Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

Candidate Debates

22. July 2008 • Juliew
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The League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area is holding candidate debates July 22, 23 and 24. These will air on Ann Arbor’s Community Television Network’s channel 19 and will be rebroadcast multiple times. The forums will include candidates for Mayor, and the contested Wards 2, 3 and 5 as well for Washtenaw County Commission districts 8 and 9. Please note, these are not the only candidates on the ballot on August 5. August 5 primary election information may be found on the city’s Web site at www.a2gov.org/elections. The Ann Arbor News also has good information in their A2Politics section. Full information on the debates/forums after the break.

The 15th District Court Judges Forum, hosted on July 8 by the Washtenaw Trial Lawyers Association and the Michigan Democratic Party Justice Caucus, with candidates: Margaret Connors, Chris Easthope, Eric Gutenberg, and Joan Lowenstein.
REPLAYS (1.5 hours each): Thursday, 7/24 at 1:30pm; Saturday, 7/26 at 10pm; Sunday, 7/27 at 3:30pm; Monday, 7/28 at 7pm; Wednesday, 7/30 at 3pm; Friday, 8/1 at 8:30pm; Sunday, 8/3 at 8:00pm; Monday, 8/4 at noon; Tuesday, 8/5 at 3:00pm.

The League of Women Voters is sponsoring the following:

Mayoral Candidates Debate: John Hieftje and Tom Wall.
LIVE (half hour): Tuesday, July 22 at 7:00pm
REPLAYS (half hour): Wednesday, 7/23 at 8:30pm; Thursday, 7/24 at noon; Saturday, 7/26 at 8:00pm; Sunday, 7/27 at 9:30pm; Wednesday, 7/30 at 4:30pm; Friday, 8/1 at 7:00pm; Saturday, 8/2 at 3:00pm; Sunday, 8/3 at noon; Monday, 8/4 at 8:30pm; Tuesday, 8/5 at 1:00pm.

County Commissioner Candidates Forum: Barbara Levin Bergman, Julie Seagraves, Leah Gunn, and David Kanaan.
LIVE (one hour): Tuesday, July 22 at 8pm
REPLAYS (one hour): Wednesday, 7/23, 9pm; Thursday, 7/24 at 12:30pm; Saturday, 7/26 at 7pm; Sunday, 7/27 at 10pm; Monday, 7/28 at 2:00pm; Thursday, 7/31 at 9:00pm; Friday, 8/1 at 7:30pm; Saturday, 8/2 at 3:30pm; Sunday, 8/3 at 2pm; Monday, 8/4 at 9pm; Tuesday, 8/5 at noon.

Ward 2 City Council Candidates Debate: Tony Derezinski and Stewart Nelson.
LIVE (half hour): Wednesday, July 23 at 8pm
REPLAYS (half hour): Thursday, 7/24 at 9:00pm; Saturday, 7/26 at 8:30pm; Sunday, 7/27 at 8:00pm; Monday, 7/28 at 8:30pm;
Wednesday, 7/30 at 7:30pm; Friday, 8/1 at 2:30pm; Saturday, 8/2 at 4:30pm; Sunday, 8/3 at 12:30pm; Monday, 8/4 at 7pm; Tuesday, 8/5 at 1:30pm.

Ward 3 City Council Candidates Debate: Stephen Kunselman and Christopher Taylor.
LIVE (half hour): Tuesday, July 22 Thursday, July 24 at 7:30pm
REPLAYS (half hour): Thursday, 7/24 at 7:30pm; Friday, 7/25 at noon; Saturday, 7/26 at 9:00pm; Sunday, 7/27 at 8:30pm; Tuesday, 7/29 at 9:00pm; Friday, 8/1 at 3:00pm; Saturday, 8/2 at 5:00pm; Sunday, 8/3 at 1:00pm; Monday, 8/4 at 7:30pm; Tuesday, 8/5 at 2:00pm.

Ward 5 City Council Candidates Debate: Vivienne Armentrout and Carsten Hohnke.
LIVE (half hour): Tuesday, July 22 Thursday, July 24 at 8:30pm
REPLAYS (half hour): Thursday, 7/24 at 8:30pm; Friday, 7/25 at 12:30pm; Saturday, 7/26 at 9:30pm; Sunday, 7/27 at 9:00pm;
Tuesday, 7/29 at 9:30pm; Friday, 8/1 at 3:30pm; Saturday, 8/2 at 5:30pm; Sunday, 8/3 at 1:30pm; Monday, 8/4 at 8:00pm; Tuesday, 8/5 at 2:30pm.



  1. Thanks for adding that, Julie.

    Part of the reason why we didn’t post this list earlier is that we have been waiting for information from CTN. Arbor Update would like to provide access to all of the debates for at-will review online, and LWV supports this effort. We have streaming video hosting available to us through the University of Michigan.

    Unfortunately, CTN has not responded to our repeated requests for footage in three weeks. As a City-run organization, it appears they are subject to Michigan FOIA regulations, but we hope that we will not have to file a formal request.


       —Matt Hampel    Jul. 22 '08 - 07:00PM    #
  2. I just talked with Courtney at CTN. The 3rd and 5th wards are actually on Thursday, July 24th, not on the 22nd. (I noticed what appears to be an overlap in time with the County Commissioners.) So there you have it!


       —Leah Gunn    Jul. 22 '08 - 07:31PM    #
  3. I would love to the debates posted online. that would be great!!


       —Mark Koroi    Jul. 22 '08 - 08:23PM    #
  4. The Ann Arbor Democratic Party is putting on a “Meet the Candidates” event on Monday, July 28, from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. It will be at the Northside Community Center, 815 Taylor (by the ballfields at Northside School, off of Pontiac Trail).

    Meet the First Ward Democratic candidates for City Council, Pat Lesko (write-in) and Sandi Smith.


       —David Cahill    Jul. 22 '08 - 09:12PM    #
  5. Leah, thanks for the heads-up. I made the changes. It is incorrect in the CTN press release though so hopefully they will change that also.


       —Juliew    Jul. 22 '08 - 09:41PM    #
  6. I also have added David Kanaan to the County Commissioner list. He is running against Leah Gunn in District 9. He was also left out of the CTN Press Release.


       —Juliew    Jul. 23 '08 - 04:56AM    #
  7. Hmmpphh. Looks like the replay schedule is approximate. I tuned in at 8:35pm today to see the Mayoral debate and there was nothing.


       —Juliew    Jul. 24 '08 - 05:07AM    #
  8. It’s online here or here.


       —David F    Jul. 24 '08 - 08:26AM    #
  9. Are the judicial candidate debates also online?


       —Mark Koroi    Jul. 24 '08 - 09:43AM    #
  10. Thanks for that, David. It’s saved me filing a FOIA request. I’d note that the first video (posted without a username) is available for download as a 93MB mp4, while the CTN version is not.


       —Matt Hampel    Jul. 24 '08 - 10:42PM    #