Akron Mayoral Debate Criteria
The Akron Decides group aims to foster substantive debates that lead to well-informed voters. With this in mind, we seek to include all qualified candidates based on objective criteria.
The candidate must be a legally qualified candidate as determined by the Summit County Board of Elections OR in the case of a write-in candidacy, the candidate has publicly committed to seeking election by the write-in method.
The candidate also must provide verifiable evidence of an active and formal campaign. Verifiable evidence of any six (6) of the following eight (8) activities will meet this requirement:
- Evidence of a designated treasurer on file with the Board of Elections.
- Evidence of a formal press announcement for candidacy for mayor of Akron.
- Policy positions on at least five (5) issues are available for the public to review.
- A campaign website with a biography, ability to contact the campaign by phone or email and make donations.
- Social media presence on at least one platform, other than the campaign website, with more than 25 non-bot followers.
- Community engagement, demonstrated by at least five (5) campaign-related events such as news conferences or neighborhood association meetings.
- At least $5,000 in campaign contributions or cash on hand verified by the latest campaign finance report filed OR documents provided by the candidate.
- Evidence of print campaign literature mailed to at least 10% of the race’s registered voters.
Akron Debates Memorandum of Understanding
All the Democratic candidates have been invited to take part in two debates produced by a collaboration of the Akron Press Club, Ideastream Public Media, Akron Beacon Journal and the Ohio Debate Commission. Those candidates who meet the debate criteria may participate in the debates.
The first debate will be April 5, 2023. It will be an Akron Press Club luncheon at Quaker Station. Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. The debate will start at noon and last 90 minutes. There will be a charge for the lunch, with proceeds funding scholarships for journalism and public relations students. Those who do not wish to eat lunch may attend at no charge.
The second debate will be April 12, 2023. It will be held at the Akron-Summit County Public Library on High Street. The debate will start at 7 p.m. and last 90 minutes. It will be free and open to the public.
Both debates will be broadcast and distributed widely across the Akron community both live and following the events, through election day.
Media partners are the Akron Beacon Journal and Ideastream.
April 5 Debate
Time and place
- Date: Wednesday, April 5, 2023.
- Place: Quaker Station (135 S. Broadway), the University of Akron.
- Quaker Station will be ready to welcome guests at 11:00 a.m.
- Lunch will be from 11:30 a.m. to noon. Representatives of the Akron Press Club and Ohio Debate Commission will welcome the audience at 11:55 a.m. The debate will start at noon with an introduction of the candidates and the panel. It will conclude at 1:30 p.m. (90 minutes).
- Lunch cost is $30.
- Reservations are required and will be taken beginning at a future date.
- Reservations for the debate are taken on a first-come basis.
- Additional seating will be made available free to members of the public who wish to see the debate, but not pay for a lunch.
- A candidate press availability area will be provided for those candidates interested in speaking with the press following the conclusion of the debate.
Debate format
- Each candidate will be presented in the same manner on the stage.
- Each candidate will provide how his or her name will appear for broadcast purposes and on the stage.
- Candidates are not allowed to bring any prepared notes to the stage.
- Candidates will be provided with paper, pen and water.
- Questioning of the candidates will be asked by a panel of journalists selected by the Akron Press Club and the Ohio Debate Commission.
- The moderator will be selected by the Akron Press Club and Ohio Debate Commission.
- The order of the candidates receiving the questions will be determined through a “wheel of names” randomizer.
- Questions to the candidates will rotate in the order determined by the randomizer.
- Each candidate will have 90 seconds to respond to each question.
- In the event of a direct mention of a candidate in a response, that candidate will be offered rebuttal time when appropriate as determined by the moderator.
- The process begins again with the next candidate as determined by the randomizer and the next question.
- Each candidate will have equal time to speak.
- Timekeepers will inform the candidates when they have 10 seconds and 0 seconds remaining for their responses.
- The moderator will enforce the time limits.
- Each candidate will have 45 seconds to make a closing statement.
- At 11:15 a.m. there will be a brief mic check and candidates will be shown the timer system.
April 12 Debate
Time and place
- Date: Wednesday, April 12, 2023.
- Place: Akron Summit County Public Library (60 South High Street, Akron).
- This debate is free and open to the public.
- Doors will open at 6 p.m. Representatives of the Ohio Debate Commission and Akron Press Club will welcome the audience at 6:55 p.m. The debate will start at 7 p.m. with an introduction of the candidates. It will conclude at 8:30 p.m. (90 minutes).
- A candidate press availability area will be provided for those candidates interested in speaking with the press following the conclusion of the debate.
- Reservations are required and will be taken beginning at a future date.
- Reservations for the debate are taken on a first-come basis.
Debate format
- Each candidate will be presented in the same manner on the stage.
- Each candidate will provide how his or her name will appear for broadcast purposes and on the stage.
- Candidates are not allowed to bring any prepared notes to the stage.
- Candidates will be provided with paper, pen and water.
- Questioning of the candidates will be asked by residents of Akron in the audience and via video clips prescreened by the Akron Press Club and the Ohio Debate Commission.
- The moderators will be selected by the Akron Press Club and Ohio Debate Commission.
- The order of the candidates receiving the questions will be determined through the “wheel of names” randomizer prior to the debate.
- Questions to the candidates will rotate in the order determined by the randomizer.
- Each candidate will have 90 seconds to respond to each question.
- In the event of a direct mention of a candidate in a response, that candidate will be offered rebuttal time when appropriate.
- Moderators reserve the right to ask follow-up questions.
- The process begins again with the next candidate as determined by the randomizer and the next question.
- Each candidate will have equal time to speak.
- Timekeepers will inform the candidates when they have 10 seconds and 0 seconds remaining for their responses.
- The moderators will enforce the time limits.
- Each candidate will have 45 seconds to make a closing statement.
- At 6:15 p.m. there will be a brief mic check and candidates will be shown the timer system.
Miscellaneous
- The debates are open to all print, broadcast and online media. Ideastream Public Media will broadcast the debates.
- Appropriate clothing must be worn.
- No campaigning will be allowed in the debate room, including but not limited to buttons, stickers, T-shirts or other printed material. The Akron Press Club and Ohio Debate Commission reserve the right to refuse anyone displaying such material admission to the debate room.
- All attendees will be asked to reserve their applause until the end of the debate.
- Outbursts or rancorous applause will not be tolerated during the debate. Anyone engaging in such behavior may be asked to leave. This rule will be mentioned in the opening remarks.
- Each candidate/campaign is responsible for communicating the information in this miscellaneous section to their supporters.
This memorandum of understanding constitutes the entire agreement between the parties participating in the debates.