We just completed Boulder's first online debate and I think it worked very well. One candidate called it the best candidate forum. I think the candidates that participated did great.
This was a very intense debate. As you read the posts you can see that they were typing as fast as they could. I think it did a really good job of getting a gut reaction rather than a finely worded answer based on a lot of time to reflect how best to answer a question. I think these gut level answers give you a better idea of the true individual rather than the packed candidate. So be gentle in looking at their grammer, spelling, sentence construction. They had to write fast.
As you evaluate which candidates to vote for, please keep in mind that the following:
- Every candidate except Adam Massey originally agreed to participate in this debate.
- This debate clearly provided the opportunity to get the most information from every candidate - 11 answers from all the candidates in under an hour.
- So before voting for a candidate that chose to back out of this debate, please ask them why they didn't participate.
The honor roll of candidates that participated (they all get an A) - Philip Bradley, Shawn Coleman, Angelique Espinoza, Crystal Gray, Philip Hernandez, Kathryn Kramer, Alan O'Hashi, Eugene Pearson, Susan Peterson, Larry Quilling, Tom Riley, Eric Rutherford. Please give all of them serious consideration for your vote - they've earned it with this debate.
And here are the debate questions and the candidate answers:
- Height Restrictions
- The Biggest Issue Facing Boulder
- Recreation vs conservation on Open Space
- Your top issue
- CU South campus plan
- If you could ask 1 question
- South Boulder floodplain
- If you could pass 1 bill
- Public vote on the convention center
- Budget savings
- Business assistance
You might also want to look at the debate rules and/or the suggested questions.
Update: Final page visit count 6:00 pm Monday (1 hour before the debate) to 6:00 pm Tuesday - 1,250 views.
