Leader to hold LPPJ candidate public forums

In anticipation of the Oct. 14 primary election, the Ruston Daily Leader will hold meet-and-greet and forum events featuring candidates for the Lincoln Parish Police Jury.

Free and open to the public, these events will take place Sept. 14 and 19 at the Lincoln Parish Library Events Center. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

The Sept. 14 event will feature candidates from Districts 1, 2, 3 and 6, and candidates from Districts 9, 10 and 11 will take the stage on Sept. 19.

Constituents who attend these events will have the chance to hear from candidates in each race on the ballot and submit written questions for the forum.

“As a dedicated source of local news, our aim during elections is to help voters be as informed as possible before making their choices at the polls,” Leader Publisher Celeste Holley said. “These events are the perfect opportunity for citizens to have their questions answered and grow more confident in their votes.”

A half-hour meetand- greet in the Events Center lobby will kick off the event. Attendees can mingle with candidates and submit written questions for the forum to Leader staff.

At 6 p. m. the forum will begin in the adjacent auditorium. Seated on the stage, each candidate will answer the same questions. The moderator will ask as many of the submitted questions as possible until the event concludes between 7:30 and 8 p.m.

Seventeen candidates are vying for seven seats on the police jury, the parish’s top governing authority. Early voting begins Sept. 30. Here’s the candidate list.

District 1: Will Edwards, Independent; Greg “Big Coach” Williams, Democrat; Theresa Wyatt, Democrat, incumbent.

District 2: Karen Ludley, Democrat; Tommie Woods, Republican

District 3: Richard I. Durrett, no party, incumbent; Dan Lord, Republican

District 6: John C. Cole, Republican; Glenn Scriber, Republican, incumbent

District 9: Nakisha R. Evans, Democrat; Joe Henderson, no party, incumbent District

10: Gary Wayne Baldwin, Democrat; Milton Melton, Democrat, incumbent; Morris “Mo Love” Winters, no party

District 11: Patsy Candler, Democrat; Sharyon Mayfield, Democrat, incumbent; Diane Heard Richards, Democrat