Date:

March 13, 2009

For More Information Contact:

Diane Gonzolas, Citizen Information Center, 441-7831

Sharon Nemeth, League of Women Voters, 472-2333, 489-3571

The League of Women Voters (LWV) of Lincoln-Lancaster County invites the public to a series of five debates Tuesday, March 17 featuring candidates on the ballot for the spring primary election. The primary is Tuesday, April 7, and the general election is May 5.

The debates will run from 2:45 to 9 p.m. in the Bevins Family Life Center on the main floor of Saint Paul United Methodist Church, 1144 "M" Street. 5 CITY-TV (Time Warner Cable channel 5) also will tape these debates for rebroadcast. All races are nonpartisan. In the schedule below, all candidates are listed in alphabetical order. The LWV is still receiving commitments from candidates on attendance.

• 2:45 to 3:45 p.m. - Lincoln Airport Authority, at large. Candidates are John Hoppe Jr., John-Paul Jamison, Mark Long, Val Schmiedeskamp and Walter Zink II. (If two or three candidates attend, this will be shortened to 30 minutes.)
• 4 to 4:30 p.m. - Lincoln Public Schools Board of Education, Subdistrict #1. Candidates are Kathy Danek, Greg Wiltshire and Kirby Young.
• 4:45 to 5:15 p.m. - Lincoln Public Schools Board of Education, Subdistrict #3. Candidates are Barbara Baier, JezikaIvy Hilgenfeld and Tony Merritt.
• 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. - Lincoln Public Schools Board of Education, Subdistrict #5. Candidates are Lanny Boswell, Norman Dority, Kevin Keller and Mike Laughter. (If two or three candidates attend, this will be shortened to 30 minutes.)
• 7 to 9 p.m. - Lincoln City Council. Candidates are Toberlin Burger, Eugene Carroll, Mike Deal, John Haltom (candidacy being challenged), Adam Hornung, Jane Kinsey, Bruce Kitchen, Terry Kubicek, Erin Pierson, Jayne Snyder and Ken Svoboda.

If only one candidate is attending, the debate will be cancelled, but those attending are invited to visit with the candidate during the time allowed for the debate.

To reach the Bevins Family Life Center from the west doors, use the elevator ("M" button). If entering the church through the south door, go up the interior stairs and walk away from the sanctuary. Parking is available across 11th Street or in the parking garage one block south of the church. Free space may be available on the street or in the garage under the church (enter from 11th Street).

Debate co-sponsors include the Mayor's Commission on Women; the Lincoln Area Agency on Aging; the National Council of Negro Women (Lincoln Section); the North 27th Street Business and Civic Association; the NAACP; and Saint Paul United Methodist Church. Funding for the debates is provided by the League of Women Voters of Lincoln-Lancaster Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization.

Audience members are asked to not wear or otherwise display items indicating support of specific candidates while in the debate area.

For a schedule of air times, see the City Web site at lincoln.ne.gov and click on the 5 CITY-TV logo. The debates also will be available through video-on-demand on the Web site.