Lakeland voters will have an opportunity to hear directly from the city’s mayoral candidates this fall as the Lakeland Community Advisory Board hosts a Mayoral Debate & Candidate Forum.
The event is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, at the Lakeland Preparatory School Middle School Cafetorium. The forum comes during Lakeland’s first contested mayoral election since 2018, with incumbent Mayor Josh Roman facing Commissioner Connie McCarter.
The debate also marks Lakeland’s first mayoral candidate forum in eight years. Candidate forums were held during the 2018 mayoral election, while Roman ran unopposed for reelection in 2022. With this year’s contested race, the two candidates will have an opportunity to address residents publicly ahead of Election Day.
Lakeland residents can submit questions for consideration by emailing lakeland2026debate@gmail.com through Oct. 14. Questions will be reviewed and selected by the Lakeland Community Advisory Board. City officials will not receive, review or select the submitted questions.
All candidates have been invited to participate. The City of Lakeland and the Community Advisory Board do not endorse any candidate.
The Oct. 19 forum will give residents an opportunity to hear the candidates discuss issues facing Lakeland and their respective views on the city’s future before voters head to the polls.
