As campaign season accelerates toward the upcoming Nov. 3 ballot, civic organizations, community coalitions, and business groups across Ventura County have established an extensive calendar of public candidate forums. Designed to offer constituents direct engagement with contenders seeking public office, these events aim to provide voters with essential clarity on the policy stances, governance philosophies, and strategic priorities of candidates across a wide spectrum of local and regional races.
The non-partisan League of Women Voters of Ventura County is serving as a primary coordinator for many of the gatherings, frequently partnering with regional chambers of commerce, the Ventura County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and area branches of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). To ensure widespread civic participation, all scheduled forums are open to the general public free of charge, with organizers incorporating both in-person seating and digital viewing options through livestreams and archived video recordings.
While the majority of the planned sessions concentrate heavily on municipal governance, including city council and mayoral contests, several events will encompass a broader range of leadership positions. Voters will have the chance to evaluate candidates running for local school boards, county educational offices, community college leadership, the California State Assembly, and the U.S. House of Representatives, alongside an informational session dedicated to a local municipal ballot measure.
The forum series begins in Port Hueneme on Wednesday, Sept. 16, where contenders for the Port Hueneme City Council will assemble from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Hosted inside the Port Hueneme City Council Chambers at 250 N. Ventura Road, the event is co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Ventura County and the Ventura County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, offering residents an early opportunity to evaluate the field of city council candidates.
On Thursday, Sept. 17, civic attention shifts to the Conejo Valley for an evening forum at California Lutheran University's Lundring Events Center, located at 60 W. Olsen Road in Thousand Oaks. Organized by the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce, the two-hour event running from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. will spotlight contenders for Ventura County Community College District Area 2 alongside candidates competing for Thousand Oaks City Council Districts 1, 2, and 3. Voters unable to attend in person can follow the proceedings through a live digital broadcast on the chamber’s official Facebook page.
The following week, the League of Women Voters will join forces with the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce to host a community forum on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at the Santa Paula Community/Senior Center at 530 W. Main St. The evening begins from 6 p.m. to 7:20 p.m. with discussions among Santa Paula City Council candidates for Districts 2 and 4, followed by a dedicated segment from 7:30 p.m. to 8:10 p.m. highlighting candidates for the Santa Paula Unified School District Area 5 seat.
High-stakes federal and local contests will be featured on Friday, Sept. 25, at the Moorpark High Street Arts Center, situated at 45 E. High St. Co-hosted by the League of Women Voters and the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce, the event opens from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. with candidates competing for California's 26th Congressional District. The evening will continue from 6:30 p.m. to 7:10 p.m. with contenders for Moorpark City Council District 1, concluding with a segment from 7:20 p.m. to 8 p.m. focused on Moorpark Unified School District School Board Area 1.
Civic discourse continues in the Ojai Valley on Monday, Sept. 28, with a League of Women Voters forum dedicated to Ojai City Council Districts 1 and 2. Scheduled from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., the event will take place inside the Ojai City Council Chambers at Kent Hall, located at 111 W. Santa Ana St., allowing local residents to hear directly from candidates seeking to represent the two council districts.
On Wednesday, Sept. 30, two major forums will take place simultaneously in different parts of the county. In Oxnard, the League of Women Voters will host an evening session at the Oxnard City Council Chambers at 305 W. Third St. The first portion, running from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., will feature candidates for Oxnard City Council Districts 1, 2, and 5, while the subsequent segment from 7:30 p.m. to 8:10 p.m. will examine the city's proposed Sales Tax Measure.
Concurrently on Sept. 30, the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce will present an expansive civic program at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, located at 3050 E. Los Angeles Ave. The evening begins with an informal candidate meet-and-greet at 5 p.m., followed by a formal discussion running from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. that encompasses contenders for Simi Valley Mayor, Simi Valley City Council, the Simi Valley Unified School District Board, and the Ventura County Board of Education District 4. The entire session will be broadcast live on the chamber's Facebook and YouTube channels.
As the calendar turns to October, election events will expand into state legislative territory. On Thursday, Oct. 1, the League of Women Voters and AAUW Thousand Oaks will co-host a forum at the Thousand Oaks City Council Chambers at 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. The program opens from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. with contenders for California Assembly District 42, before transitioning from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. to focus on Thousand Oaks City Council candidates across Districts 1, 2, and 3.
Regional governance and municipal policy take center stage in Camarillo on Monday, Oct. 5, during a session co-hosted by the League of Women Voters and AAUW Camarillo at the City of Camarillo Council Chambers, 601 Carmen Drive. The forum will open from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. with candidates running for Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, followed by a panel from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. featuring contenders for Camarillo City Council Districts 1, 2, and 5.
Simi Valley voters will have an additional opportunity to evaluate municipal leaders on Tuesday, Oct. 6, during a forum co-hosted by the League of Women Voters and the Ventura County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority at the Simi Valley Council Chambers, 2929 Tapo Canyon Road. The event is scheduled to review the mayoral race from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., followed by City Council candidates representing Districts 1, 2, and 4 from 7:15 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The comprehensive forum schedule concludes with a pair of public meetings in the city of Ventura hosted by the League of Women Voters. On Wednesday, Oct. 7, Balboa Middle School at 247 S. Hill Road will host debates for Ventura City Council Districts 4 and 5 from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., followed by Ventura Unified School Board Areas 4 and 5 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The final event on Thursday, Oct. 15, will take place at Anacapa Middle School, 100 S. Mills Road, highlighting Ventura City Council Districts 1 and 6 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
To ensure broad access for all registered voters, video recordings of forums organized by the League of Women Voters are scheduled to be published online at LwvVenturaCounty.org within a few days of each event's completion. With ballots set for decision on Nov. 3, these non-partisan forums serve as a critical bridge between the electorate and those seeking to guide public policy across Ventura County.
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