To the editor:

Thank you, Newport County!

The League of Women Voters Newport County (LWVNC) was honored to conduct 10 candidate forums this election season. The field was crowded, with 86 candidates running for 59 positions on city and town councils and school committees.

Residents submitted more than 110 questions, which were consolidated and adapted for the forums. Candidates could also address a topic they wished had been asked about but was not.

Residents of Little Compton, Tiverton, Middletown, Portsmouth and Newport shared many concerns. Chief among them was the affordability of living in Newport County, especially for young families, and whether our children will be able to remain here. Other concerns included support for small businesses, long-term economic development, short-term rentals, Flock cameras and zoning practices.

At each forum, candidates were asked about their qualifications for office. Residents expressed fears of being squeezed out of their homes by taxes, sewer fees, parking fees, trash costs and other local government expenses. Adequate school funding was another concern.

School committee candidates faced questions about friction between councils and school committees, particularly over annual budgets, and relationships between school committees and administrators. Other questions addressed funding special education, English as a second language (ESL) programs and career and technical education (CTE) amid declining enrollment.

Each community also had unique concerns.

Newport candidates answered questions about ICE, economic diversification and balancing tourism with quality of life. Middletown candidates addressed regionalization, term limits and saving Pottsy Field.

Portsmouth candidates fielded questions about governance and transparency, nonpartisan elections, the town's lawsuit challenging state housing mandates on home-rule grounds, and membership in Portsmouth Concerned Citizens.

Tiverton candidates also addressed governance and transparency, along with PFAS contamination in residential wells and municipal spending priorities.

Little Compton candidates were questioned about protecting farmland while creating affordable housing, groundwater vulnerabilities, preparing students for 21st-century jobs and maintaining the five-star rating of the K-8 school as enrollment grows.

Candidates were not allowed to bring prewritten notes, promoting fairness, engagement and authenticity. This provided a more level playing field and demonstrated their command of the issues. It was impressive to see how well-versed most candidates were in the challenges facing their communities.

The LWVNC did not hold forums in Jamestown, where two nonpartisan forums had already been scheduled.

Need a refresher on one of the forums? Links are available at lwvnewportcounty.org.

The candidates have done their work and will continue to do so. Now it's your turn: Do your research. Continue asking questions. Make these midterm elections a priority.

And vote!

Christine Stenning

President, LWVNC

Portsmouth