The qualifying is done, the signs have been put out and the door-knocking is in full swing in Atmore as municipal and county elections draw closer, and tomorrow those vying for local office will get a chance to voice their opinions on a large and public stage.

The Atmore Leadership Alumni Association will host a Candidate Forum Thursday at The Club on Alabama 21 at 5:30 p.m. and forum organizers are stressing the importance of attendance by local residents. Officials involved would like to remind the public the forum does include both municipal candidates, as well as countywide candidates, adding it is important that residents who may not live in the Atmore city limits also attend.

Participating in the forum will be Escambia County probate Judge candidates, Emilie Mims and Doug Agerton; Escambia County District 4 commissioner candidates, Brandon Smith and Junior Hall; circuit clerk candidates, John Robert Fountain and Becky Breckenridge; Atmore mayoral candidates, Jim Staff, Bernard Bishop and Lloyd Albritton; and Atmore City Council candidates, Chad Thrower, Thomas McNeal, Larry Houck, Phil Johnson, Susan Smith, Gregg Akins, Michael Arnold, Sandra Gray and Chris Harrison. Incumbent candidate for District 1, Webb Nall will miss Thursday’s meeting due to business out of town, while incumbent candidate for District 2, Cornell Torrence, has said he is unsure if his schedule will permit attendance. Chris Walker, councilman for District 3, is unopposed in this year’s race.

Each candidate will have three minutes for an introduction. Each candidate will then be asked two questions of which they will each have two minutes to answer.

Hot dogs, chips and Pepsi products, which have been donated by Frontier Communications, will be served free of charge; however, donations will be taken. All donations will go towards the upkeep and beautification of Heritage Park located on South Main Street.