DEBATE FORMAT & QUESTION PROCESS

How the McKellar Ward All-Candidates Debate will work.

The Simpson Street Mainline Business Association is organizing a non-partisan all-candidates debate for McKellar Ward on September 29, 2026. Ron Kanutski will moderate the program, and every certified candidate has been invited on the same terms.

FORMAT AT A GLANCE

60secondsOpening statement
90secondsEach of six questions
60secondsClosing statement

There will be no rebuttal period, candidate-to-candidate questions or live audience questions.

QUESTIONS

How questions are selected.

Public submissions will be reviewed by a five-person community panel. Reviewers will not include candidates, campaign workers or anyone directly involved in a candidate’s campaign.

The panel may combine similar submissions and edit wording for clarity and neutrality without changing the substance. Six primary questions and two ranked backup questions will be selected using the published criteria.

6Primary questions

2Ranked backups

EQUAL TREATMENT

The same locked questions, at the same time.

Questions are locked

Every participating candidate will receive the same locked questions at the same time and will be asked the same questions with equal response time.

Timing stays fair

Submission or selection of a question does not guarantee that it will be asked. If time runs short, questions will be omitted in their predetermined order and no unreviewed question will be substituted.

SPEAKING ORDER & MODERATION

A fair rotation, enforced consistently.

Speaking order

The initial speaking order will be drawn randomly. The starting candidate will rotate for each question.

Moderator’s role

The moderator will enforce the same rules and time limits for every candidate and will not judge or fact-check their answers.