A candidate forum can help people of faith become informed voters, introduce candidates to community concerns and build relationships with future public officials—but it requires careful planning and strict nonpartisanship.
Churches may conduct nonpartisan voter education, including candidate forums, but organizations recognized under section 501(c)(3) may not support or oppose candidates. The ELCA likewise encourages civic participation while requiring church election activities to remain strictly nonpartisan. IRS guidance for churches ELCA civic engagement resources
Is a forum a good idea?
Yes—if the congregation can attract an audience, provide a neutral moderator and treat every candidate fairly.
A well-run forum gives voters an opportunity to compare candidates answering the same questions. It also helps candidates understand the experiences of congregations, food ministries, schools and community organizations.
A forum may not be advisable if only one candidate is likely to participate, the event is intended primarily to challenge or promote a particular candidate, or the congregation lacks sufficient planning and promotion time. In those circumstances, consider partnering with the League of Women Voters, other congregations or community organizations—or hold a nonpartisan issue-education program without candidates.
Begin with one contested race
The most practical choice is usually one contested race whose district includes the congregation: an Arizona legislative district, city council, county board of supervisors, school board or congressional district.
Local and legislative candidates may be easier to schedule than statewide candidates, and the conversation can focus on decisions that directly affect the community. For a larger congressional or statewide forum, form a coalition that can offer a broader audience and professional organization.
Invite all qualified candidates for the same office:
At the same time and in the same manner.
Under identical rules and deadlines.
Without regard to party or viewpoint.
With the same access to questions and logistical information.
Do not invite only candidates considered most viable or most compatible with the congregation’s concerns. Before planning a duplicate event, also check the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections debate schedule. A congregation might instead host a debate watch party followed by nonpartisan discussion.
Choose a broad conversation
For a congregation’s first forum, LAMA recommends covering several public concerns rather than organizing the event around one issue.
IRS guidance considers whether all qualified candidates were invited, a broad range of issues was discussed, questions were prepared independently, candidates received equal opportunities and the host expressed no editorial judgment. A forum focused on one issue—especially one on which the sponsoring organization has a prominent position—can more easily appear designed to favor a candidate. IRS political-activity guidance Bolder Advocacy forum guidance
Select four to six themes that fall within the responsibilities of the office. Faith can explain why the congregation cares, but questions should concern candidates’ public responsibilities—not serve as a test of their personal religious beliefs.
Arizona questions to consider
Wondering what to even ask?? It depends on the office. Your planning team might adapt questions such as these to the authority of the particular office. Ask the same principal questions of every candidate.
Hunger and economic security
Arizona congregations and food banks report significant demand for food assistance. What should state or federal government do to reduce hunger while supporting long-term economic stability?
What changes, if any, would you make to SNAP, school meals, SUN Bucks or other nutrition programs?
Housing and homelessness
What policies would you support to increase Arizona’s supply of affordable housing?
How should communities respond to unsheltered homelessness without simply moving people from one location to another?
Should Arizona cities have greater authority to address local housing conditions, rents and tenant protections?
Health care
What would you do to protect and improve access to AHCCCS, behavioral-health care and rural health services?
How should Arizona address the shortage of health-care professionals in rural and Tribal communities?
Education
How should Arizona balance funding for public schools with the growing cost of Empowerment Scholarship Accounts?
What accountability and transparency requirements should apply to schools and organizations receiving public education funds?
What would you do to address teacher shortages and unequal educational opportunities?
Immigration and border communities
What would a secure, orderly and humane immigration system look like?
How should government preserve due process, family unity and access to asylum while enforcing immigration laws?
What limits, if any, should apply to immigration enforcement at churches, schools and hospitals?
Heat, water and care for creation
What responsibility does government have to protect Arizonans from extreme heat?
How should Arizona balance water conservation with agriculture, housing and economic growth?
What policies would you support to make energy more affordable and reliable while reducing environmental harm?
Democracy and civic life
What steps would you take to strengthen public confidence in Arizona elections while protecting access for every eligible voter?
Will you accept certified election results and oppose threats or violence against election workers and public officials?
How would you work with colleagues and constituents whose political views differ from yours?
The committee should not attempt to ask every question. Select six to eight that provide a balanced picture of the responsibilities of the office.
Should candidates receive questions in advance?
Give every campaign the subjects, format, rules and time limits in advance. LAMA also recommends sending the principal questions to all participating candidates simultaneously, approximately five to seven days before the forum.
Advance questions encourage thoughtful answers and may make busy candidates more willing to participate. The goal is voter education, not surprise.
The moderator may ask neutral follow-ups. Audience questions should be submitted in writing and screened by a politically diverse committee for relevance, clarity, duplication and impartiality. Never give one campaign additional preparation, private coaching or earlier access to information.
Keep the format simple
A 60- to 75-minute forum might include:
Five minutes for welcome, rules and a nonpartisan disclaimer.
One-minute candidate opening statements.
Approximately 40 minutes of prepared questions.
Ten to fifteen minutes of screened audience questions.
One-minute closing statements.
A reminder about voter information and election dates.
Rotate who answers first, enforce identical time limits and use a visible timekeeper. Ask the audience to withhold applause and prohibit campaign fundraising during the event.
If campaigns may display literature, provide every candidate the same amount of space in a designated area. If the event is recorded, notify candidates in advance and publish the complete program rather than selected clips.
The League of Women Voters offers useful candidate-forum guidelines covering equal treatment, moderation and audience questions.
Plan for a candidate’s absence
Adopt an “empty-chair” policy before invitations are sent and provide it to every campaign.
If only one candidate agrees to participate, the safest practice is to cancel that race’s forum rather than give one campaign exclusive exposure. A last-minute cancellation is more complicated, but the congregation should follow its previously announced policy consistently. League of Women Voters guidance generally recommends against proceeding when only one candidate remains. League of Women Voters empty-chair guidance
Invite the whole community
Candidate forums should ordinarily be open to the public. A larger, more diverse audience provides a greater community service and makes participation more worthwhile for candidates.
Invite nearby congregations, interfaith partners, neighborhood associations, schools, food pantries, nonprofits and community ministries. Promote the forum through partner email lists, neighborhood newsletters, community calendars, libraries, local news outlets and appropriate social-media groups.
Ask participating campaigns to share the same neutral announcement. Promotional materials should name every invited candidate and include a disclaimer such as:
This is a nonpartisan voter-education event. The sponsoring organizations do not endorse or oppose candidates or political parties.
Begin planning now
Arizona’s general election is November 3, 2026. Early voting begins and early ballots are mailed October 7, making late September or the first few days of October the best time for a forum. Arizona Secretary of State election calendar
Allow:
Six to eight weeks to organize the event and invite candidates.
Three to four weeks for public promotion.
Two weeks to finalize participants, technology, security and accessibility.
Five to seven days to provide candidates with the questions.
Seven to ten days for the strongest promotional push.
Congregations considering a 2026 forum should contact campaigns immediately.
Faithful participation without partisanship
A candidate forum is not an endorsement meeting or an effort to determine which candidate is “the Christian choice.” It is a ministry of public conversation.
Congregations can create a space where candidates are treated fairly, neighbors are heard, difficult questions are asked respectfully and voters receive useful information. At a time of deep political division, an honest and hospitable conversation can itself be an expression of Christian public witness.
Additional resources:
Rest assured! If you don’t feel up to hosting a forum this year, try your best to attend someone else’s candidate forum. These decisions are important! And don’t forget the City Council — in Phoenix alone, there are 16 candidates who have qualified for the November ballot. How will you choose?