SVSU Great Lakes Bay Candidate Forums
The Great Lakes Bay Region Candidate Forums are designed to give students and community members an opportunity to hear directly from candidates in a fair, structured, and civil setting. These educational events are free and open to the public (ticketed for capacity), and are hosted by SVSU programs and student organizations committed to nonpartisan civic engagement. The forums are moderated by journalists or public figures with statewide recognition and a strong understanding of Michigan politics.
Each forum follows an established format: welcome remarks, a student-led civility pledge, opening statements, moderator questions, audience questions submitted through written comment cards, and closing statements. Forums are not debates—candidates answer without interruption, responses are timed, and moderators enforce rules consistently.
Sponsors and community partners support the forums by promoting attendance and encouraging civic participation. SVSU is proud to provide a respectful space where voters can learn, compare ideas, and engage in democracy.
