The cornerstone of our Republic is our election process. Elections matter, regardless of which side of the aisle one sits, and everyone should agree the best electorate is one that is informed about the issues to be decided and the candidates to take office.
Today’s political campaigns are waged in many arenas.
Candidates still use yard signs, pound the pavement and canvass neighborhoods to build name recognition and establish a base of supporters. Social media has elevated the game to a whole new level, allowing not just politicians but the public at large to step into the fray.
Despite the move to digital, there may be no better way to truly understand candidates’ positions on the key issues and to evaluate their viability for public office than through a public debate.
For more than 20 years, the Atlanta Press Club has sponsored a debate series, today in honor of Charlie Loudermilk and Andrew Young. An open and honest forum is at the heart of the Press Club’s mission, and in 2014, the debate is as important as ever.
This primary season, the Atlanta Press Club will host a total of nine debates for races at the state and national level. Once the primaries are decided, we’ll return with additional debates as we march toward the Nov. 4 general election.
Many of the races the Atlanta Press Club is featuring as part of this year’s debate series are already receiving national attention. But, these are races that can be impacted and decided at the local level.
The Atlanta Press Club Loudermilk-Young Debate Series gives voters the opportunity to educate themselves before they step into the voting booth. As an organization, we pride ourselves on bringing issues to be discussed to a public forum, and our debate series is no different.
Social media is fantastic, but don’t rely merely on the rhetoric, reposts or repackaged sound bites. Listen to the candidates for yourself, hear their statements and come to your own conclusion on who will best represent you – whether it’s in Atlanta or Washington. And please help us encourage the candidates to participate in the debates.
Face-to-face debates provide some of the best opportunities for voters to learn about the candidates so they know who they want to support on Election Day.
We invite you to join us in person or online. Debates will be held at Georgia Public Broadcasting’s studio on 14th Street in Atlanta and will be broadcast live on public broadcasting affiliates statewide, streamed on gpb.org and archived on atlantapressclub.org.
For a full schedule of debates, visit www.atlantapressclub.org. To attend the debates or for more information, call 404-577-7377 or email info@atlantapressclub.org .
(Lauri Strauss is president of the Atlanta Press Club.)