Editor’s note: A previous version of this article stated Karen Kedrowski was the head of the League of Women Voters of Ames and Story County, when Linda Hagedorn is the league president. The Daily regrets this error.

The League of Women Voters of Ames and Story County will be hosting a virtual forum for Story County offices to provide voters with an opportunity to learn more about their local candidates. 

The League of Women Voters invited candidates for the positions of county auditor, attorney and supervisor.

Story County Attorney Timothy Meals is running unopposed. The duties of a County Attorney consist of performing legal services, such as presenting all mental health commitment proceedings and juvenile delinquency; prosecuting all violations of state and criminal laws and county ordinances; and representing and defending the state, county and its officers in officially related cases. 

Story County Auditor Lucy Martin was reelected to her second full term in 2016 and is running unopposed. She began serving as an auditor in 2011 following her unanimous appointment to fill the vacated seat. 

Republican Steve O’Rourke and Democrat Latifah Faisal are running for the vacant position of Story County supervisor after Lauris Olson declared she would not be seeking reelection. 

Karen Kedrowski, director of Carrie Chapman Catt Center, said she hopes voters are able to find out more information on their local candidates. 

Kedrowski said she is unsure what exact questions will be asked during the forum, but issues such as public health, impacts from the recent derecho and the quality of life in Story County could be topics of discussion for the night. 

“These kinds of candidate forums and debates are really an opportunity for voters to be able to size up their candidates,” Kedrowski said. “Voters can hear from them directly rather than a news report or political campaign commercial that might oversimplify or distort things. It is an opportunity for people to hear from the candidates themselves about what their ideas are and what they hope to accomplish when in office.”

Kedrowski said responsibilities of state and local government range from policing, fire protection and schooling quality to garbage pick up and fixing potholes.

“Local government is what touches our lives most directly,” Kedrowski said. “The Federal Government gets a great deal of attention because of its prominence and its size, but really the part that makes a difference in people’s everyday lives are pursued at the local level.”

The forum will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday and can be accessed via Webex. Kedrowski said watching forums is the perfect way to partake in National Voter Education Week, which is Oct. 5 to 10. 

“I encourage folks to become informed on all candidates up and down the ballot,” Kedrowski said.