Date adopted: July 28, 1998 Reviewed by Board of Directors: April 2017
The goal of CityClub in presenting candidate debates is to enable voters and constituent groups to make better informed choices on election day by convening in-depth discussions of our most challenging issues. In furtherance of this goal, CityClub will apply select criteria to evaluate individuals for inclusion in candidate debates it sponsors. CityClub’s primary objective in choosing and applying its selection criteria is to be fair, objective, and nonpartisan.
The criteria listed below are to be used as a tool by the Elections Committee in its decision whether or not to include an individual in a CityClub sponsored candidates debate. The criteria listed below are to be afforded substantial consideration, but CityClub reserves the right to add or subtract criteria so long as the objective remains that a fair, informative, objective, and nonpartisan process is observed.
Whether to issue an invitation to a candidate will be determined by the Elections Committee, the Elections Committee Chairs and CityClub staff. If no consensus is reached, the Executive Director will make the final decision, subject only to a contrary decision reached by a majority of Cabinet.
CityClub evaluation criteria for invitation to and participation in candidates debates:
- Whether the individual is a declared candidate;
- The current level of funds raised by the candidate;
- The endorsements the candidate has received; and
- The candidate’s comparative standing in current election polls.