Election Day is only 88 days away. As Benicia prepares to vote for a mayor, councilmembers, school board trustees, Solano County supervisors, state senators, a congressional representative, a senator and even a new president, expect to see a lot more yard signs and social media posts in the coming months. It would be an understatement to suggest that people are excited, and few people are more excited than the League of Women Voters Benicia.

The League of Women Voters is a national nonpartisan political organization whose goal is to register voters, make sure they are informed on the issues and encourage them to vote. The Benicia chapter’s Voter Services Committee, led by Susan Neuhaus, has been busy registering voters, putting together information for the online voter information guide Voter’s Edge and preparing to visit Solano County high schools to offer civics lessons to seniors before the election. In addition, the league will offer three different forums for people to learn about local candidates running for office as it has in past election years.

For the first event, the League will be partnering with Vallejo’s Club Stride and Vallejo Together– an organization aimed at strengthening communities– to hold a forum for Vallejo candidates, including six candidates for mayor and seven candidates for City Council. This event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 19, at the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum, located at 734 Marin St. This event is free, and all are welcome to attend.

In September, the League will be hosting a meet and greet for Benicia candidates. According to League President Gayle Vaughan, invitations have been sent out to mayoral candidates Elizabeth Patterson and Mark Hughes and City Council candidates Tom Campbell, Christina Strawbridge, Lionel Largaespada and Steve Young. Candidates will be allowed to make short statements and then mingle with the crowd to answer specific questions. This event will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 29 at the Benicia Public Library, located at 150 East L St.

Finally, the League will be partnering with the Benicia-Vallejo branch of the American Association of University Women to host a town hall forum for regional and state candidates at the Library in October. Participating candidates include Solano County Board of Supervisors applicants Monica Brown and Mike Ioakimedes, District 14 Assembly candidates Tim Grayson and Mae Torlakson, and District 3 State Senate candidates Bill Dodd and Mariko Yamada. Candidates will deliver opening and closing statements and take questions from the audience in between. This forum will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 17 at the Library.

Vaughan believes the three events will allow residents to familiarize themselves with candidates before they make an informed vote.

“Attendees will be able to see each candidate in person, get a better understanding of who they are as people, what the candidates’ positions on various issues are and ideally be able to make a more informed choice when voting,” she said.

For more information on any of the above events, visit lwvbenicia.org or email Vaughan at vonwindgayle@gmail.com.

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