BonnerSprings.com

For Leavenworth County residents deciding how to vote in the upcoming Aug. 5 primary elections, the time to start asking questions is now.

Voters are encouraged to participate in several upcoming, open-forum Web chats Sentinel staff has arranged with candidates involved in local contested primaries (check www.basehorinfo.com/chats) and to attend several upcoming candidate forums being conducted throughout the county.

Leavenworth County attorney candidate Debra Snider will participate in an online chat at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 23; 42nd District state representative candidate Ted Ingerson at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 23; 3rd District County Commission candidate John Flower at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 31; and 42nd District state representative candidate Connie O'Brien at 5 p.m. Thursday, July 31.

All contested candidates for county attorney, 42nd District state representative and 3rd District county commissioner have been invited to host a Web chat.

Look for more of the open forums - which will be moderated and screened by Sentinel staff - leading up to the Aug. 5 primary.

Area political and civic organizations have also arranged various candidate forums and "meet the candidates" opportunities from now until Aug. 5.

Those forums include:

¢ A Leavenworth-Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce-sponsored symposium at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 22, at the Lansing Community Center, 800 First Terrace, Lansing, featuring the two Democratic candidates for the 5th District Kansas Senate seat, state Sen. Mark Gilstrap, D-Kansas City, and Kelly Kultala.

¢ A candidate forum at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 24, at the Tonganoxie VFW Hall, 910 E. First St., hosted by Tonganoxie VFW Post 9271.

Republican candidates for Kansas' 2nd Congressional District (Jim Ryun and Lynn Jenkins), 42nd District State Representative (Connie O'Brien and Ted Ingerson) and 3rd District County Commission are expected to attend, along with any other candidates running unopposed in state and county races.

¢ A breakfast and "meet the candidates" opportunity from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday, July 26, at the Tonganoxie Historic Site, 201 W. Washington St., hosted by Tonganoxie resident Dennis Bixby.

Bixby has invited 42nd District State Representative candidate Connie O'Brien and Leavenworth County Attorney Candidate Debra Snider to attend.

¢ A "meet the candidates" night Monday, July 28 at 7 p.m. at the Bob Wiley Memorial VFW Post, 2806 N. 155th St. in Basehor, sponsored by the Basehor Chamber of Commerce.

All contested candidates for 3rd District County Commissioner and County Attorney have been invited to attend.

For more information on candidate Web chats and community forums, continue reading the Sentinel or check back online at www.basehorinfo.com.