UKIAH, CA., 10/3/26 – The Ukiah citizens’ group Mendo Matters’ first city council candidate forum on Tuesday, Sept. 22, drew a large enough crowd that organizers decided to put on a second effort Oct. 8. Mendo Matters chair John Buchanan said that the strong attendance and community engagement demonstrated the interest of Ukiah-area residents in learning more about the candidates, their priorities, and their perspectives on issues facing the community.
“The community response to the first debate was very encouraging,” Buchanan said. “There is clearly a strong interest in hearing directly from the candidates and understanding the issues that will shape the future of Ukiah. Mendo Matters is pleased to provide a forum where candidates and community members can engage in a constructive and informative conversation.”
The second debate will again be held at the Ukiah City Council Chambers, 300 Seminary Ave., from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Attendees can meet candidates for an hour following the debate. For those unable to attend the event in person, Mendo Matters will provide a live stream of the debate on its YouTube channel, @MendoMatters-707.
All eight candidates have been invited to participate, and questions developed by Mendo Matters will not be shared with any of the candidates. Only three of the eight candidates took part in the first debate.