Five candidate forums in September and October will allow Club members to meet and talk with the candidates running for seven at-large seats on the Angeles Chapter Executive Committee. The candidates will outline their interests and ideas and answer questions at the hour-long forums at monthly meetings of regional groups and sections.

The 10 candidates named by the Chapter Nominating Committee in June are John Fries, Hersh Kelley, Jan Kidwell, Jay Matchett, Kent Schwitkis, Virgil Shields, Armando Soto Mayor, Donna Specht, Dean Wallraff, and Joe Young.

Two additional candidates, Sylvie Darie and Lyn Klein, have withdrawn.

Because of vacancies, two seats were added to the normal five seats up for election this year, resulting in an unusual seven openings out of the nine at-large seats on the Executive Committee.

The forums are scheduled for:

• Sept. 7-Pasadena Group, Eaton Canyon Nature Center, 1750 N. Altadena Dr., Pasadena. Forum starts at 8:30pm, following 6:30pm social hour and 7:30pm program (Rosemarie White, chair of the Angeles Chapter's Endangered Species/Wildlife Committee).
• Sept. 19-Airport-Marina Group, 7:45pm at Community Room, Burton Chase Park (west end of Mindanao Way), Marina del Rey. Candidate Forum to follow program on environmental impact of war in Iraq, by Kelly Hayes-Raitt, president of Coast to Coast Community Campaigns.
• Oct. 5-Long Beach Group, Environmental Services Bldg., 2929 E. Willow St., Long Beach. Candidate Forum follows 7:30pm program on a day in the 1850s with Henry David Thoreau, by Joe Morris.
• Oct. 10-Orange County Sierra Singles, Neighborhood Community Center, 1845 Park Ave., Costa Mesa (take 55 Fwy south, right on 19th, cross Harbor Blvd., left on Park, right into parking lot). Candidate Forum follows 6:30pm optional potluck (bring own utensils and beverage, $3 donation) and program by family physician Gordon LaBedz on connection between your health and the health of the planet.
• Oct. 26-Verdugo Hills Group at Montrose Citibank, 2350 Honolulu Ave., Montrose. Candidate Forum after 7:30pm program on China by Bruce Hale.

Ballots will be included in the November issue of the Southern Sierran. In addition to electing at-large members of the Chapter ExComm, members will also vote for the Executive Committees of their regional groups.

A copy of the rules governing the election may be obtained by calling the Chapter office, 213-387-4287. Or you can read the Election Rules on the Angeles Chapter Web site, at www.angeles.sierraclub.org.

Under the election rules:

• Chapter entities may not endorse candidates, but individual Club members, acting as individuals, may endorse candidates. Newsletters may not endorse candidates. Editorials or paid advertising on behalf of a candidate are not permitted in any Chapter publication, newsletter, or website.
• Chapter entities may publish candidate statements and question-and-answer forums in their newsletters, provided that all candidates are given equal opportunity.
• Candidates may use Chapter or Regional Group membership lists for campaign mailings.