Political Forums Offer Voters Chance to Hear Candidate Platforms

Although early voting for the May 21 General Primary and NonPartisan Election for locally-relevant offices is slightly more than a month away, efforts are underway in both  Stephens County and Franklin County to assure that voters have a chance to hear from all candidates in contested races about matters of importance to citizens.

In Stephens County, the Toccoa/Stephens County Chamber of Commerce is once again hosting a political forum in advance of voting. Scheduled for Monday, April 15 at 6 p.m. at the Ritz Theatre, the event will feature candidates from the Sheriff race, the Probate Court Judge Race, and the race for Stephens County Commissioner Post 3 seat.

Chamber President Julie Paysen spoke with WNEG News recently about the upcoming event, and the fact that citizens are encouraged to submit questions for the candidates ahead of the event. 

She explained why the Chamber chooses to format the events as a forum, instead of a head-to-head debate.

Stephens County Hospital CEO and Chamber Board Member Van Loskoksi will again be the event moderator, and WNEG News will air the event live and provide a livestream of the event. 

In neighboring Franklin County, 22 candidates running for local offices in Franklin County squared off this past Saturday in a Republican Party-sponsored Political Forum.

The forum was held before a packed room in the cafeteria of Franklin County High School.

Six races are contested in Franklin County: County Commission Chair, Board of Commission Posts 1 and 2, Board of Education Post 1, Chief Magistrate Judge, and District Attorney for the Northern Judicial Circuit.

Kicking off the forum were the four candidates running for Franklin County Commission Chair.

Those running include Nick McFarlin, Courtney Long, Colt Hart, and Joe Greene who was absent but sent a representative to deliver his opening speech.

All three candidates in attendance said the biggest problem facing Franklin County is impending economic and population growth and how to balance that growth while at the same time, keeping the County’s rural and agricultural heritage.

Candidate Nick McFarlin said the City of Royston is one of the poorest cities in the State and if elected he would reach out to State officials to get more jobs not only into Royston but the county as a whole.

McFarlin said the Board of Commissioners needs to focus on the next generation and work towards leaving the County better than when we found it.

Candidate Courtney Long said the County has been a victim of poor economic planning for too long.

She added that while growth is coming it needs to be controlled by setting boundaries and improving and expanding the current infrastructure along the I-85 corridor.

Colt Hart said one way to attract new industry to the county is to offer industries and commercial businesses better tax breaks and pointed to surrounding counties that do that.

WNEG Radio’s Sister station WLHR is airing parts of Saturday’s political forum each Sunday during the station’s Community Forum program at 12:03 p.m.  after ABC News.

Also, those that have not yet registered to vote must do so by April 22 in order to be eligible to vote in the May 21 election. Early voting for the May 21 election will begin on April 29.

Visit this story on WNEG’s sister station WLHR in Lavonia for audio clips from the Lavonia forum.