Candidate Forum 2017 Launch

The (un)forum is a virtual, viral candidate forum, coordinated by a diverse coalition: The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, the Orange-Chatham Group of the Sierra Club, and the Orange County Affordable Housing Coalition. Instead of a traditional, in-person candidate forum, we are using a new e-platform, provided in-kind by Chapel Hill tech start-up company shineBIG, to engage candidates in dynamic conversations, which we are sharing widely through our social networks. All candidates who filed for Chapel Hill and Carrboro elections were invited to participate in the (un)forum and respond to five questions. Given the new technology, Chamber staff members offered technical support to all participants and provided support to several. No responses were submitted by candidate Hongbin Gu. The (un)forum technology automatically shuffles the order in which the candidates appear to foster a more level playing field. Our hope is that the (un)forum will allow our collective network of more than 15,000 to learn about the candidates, their positions, and their platforms in a format that is convenient and thoughtful. What do you think of the (un)forum? Please share your feedback.