ALAMOGORDO — Democrats, Republicans and Independents shared a stage at Otero Arts on Tuesday night, and the conversation stayed civil from start to finish.

Alamogordo Town News and KALHRadio.org hosted the nonpartisan candidate forum Oct. 6 as part of their monthly Voices of Alamogordo series. Three candidates for county commission took part, along with candidates for the state Legislature.

The forum came four weeks before the Nov. 3 general election. It gave voters a chance to question the candidates face to face.

A field of first-time candidates

Every candidate on stage was running for office for the first time. That put a slate of new faces in front of voters and added a new dimension to this year’s election.

Each candidate opened with a statement explaining why they are running. Each then laid out their top priorities for the office they are seeking.

Questions followed from two directions. Audience members submitted a selection, and moderator Chris Edwards added his own. Across party lines, the candidates showed deep passion for their convictions.

Editor’s note: add each candidate’s name, party and the seat sought.

A warm reception across party lines

The Republican candidate told the audience he had been advised not to attend. He came anyway, and said the reception was warm and not what he had been warned to expect.

His remark fit the evening. One line of questioning asked the candidates how residents can get along and bridge the political divide, in the region and across the country. The discussion that followed was civil and positive, and the dialogue stayed warm and friendly throughout.

Organizers had asked for exactly that. The forum announcement said civility and decorum are the standard at Voices of Alamogordo events, for candidates and audience members alike.

Issues on the table

Policy questions covered four main areas, among others.

• Data centers
• Infrastructure
• Budgeting and taxes
• CYFD, the state Children, Youth and Families Department
• expanding the county commission to 5
• Legislators Pay 

The result was an informative discussion that let voters hear the candidates side by side.

Turnout and what comes next

About 47 people attended in person at Otero Arts, 1118 Indiana Ave. The livestream had drawn about 120 views by Wednesday.

The forum is one of many meet-the-candidate events planned across the region this month. Voices of Alamogordo forums are held on the first Tuesday of each month.

Watch the forum

The full forum is available on KALH Radio’s YouTube channel.

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