Candidates’ Night 2014: One of Many Massachusetts Debates

Each fall the Worcester Property Owners Association has hosted those who hold or seek office at a special meeting.  In election years this is called "Candidates' Night."  This year, now that MassLandlords.net is launched, we're broadening our topic areas. The 2014 Small Business Candidates' Night will cover a variety of topics beyond housing.  Martha Coakley recently called for six gubernatorial debates, so our Candidates' Night, focusing on other offices, will be one of many Massachusetts debates and presentations this election cycle.

This Event Was Held on October 8, 2014.

View Candidate Videos, Transcripts and Pictures.

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Not Your Typical Massachusetts Debate

Unlike the usual format, which requires each speaker to have at least one opponent, Candidates' Night is technically a moderated discussion.

The moderator asks questions and ensures that each candidate present has a chance to deliver a good answer. Occasionally the moderator will return to candidates twice for the same question so that each has a chance to speak after hearing what others have said.

Click here for the primary event page

If one side of the election doesn't show up (e.g., we get the Republican but not the Democrat, or vice versa) the candidate who comes still gets to answer questions and speak.

Groupings of Candidates

Due to the wide array of candidates relevant to Worcester small businesses, some on-stage grouping is required.  We attempt to use RSVP's and firm commitments by candidates to make appropriate groupings while still giving each a meaningful amount of time to convey positions. For instance, candidates for representative and senator may share the stage and take turns asking questions, even though they are not in direct opposition. This grouping makes sense because both types of candidates are seeking to be legislators, so the questions can focus on bills and laws. Executive branch candidates would be grouped separately.

Any Chance of Getting Coakley or Baker?

We'd love to host the candidates for Governor in this or future years. Considering that this is our first really "big" year, and we have two local candidates for Lt. Governor and the state auditor, it makes sense to focus our program on their attendance and let Coakley-Baker take a larger venue in Worcester, like the DCU center.

What's it like to be in the audience?

It's quite thrilling, actually, in large part due to the dynamic personality of our moderator.  This year as in past years we're fortunate to have Raymond Mariano, former Mayor of Worcester, now Executive Director of the Worcester Housing Authority, as our moderator.  Ray's experience as both a public official and a public landlord makes him perfectly suited to the task of representing our questions to the 2014 Massachusetts candidates.

You can read about Ray Mariano on wikipedia and in a recent telegram article, describing a $1.8 million grant to Ray's program, "A Better Life," about effective government assistance.

A First Class Venue

This event will be at Worcester Technical High School, a first class institution recently visited by President Obama.

The school has excellent facilities, comfortable seating, and the capacity to flex to the number of RSVP's we receive. In addition, the culinary arts department and students always do a first rate job with the food. Normally the WPOA serves a buffet, but due to the anticipated need for seating, we'll be serving heavy appetizers (enough to make a meal).

RSVP via the event page.