Sonoraville High School Future Business Leaders of America had three students assist the Community and Government Affairs Committee of the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce in hosting the 2016 Meet the Candidates Forum on Thursday, May 5, 2016 at the Sonoraville Recreation Complex, in Calhoun, Georgia. The event began at 5 p.m. with a “Meet & Greet” for the general public to meet with the candidates and ask questions. The forum officially began at 6 p.m. and served as a chance for candidates to voice their platforms and participate in a question and answer period, where candidates responded to questions compiled and posed by media panelists from the Calhoun Times, WEBS radio and WJTH radio, along with volunteer students from each local high school. Candidates who qualified for local races were asked the same questions and were not allowed to question or direct comments toward his or her opponent. More than one hundred voters came out to hear what the candidates had to say. Representatives from the local Board of Elections were at the event with sample ballots to answer questions concerning the 2016 election. The general primary was held on Tuesday, May 24. “We are happy to get our future leaders actively engaged at a young age in the democratic process,” stated Lisa Smith, Sonoraville Chapter FBLA Adviser.
(Left to Right) John Graves, Chapter Officer/GA FBLA Region 8 Officer; GA House of Representatives Rick Jasperse, District 11; JoAnn Graves, Chapter Officer; and Harley Craig, Chapter Officer
