Part IV: Candidate Forums

Candidate Forum Statewide Policies

For over 100 years, Minnesota voters have looked to the League of Women Voters to provide the highest quality of fact-based candidate and issue information. Candidates participate in our forums because they know they will be asked unbiased questions and treated with civility and respect. 

LWV Minnesota recognizes the importance of providing members with opportunities to develop their leadership skills. Training those who represent LWV to the media, candidates and voters to be poised, confident and prepared facilitators and speakers is fundamental to our success.

Adherence to these protocols is one reason LWV Minnesota is known and respected statewide. To that end, there are statewide policies regarding candidate forums that should be followed by all local LWVs: 

• All moderators must be members of LWV whose dues are current.

• All moderators must have attended an LWV moderator training within the last four years. It is further recommended that all moderators attend training every two years to refresh their skills and learn new techniques for moderating in a changing political climate. Our statewide moderator list includes the date of most recent training. 

• All moderators must review the LWVMN Ensuring Nonpartisanship documents annually. These documents can be found in the Voter Service Handbook online and are part of the workshop materials. 

• The LWV Minnesota Board of Directors approved a Candidate Participation policy which states that scheduled forums will occur when one candidate in a two-candidate race either declines the invitation or fails to appear. See the policy for details.