The Democratic Women of Guilford County will host a municipal candidate forum at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Greensboro at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Julie Lapham, who is running for an at-large seat on Greensboro City Council, tells me that only registered Democrats and unaffiliated candidates were invited to participate.
I've e-mailed the organizers to ask which candidates have confirmed that they will attend.
This marks the beginning of a busy season of candidate forums in Greensboro. The Guilford County Unity Effort, of which I am a part, holds its first forum next Tuesday at the Greensboro Historical Museum.
UPDATE, Sept. 1, Time: Mary Bell with Democratic Women confirms that only Democrats and unaffiliated candidates have been invited.
She says in a recent e-mail that the following candidates have confirmed that they will attend:
For mayor:
Yvonne Johnson
For at-large:
Marikay Abuzuaiter
Max Benbassat
Sandra Anderson Groat
DJ Hardy
Julie Lapham
Ryan Shell
Nancy Vaughan
For District 1:
Dianne Bellamy-Small
Luther T. Falls Jr.
Daron R. Sellars
For District 2:
Gordon Hester
Jim Kee
For District 3:
George Hartzman
For District 4:
Joel Landau
Mike Martin
For District 5:
Art Boyett
Astute readers will recall that Ryan Shell was registered as a Republican, but Bell says in a follow-up e-mail that he switched to Democrat on Friday. Although the record posted on the state board of elections website currently lists him as Republican, an employee of the Guilford County Board of Elections confirmed that they processed the new registration today.
UPDATE, Sept. 2, 5:24 p.m.: Lots of discussion about Ryan Shell's switch at Guilford County Republican Party Executive Director Tony Wilkins' blog here, here and here.
UPDATE, Sept. 3, 12:55 p.m.: Michele Smith writes on behalf that the following candidates have now confirmed that they will attend the forum: Jorge Cornell (at-large), Ben Holder (District 1),Dan Fischer (District 2), Jay Ovittore (District 3). Smith indicates there is a possibility that Nettie Coad (District 2) may attend.