Women candidates who will appear on the August primary ballots in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties have been invited to speak at a forum hosted by the Women’s Civic Forum and the Institute for Women in Politics of Northwest Florida. The forum will be held on July 22 from 6 to 7:30 p.m in the meeting room of the downtown Pensacola library. The event is free and the public is encouraged to attend.
The following candidates have confirmed their participation.
- Dr. Laura Dortch Edler for Escambia County School Board, District 3
- Karen M. Aloy, Yvonne Harper, and Andrea McDermott for the Santa Rosa County Commission District 4 Republican primary
- Sondra Nicely for Santa Rosa County School Board, District 1
- Debbie Gunnoe for Santa Rosa County School Board, District 3
- Mary Ellen Johnson for Milton City Council, ward 2, seat 2
Candidates will have a limited amount of time to speak about their candidacy after which they will take questions from the audience.
The Women’s Civic Forum is a lecture program founded in 2009 by former City Councilwoman Diane Mack. The informal organization hosts five programs annually. The final program for this year, to be scheduled for an October date, will feature women candidates who will appear on the November general election ballot.
“The purpose of the Forum is to inform and engage women on current local issues,†Mack said. “and that includes limiting ourselves to women speakers and promoting attendance primarily to women. We have found that this program model creates a more congenial atmosphere and fosters intelligent discourse. â€
The Institute for Women in Politics of Northwest Florida is a non-profit, non-partisan, membership-based organization incorporated in 2013. Its mission, Mack said, is to change politics by achieving greater representation of women in office and government in Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties. Mack is president of the Institute board of directors.