AAUW Silicon Valley Branch co-sponsored two candidate forums for the 2024 general election. On Wednesday, September 25th, at 7 pm, they joined the Los Altos Community Coalition candidate forum for aspirants for the Los Altos City Council in November’s election. Contenders are running for three seats, one open seat and two with incumbents.
The female incumbent candidate could not participate; she had come down with severe sciatica, but the four other campaigners participated in a lively forum. The local newspaper editor and two student editors from the two area high school newspapers asked six questions that went to the heart of the issues for the city council.
The questions ranged from “What would you do to expand and improve the city’s continuing cellular use problem?” to “How would you address the bike safety problem at the high school?” to “What would be your position on upgrade needs for the city parks”?
In addition, the forum’s moderator led candidates in a “Yes/No Round” to assess their positions on city council questions, including a question submitted by AAUW as a co-sponsor. “Do you agree to women’s right to choose? All affirmed their support on this issue.
Last, in a “Surprise Round,” the four candidates asked each other questions about their campaigns.
An informal poll of the audience revealed that most of the fifty-odd attendees were long-term city residents and homeowners. At least half had attended a city council meeting in the past year. Few younger residents attended. The Los Altos Community Coalition forum can be viewed on the Coalition’s YouTube site, which AAUW makes available to members.
On Thursday, October 10th, at 5 pm, AAUW Silicon Valley Branch co-sponsored a candidate forum with the Los Altos Women’s Caucus. During election years, the Caucus invites women candidates for local elections, to attend a forum. Candidates for each office are asked questions from a Caucus moderator.
The fifty women Los Altos residents heard from candidates for the county-wide elections: two candidates for the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors District 5 and two competing for Santa Clara Board of Education District 1. For the local high School Board of Trustees, the attendees heard from the two women of four candidates vying for two open seats. The incumbent candidate for the local hospital board explained her role on the board and her expertise in quality care.
Questions for other offices varied from “What is most important in the office you are campaigning for?”, “How would you advocate for mental health for the population you would serve?”, and “What are your past experiences that will help in the office”?
A roundtable forum for all the women candidates for public office was held at the event’s conclusion. The women commented on the challenges of being a woman holding office and what motivated them to choose to run. The consensus was that more women need to join the ranks of elected officials. Even though sexism and discrimination have less effect than they did ten or more years ago, they continue to exist and require confrontation.
