The "Candidates Forum" Luncheon Format
About the Aug. 11th Candidates Forum -
Our August 11th "Candidates Forum" Program begins at 11:00 a.m.
Check-In: 10:30am at Havana CC Breezeway area. Check-in is needed for you to pick up your place card with your menu choice before you proceed to the seating area.
Seating: Open seating for attendees. There will be one seat reserved for a candidate at each table. One seat next to the candidate is also designated for the Table Captain, an RFWTV member who will ensure that the rotations run smoothly.
Please DO NOT move the candidate’s seat or modify the table arrangements. The number of people per table and the candidate placement at each table has been designed to facilitate smooth running of the event. When you select a seat, please set your place card where it will be easily visible to your server.
Lunch Service: Attendees will be provided with a place card indicating their lunch selections at check-in. Please set this place card on the table where you decide to sit, so that it is easily visible to your server when lunch is brought to the table, thereby minimizing distractions.
Lunch service is scheduled to begin at 11:45am. Note that we have requested that the Candidates be served first. To maintain the flow of the event, it is important that Candidates eat at the same time, so they are ready to move on when we resume rotations.
Candidates' Forum - Agenda & Format:
- 11:00am - Call to Order, Prayer, Pledge
- 11:05am - President’s remarks; introduction of candidates
- 11:10am - Candidates take seats at tables (1 candidate per table); rotations begin; candidates rotate to next table at signal
- Rotations continue at 5-minute intervals
- When lunch service occurs, we will have one extended rotation period of 10-15 minutes, so that candidates may eat their lunch also. This counts as one rotation.
- At conclusion of the lunch pause, regular rotations resume at 5-minute intervals
- 12:50pm - rotations conclude
- 12:55pm - President’s final remarks & thanks
- 1:00pm - Meeting adjourns; Event concludes
Preparation: Rotations will be only 5 minutes long. Please ask specific questions that are concise and of general interest so that time is shared by everyone. A good question should take less than 10 seconds to ask.
Examples of Questions to Ask the Candidate:
- Why should we vote for you?
- What is your first priority if you are elected?
- What specific experience makes you prepared to hold the office you’re running for?
- What is your position on “X” issue?
A Candidate Worksheet will be available at the event. As an alternative, you may print a copy of the Sample Ballot (use link below) and jot down your questions in advance for the candidates.
Other notes:
- Please be respectful of all candidates and others at your table, whether you agree with their positions or not. Engaged discussion is encouraged.
AUGUST 23rd PRIMARY ELECTION
To prepare yourself for the Florida Primary Election, please review a Sample Ballot.
Florida is a “closed primary” state, which means that only voters who are registered members of a political party which has candidates on the primary election ballot may vote for that party’s candidates.
Voters with no party affiliation are not eligible to vote for party candidates in a primary election. However, all qualified voters regardless of party affiliation or no party affiliation can vote in certain races, such as nonpartisan judicial and school board offices.
