MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Legislative Candidate Forum to Launch 2026 Election Season in Brooklyn Park

BROOKLYN PARK, MN (July 8, 2026) Voters in Brooklyn Park and neighboring communities will have an opportunity to hear directly from candidates seeking seats in the Minnesota Legislature next week as the League of Women Voters Brooklyn Park, Osseo, Maple Grove begins a series of nonpartisan candidate forums leading up to this fall's elections.

The first forum is scheduled for Tuesday, July 14, at 7 p.m. in the Brooklyn Park City Hall Council Chambers, 5200 85th Ave. N. The event will feature candidates running for Minnesota Senate District 38 and Minnesota House Districts 38A and 38B, giving voters an opportunity to compare candidates' positions on issues expected to shape the upcoming legislative session.

Organizers say the forums are designed to promote informed voting by providing residents with direct access to the candidates in a structured, nonpartisan setting. Members of the public may submit questions in advance by emailing lwvbpomg@lwvmn.org or submit written questions during the event. Questions will be reviewed by moderators in accordance with League of Women Voters guidelines to ensure fairness and equal opportunity for participating candidates.

For residents unable to attend in person, the forum will be livestreamed and archived by CCX Media, allowing voters to watch the discussion live or view it later before casting their ballots.

The July 14 forum marks the beginning of an extensive schedule of candidate forums hosted by the League of Women Voters throughout the 2026 election season. Additional forums are planned for Minnesota Senate District 37 and House Districts 37A and 37B on July 21, House District 34B on July 23, municipal races in Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, and Osseo during August and October, and school board elections for Osseo Area Schools (ISD 279) and Brooklyn Center Community Schools (ISD 286) in September.

Founded more than a century ago, the League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging informed and active participation in government. The organization does not endorse or oppose political parties or candidates and is widely recognized for sponsoring candidate forums, publishing voter education materials, and expanding civic engagement at the local, state, and national levels.

Candidate forums have become an important part of Minnesota's election season, offering voters an opportunity to hear candidates discuss public policy, respond to community concerns, and explain their priorities before early voting begins.

Although the July 14 forum will be held inside Brooklyn Park City Hall, city officials emphasized that the event is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by the City of Brooklyn Park. The city's promotion of the forum is being conducted in accordance with its Policy on Non-City Events and Initiatives, which allows the city to publicize qualifying community events that provide a public benefit while remaining independent of municipal government.

The July 14 forum is free and open to the public. Organizers encourage residents throughout the northwest Twin Cities suburbs to participate, either in person or online, as Minnesota's 2026 election season begins to take shape.

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