DavidsonNews.net co-sponsors Oct. 22 event at St. Alban’s

Campaign season is getting into full swing in Mecklenburg County. The Nov. 3 local elections will give Davidson residents a chance to vote in two key races: Town Board and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Board of Education District 1 seat, which is up for grabs with the retirement of current school board member Larry Gauvreau.

DavidsonNews.net will co-sponsor one of two forums here in Davidson next month to help voters gauge the fields and make their voting decisions.

The Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce plans a forum at Town Hall on Thursday, Oct. 15, 7:30 to 9 p.m., at Town Hall, 216 S. Main St. Also present will be candidates for the District 1 Board of Education seat.

Then Oct. 22 at 7 p.m., the St. Alban’s neighborhood and DavidsonNews.net will sponsor a second forum with Town Board and school board candidates at St. Alban’s Church. The event is expected to last about 90 minutes.

Both forums are open to the public.

8 SEEK 5 SEATS IN DAVIDSON

Eight candidates are campaigning for five Town Board seats.  They include incumbent commissioners Margo Williams (mayor pro-tem), Laurie Venzon and Brian Jenest, and challengers Connie Wessner, Tim Dreffer, Drew Crawford, Nick Gibietis and Mickey Pettus. (The name of Fountain Walker is also on the ballot, though Mr. Walker said last weekend that he’s withdrawing from campaigning. A single parent, he said he believes the commissioner’s job will take too much time away from his kids.)

Mayor John Woods is also up for re-election, running unopposed.

Read more about the candidates in our coverage as they filed this summer, in our Election 2009 category.

Meanwhile, the District 1 school board election is a three-way race. Robin Bradford, Rhonda Lennon and Gail Summerskill are all seeking the seat. See Laurie Dennis’s July 17 report, “Three file for District 1 school board seats.”

DavidsonNews.net will provide full coverage of the October forums as they happen. We’ll also publish a voter’s guide, with candidate profiles and interviews in advance of the election. Stay tuned.