Candidates seeking federal, state, Clay and Ray County offices answered questions from voters during a public forum at the Eagleton Center, giving residents the opportunity to hear directly from those appearing on the Aug. 4 primary ballot.

As nonpartisan community newspapers, the Richmond News and Excelsior Springs Standard hosted the forum as part of its election coverage, alongside candidate questionnaires published ahead of the primary election.

“As community newspapers, one of our most important jobs is helping voters make informed decisions,” said General Manager Sharon Donat. “A candidate forum gives people the chance to hear directly from every candidate in one place under the same rules. It lets voters compare the candidates based on what they say, not what someone else says about them.”

Residents were invited to submit questions before the forum, with newspaper staff reviewing submissions before placing them into a basket for random selection. Candidates within each race answere…