Forum to feature candidates for school board, TN House, Congress

A Wednesday evening forum will feature candidates for Oak Ridge Board of Education, U.S. Congressional District 3, and Tennessee House District 32.

The forum starts at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Oak Ridge High School Amphitheater at 1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike. It’s been organized by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge.

Candidates for Oak Ridge Board of Education have been invited to speak and answer questions. They include  incumbent Bob Eby and seven other candidates: Jean Hiser, Andrew Howe, Mike Mahathy, A. Paige Marshall, Laura McLean, Laurie Paine, and Aaron Wells.

There are three school board seats available in the November 4 municipal election. Eby is the only incumbent seeking re-election; Dan DiGregorio and Jenny Richter are not.

Candidates with opposition in the state and federal general election have also been invited to speak and answer questions. In the U.S. House, Republican Representative Chuck Fleischmann of District 3, which includes Oak Ridge, faces challenges from Democrat Mary M. Headrick, who also ran two years ago, and Independent Cassandra J. Mitchell.

Republican Kent Calfee and Democrat Joe Kneiser are running for Tennessee House of Representatives District 32, which includes part of Roane and Loudon counties.

Two unopposed candidates will be introduced at the forum. They are Republican Randy McNally running for re-election in Tennessee Senate District 5 (Anderson, Loudon, and part of Knox County) and Republican John D. Ragan running for reelection in Tennessee House District 33 (most of Anderson County).

Organizers noted that this is a new date for the state and federal general election candidate forum. The original forum date was September 23, but it has been changed to September 17.

League member Emily Jernigan will moderate the forum. Matt Shafer Powell, director of news content and executive producer of WUOT-FM in Knoxville, will provide questions for school board candidates. Melinda Hillman, vice president of advancement and community relations at Roane State Community College, will provide questions for federal and state candidates. Questions will also be collected from the audience.

Early voting begins October 15 and ends October 30. The election is Tuesday, November 4.