A business group, school, and newspaper are getting together to help voters learn about all the presidential candidates. Yesterday, officials from the Chamber of Commerce, Saint Ambrose University, and Quad City Times announced their partnership to host a series of events called, "The Quad Cities New Ideas Forum." They'll be held on the SAU campus in Davenport.
Mark Ridolfi, the Editorial Page Editor at the Times, says many Quad Cities voters are not affiliated with any party. And they evaluate candidates based on more than whether they're democrats or republicans.
Tara Barney, President and CEO of the Quad Cities Chamber, says the new ideas will come from the candidates and the people who attend the forums.
P.J. Foley, from Saint Ambrose, says the New Ideas Forum will give students, faculty, and staff opportunities to learn about the presidential candidates and become more involved in the political process.
The partners will start inviting all declared presidential candidates to discussions, rallies, and other events leading up to the caucuses next year. They will also host forums about a single issue or related issues, plus non-partisan presentations about the voting process and other topics.
The groups are using #QuadCitiesNewIdeas on social media to promote their new partnership.