Candidates Ben Stuckart, Shawn Poole, Jonathan Bingle and Kelly Cruz will participate in the free, public forum.

SPOKANE, Wash. — Four Spokane mayoral candidates will participate in the first public forum of the 2019 race on Thursday night.

Community radio station KYRS is hosting the forum from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Downtown Library. Candidates Ben Stuckart, Shawn Poole, Jonathan Bingle and Kelly Cruz will participate.

Mayoral candidate and former news anchor Nadine Woodward will not be participating in the forum due to a previously scheduled event.

A spokesperson with Spokane Public Libraries says that the forum offers each candidate an equal opportunity to “lay out their agenda, express their ideas and respond to constituent questions concerning a range of vital issues” in Spokane.

Topics at the forum will most likely include issues like homelessness, public safety and the city economy.

KYRS public affairs programmer Paul Potocky will moderate the forum.

The live broadcast event is free, open to the public and wheelchair accessible. It will be archived for rebroadcast ahead of the Aug. 6 primary.

Meet the candidates

Ben Stuckart

Ben Stuckart has served as the Spokane City Council President for six years.

He graduated from Gonzaga University before working in the ticketing industry, spending time with the Oakland Raiders and TicketsWest, as well as working for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Before going into politics, Stuckart also began the Communities in Schools of Spokane County nonprofit, which helps students in need in area schools.

Shawn Poole

Shawn Poole was born and raised in Spokane and graduated from Shadle Park High School and the University of Montana, where he studied sociology and criminal justice.

After getting his degree, he served in the U.S. Army during Desert Storm, joining in 1987 and leaving active duty for the reserves in 1992 to start a career with the Spokane Fire Department. While in the reserves, he was mobilized and deployed twice, once from March 2007 to March 2008 and again from October 2008 to November 2009.

Jonathan Bingle

Jonathan Bingle was born in Spokane and graduated from Rogers High School. He attended Spokane Falls Community College before leaving to start Bingle Enterprises Inc.

He served as a pastor at the Genesis Church in North Spokane.

Kelly Cruz

Kelly Cruz has served as a volunteer and community leader in Spokane for many years – particularly in the West Central neighborhood.

Now, he is pursuing bigger leadership responsibilities in the city with his run for mayor.

Note: Woodward is not able to attend the forum due to a previously scheduled event. The video below features her full-length interview with KREM political reporter Casey Decker.

Nadine Woodward

The former KREM and KXLY anchor recently retired from broadcasting after a career that spanned over two decades.

Woodward, who ended her run at KXLY on Feb. 28, announced on April 2 that she would be running for mayor during a press conference at Riverfront Park. Fellow former KREM anchor Charles Rowe also spoke at the conference.