Candidates in Smithtown, legislative races invited to debate

All candidates for Smithtown town offices and the 12th and 13th Suffolk County legislative districts have been invited to participate in a debate planned for the end of this month, organizers said.

The Smithtown League of Women Voters and Smithtown Historical Society are co-sponsoring the roughly two-hour debate on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. at the Frank Brush Barn, 211 E. Main St, Smithtown.

The debate is free and open to the public. No tickets are necessary and doors open at 6:45 p.m., Susan Glatzer, a board of directors member of the Smithtown League of Women Voters, said.

The debate will be moderated and “there is a timing procedure for fairness to all candidates,” Glatzer said.

Attendees may also ask questions on index cards that will be collected, she said.

“We just feel it’s important to give the citizens an opportunity to ask questions,” Glatzer said. “So often in their campaign literature ... [candidates] have their slogans, they have their issues, but this is an opportunity for citizens to ask questions ... that may or may not be part of a candidate’s posters or campaign literature.”

Questions should be addressed to all candidates running for a specific office, rather than singling out one candidate, Lisa Scott, treasurer of the league’s board of directors, said.

“They have to be questions that educate people about all the candidates for that office,” she said.

The Smithtown League of Women Voters has sponsored debates for local elections for more than 50 years, said Scott.

“We try to cover all significant elections,” said Glatzer. “Both for congress the legislature and local offices.”