The Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Candidates Forum will be held from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 19, at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
This event is a non-partisan forum and the sponsors are the Pine Bluff Branch of the NAACP, Pine Bluff Branch of the National Association of University Women, the Divine Nine and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff National Pan-Hellenic Council Undergraduate Chapters.
According to a news release, the focus for this forum will be the following races:
Pine Bluff City Council Ward 1: Joni Alexander, Milton Jenkins and incumbent Thelma Walker;
Pine Bluff City Council Ward 3: Glen Brown Sr., incumbent Bill Brumett, Ivan Whitfield;
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Pine Bluff City Council Ward 4: Clarence E. Davis and incumbent Steven Mays;
Jefferson County Tax Collector: Leslie E. Mitchell and Tony Washington;
Jefferson County Sheriff’s race: Larry Gragg, Roger McLemore and Lafayette Woods Jr.;
Jefferson County Judge’s race: Dutch King and Gerald Robinson.
“We believe it is important for the voting electorate to know and understand the candidates and the positions that they hold,” a spokeswoman said. “This forum will be a great opportunity for the candidates to share their qualifications and the reasons why they are running for public office.”
The moderator will be former Judge Marion Humphrey, introduced by Circuit Judge Earnest Brown Jr. of Pine Bluff.
Chairwoman Mary Liddell will provide greetings, along with Kelly D. Bryant, president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. The invocation will be by the Rev. Travis Harden of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and the purpose of the forum will be by Dorothy McFadden of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
Other participants include time keeper, Jeff Pulliam, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity; assistant time keeper, Oscar Bullard, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity; ushers, UAPB National Pan-Hellenic Council Undergraduate Chapters; quality review committee members, Lorraine Johnson (NAACP Political Action chairwoman), Pam Chesson (NAUW), Brandun Flannigan, Alpha Phi Alpha, and Shayla Lothery, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.
Forum Committee members are Oscar Bullard (Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.), Billie Dorn (Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.), Brandun Flannigan (Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.), Travis Harden (Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.), Alice Horton (Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.) Matthew Jenkins (Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.), Lorraine Johnson (Pine Bluff Branch NAACP), Betty Lacy (Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.), Dorothy McFadden (Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.), Jeff Pulliam (Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.) Kara Brown (UAPB National Pan-Hellenic Council Undergraduate Chapters) and Mary Liddell (chairwoman representing NAACP and NAUW).
Details: Mary Liddell, 870-643-2383.