Voters in Port Washington, Manhasset, and Great Neck can mark their calendars for Oct. 12 and Oct. 19 evening Candidate Forums, co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Port Washington-Manhasset and by the Women’s Group of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock, located at 48 Shelter Rock Road in Manhasset.

Candidates for supervisor and receiver of Taxes for the Town of North Hempstead are confirmed for 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on October 19 at UUCSR.

Light food will be available from 5:30pm. All four candidates have confirmed their participation and acceptance of League procedures for timing, sequencing, civil discourse, etc.

Running for town supervisor are Jennifer DeSena (Rep., Con.) and Jon Kaiman (Dem.). Running for receiver of taxes are Mary Jo Collins (Rep, Con.) and Veronica Lurvey (Dem.). DeSena is the incumbent supervisor. The incumbent Receiver of Taxes, Charles Berman, is retiring.

Four forums for local town and county legislators are planned for Oct. 12, beginning at 5:00 p.m. and running to 9:00 p.m., with light food available from 4:30 p.m.

The two forums for Town of North Hempstead Council Districts 4 and 6 are confirmed by all four candidates: Town Council District 4 candidates James Gounaris (Rep, Con.) and Christne Liu (Dem.) and Town Council District 6 candidates Mariann Dalimonte (Dem). and David Franklin (Rep, Con).

District lines have been adjusted following the 2020 census and the only incumbent is Dalimonte.

Two forums for Nassau County Legislative Districts 10 and 11 are planned but not yet confirmed because two of the four candidates have been non-responsive to the League invitation.

For District 10, challenger Weihua Yan (Dem) has agreed, while incumbent Mazi Malesa Pilip (Rep, Con) has not agreed to participate or to the procedures despite repeated outreach over multiple weeks.

For District 11, incumbent Delia DeRiggi-Whiton (Dem) has agreed, while challenger John Stalzer (Rep, Con) has not responded at all to repeated outreach over multiple weeks, including from party leaders.

Two forums are also confirmed for Glen Cove Mayor (on October 2) and Glen Cove City Council (on October 25), both at the Glen Cove High School, starting at 7:00 pm. In total, the League is delighted that 22 of the 24 candidates listed by the Nassau County Board of Elections have promptly and fully accepted our League’s invitations and procedures for participation.

National, state, and local LWV policy requires at least two candidates for an office participate in any League-sponsored forum.

Allowing only one candidate to speak to an audience— invited by the league at a venue arranged by the League — is considered a “contribution in kind” and violates our strict nonpartisan policy.

Historically, those candidates who refuse League invitations include incumbents who do not wish to share a stage or offer airtime to challengers.

Similarly, both challengers and incumbents may refuse to participate if they are not confident in their abilities to address relevant issues before a wide range of voters — such candidates have been both Republicans and Democrats.

Voters should let candidates of all parties who seek to represent them know they value League forums — forums where voters hear from all candidates for a given office in the same public space, answering the same voter questions, using civil discourse in a process designed to be nonpartisan and fair.

Similarly, voters can reach out to those candidates who have not yet confirmed participation and agreement to procedures to let them know that representing all voters begins with making oneself available to all voters.

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. The League does not support or oppose any political party or candidate.