Campaign Forums and Debates

By their answers to questions in debates, forums, or interviews which often are available online, voters can assess the degree to which the candidate understands the requirements of the office they are seeking. What are the candidate's qualifications for that office? Are they knowledgeable about the issues? Well-reasoned? Well-spoken? 

Do you as the voter agree with the candidates' positions?

By their appearance, do they fit your expectations for the role for which they are running? If you expect a candidate to maintain a professional appearance, does he or she do so?

Are they presentable? Up to the demands of the position?

Are you able to get an impression of the character of the candidate? That may be difficult in-person or on a video. Check for further tips on how to research candidates at https://lwvhaysco.com/researchyourvote

Locating Candidate Videos

Besides the candidate's website (if any), interviews, forums, or debates may be found on YouTube or on the area political party's site. Some candidates may have been interviewed by news organizations as well. Search engines may locate those by candidate name, while a political party's video in the run up to the primary election is likely to have a series of candidates introducing themselves and talking about their qualifications and positions.

Candidates running for office within a county are most likely to appear on the YouTube channel of their county party. Typically the county party invites all candidates and allows anyone who comes to introduce themselves and make a statement.

The League of Women Voters of Hays County conducts candidate forums only for races in which the candidate has an opponent in their race during their primary or later in the general election. Those forums are recorded on the League's Zoom channel and links to the recordings are placed on the lwvhaysco.com website on the Candidate Forums page (below the Events tab).