a chance to communicate directly with the campus community.
"Participation in the electoral process by learning the issues and interacting with candidates is extremely important," said Professor Walter Stone, chair of the political science department and faculty moderator for the forum.
"I highly value this type of direct political discourse and am pleased to participate in this event," he said.
With more than 26,000 employees, UC Davis is the largest employer in the 8th Assembly District. Davis resident Helen Thomson is vacating the seat due to term limits.
More than 8,000 employees live in the district, which encompasses Yolo and Solano counties and includes the communities of Benicia, Davis, Dixon, Fairfield, Rio Vista, Suisun City, Vacaville, West Sacramento, Winters and Woodland.
All the candidates have indicated they will attend the forum.
Three Democrats are in the March 5 race - Steve Hardy, a legislative committee consultant from Vacaville; Lois Wolk, a Yolo County supervisor from Davis; and Christopher Cabaldon, a city councilmember and college vice chancellor from West Sacramento.
One Republican, John Munn, a soil scientist from Davis, also is running. He will face-off with the Democratic winner of the March primary in November.
The forum's moderated and timed question-and-answer format will allow each candidate to respond to up to five pre-determined questions. Then, written questions submitted from the audience will be asked.
"Staff Assembly is working on this event because it is important for UC Davis employees to make informed decisions about our elected officials," said Laura Townsley, chair of the UC Davis Staff Assembly.
"The next Assemblymember will make important decisions that will affect issues ranging from wages to housing. Hopefully, this lunchtime forum will draw as many staff and faculty as possible to hear directly from these candidates."
Detailed election information, including background facts about issues on the March 5 ballot and candidates' statements about their priorities, is available online at the non-partisan League of Women Voters Web site: http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/state/.