Candidates Forum set Sept. 19 at Catawba Meadows

NAACP Burke County, Indivisible Burke NC, and Common Cause NC are joining forces to host the 2026 Candidates Forum, a free, community event designed to connect voters directly with candidates running in the November 2026 General elections.

The forum will be held on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 1-3 p.m. at Catawba Meadows Park, Shelter No. 3, 701 Sanford Drive, Morganton.

The forum will feature candidate introductions, a structured community question-and-answer session, guest speakers, music, food, art activities, and games. Children are welcome. Registration is not required.

“This forum is about giving voters a seat at the table. An informed electorate is the foundation of a healthy democracy. Our vote defends our rights, strengthens our communities, and shapes our future. Our vote is our voice,” said the Rev. Alicia Connelly, president of NAACP Burke County.

“Voters deserve the chance to look candidates in the eye and hear their positions directly,” said Joani Richardson, of Indivisible Burke NC. “We are thrilled to bring this opportunity to our communities in Burke County.”

“Common Cause NC is committed to ensuring that every voter has the information they need to make their voice heard at the ballot box,” said Lisette Rodriguez, Common Cause Western NC Organizer. “Events like the Candidates Forum are essential to a functioning democracy.”

— BP