League of Women Voters Hosts Board of Education Candidate Forum October 14

The League of Women Voters of Montgomery County is hosting a candidate forum for the two contested Board of Education races on Wednesday, October 14, and county voters can attend in person or watch it live online.

The candidate forum runs from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Montgomery Community Television studio at 7548 Standish Place in Rockville. Sonya Laurence Green moderates. Green is a veteran journalist who most recently served as supervisory assignments editor in the Voice of America News Center in Washington.

Who Is on Stage

Four candidates are scheduled to appear, covering both Board of Education races that are actually contested this year:

• At-Large: Brenda Diaz and Omar Lazo
• District 3: Sally McCarthy and Cassandra Sung

Those four are the complete field in their races. According to the Maryland State Board of Elections candidate list, the two other Board of Education seats on the November ballot are uncontested: Grace Rivera-Oven is the only candidate in District 1, and Elma-Lorraine Diggs is the only candidate in District 5.

Every Montgomery County voter votes in both of the contested races. Board of Education candidates who run in a numbered district must live in that district, but all seven elected board members are chosen countywide. A voter in Bethesda helps decide the District 3 seat even though District 3 covers a different part of the county.

How to Attend in Person

Seating in the studio audience is limited and requires advance registration.

• Register on the League of Women Voters event page no later than Tuesday, October 6. Registration also closes early if the studio fills.
• Registration generates an email confirmation, and that confirmation is the ticket.
• Audience members must be seated by 6:45 p.m., and the League asks attendees to arrive early enough to clear security.

How to Watch or Ask a Question

The forum streams live on YouTube at this link, with no registration required to watch.

Members of the public can also submit questions for the candidates in advance. The League is taking questions through its submission form until Wednesday, October 7.

Who Is Behind It

Co-sponsors are the Potomac Valley and Montgomery County sections of the National Council of Negro Women, the Theta Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the Patuxent River Chapter of The Links, and Young People for Progress of Montgomery County. Montgomery Community Television is hosting the forum in its studio.

The general election is Tuesday, November 3.

The full announcement from the League of Women Voters follows.

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Announcement: League of Women Voters of Montgomery County

The League of Women Voters of Montgomery County, Maryland is sponsoring a forum for District 3 and At-Large candidates for the Montgomery County Board of Education.

• When: October 14 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• Where: Montgomery Community Television, Inc. Studio, 7548 Standish Place, Rockville, MD 20855

At-Large Candidates: Brenda Diaz and Omar Lazo

District 3 Candidates: Sally McCarthy and Cassandra Sung

Moderator: Sonya Laurence Green, a veteran journalist and editor who most recently served as Supervisory Assignments Editor in the Voice of America (VOA) News Center in Washington, D.C.

Register to Attend in Person: Members of the public are invited to participate in-person in the studio audience. Register at this link to attend in person at the Montgomery Community Television, Inc. Studio in Rockville, MD. When you complete your registration, you will receive an email confirmation that will serve as your ticket.

Seating is limited; please register no later than October 6, 2026! Live audience members must be seated by 6:45 p.m. The Forum begins at 7 p.m. Please arrive early to be sure you have time to clear security.

Attend virtually: This event will also be streaming live on YouTube at this link.

Do you have a question for the candidates? Submit your question by October 7, here: Submit a Question for Board of Education Candidates.

Our Co-Sponsors

• National Council of Negro Women, Potomac Valley Section
• National Council of Negro Women, Montgomery County Section
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.® Theta Omega Omega Chapter
• The Links, Patuxent River Chapter
• Young People for Progress, Montgomery County

Thank you to Montgomery Community Television, Inc. for hosting the forum and for supporting the League’s voter outreach and education efforts.

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