BLYTHEWOOD – Details have been provided for the upcoming candidate debate to be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at The Manor.
Based on the number of candidates and questions, the total time will be approximately two hours.
Candidates will be given two minutes for answers and one minute for rebuttals. After one candidate answers a question, the next candidate will answer the same question and then the rotation will continue followed by the rebuttals. There will be six questions. Mike Switzer, Chairman of the Blythewood Chamber, said 50 questions for the debate were submitted via the Blythewood Chamber’s web site and that list has been narrowed down to the final six questions by Switzer and the Chamber Board members. The candidates were not given the questions in advance.
Just before the debate starts, the candidates will draw numbers from a container to determine their position. Since there are two candidates vying for one seat and four vying for two seats, we will have them separated as such at the tables and by drawing numbers. So Ernestine Middleton and Bob Mangone will draw between themselves and sit at their own table in their corresponding positions. And the same for the remainder of the candidates. This way, the audience can see the candidates seated to each other by how they are competing.
Patrick Kelly, a civics teacher at Blythewood High School, will be the official timer. Two 12th-grade civics students, Brooke Davis and Greg Huegel, from Blythewood High School will moderate.
Westwood High School’s Broadcast Journalism class was invited to participate but they declined due to a busy schedule. Richland District 2 media people have been asked to record the debate.
