Find out which candidate will best represent Tulare County at the League of Women Voters (LWV) Candidates’ Forum Wednesday, January 31 at Exeter Veterans Memorial Building, 324 North Kaweah Ave, Exeter.
Doors open at 6:00 PM. Forum starts at 6:30 PM.
The LWV is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor opposes any political candidate. The League’s purpose is to inform voters of choices they have through forums that reflect a variety of perspectives and interests.
Lindsay native Joe Soria is challenging incumbent Larry Micari for Tulare County Supervisor District 1. This district includes Exeter, Farmersville, Lindsay, Poplar, Strathmore, Woodville and a part of North Visalia.
For Tulare County Board of Supervisors District 2 Benny Corona, a life-long resident of Tulare County is challenging incumbent Pete Vander Poel. Vander Poel had declined LWV’s invitation to participate in the forum but Corona will be available to meet the voters.
Meet the Candidates
Tulare County Supervisor District 1 candidates Micari and Soria enthusiastically accepted the LWV’s invitation to the forum and are looking forward to sharing their vision and meeting their constituents. The following information originated from their campaign websites.
Micari was born and raised in Tulare County and is a graduate of Tulare Union High School, attended College of the Sequoias, and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Management from Union Institute and University. He lives in Exeter with his wife and their two daughters. Micari is a retired Tulare County Deputy Sheriff with the rank of Captain. Before working for the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department Micari was an Emergency Responder and a Farmersville Police Officer.
His website states, “I’m a common-sense public servant, our economic development continues to be important to Tulare County and I have always focused on making the right decisions to provide opportunities for all residents. We need elected officials that look at the practical side of running the county not the political side. My vision for the growth for the future of this county is simple, smart and practical growth. Bringing jobs to Tulare County where ON THE JOB training is the norm will put our residents to work!”
Soria was born and raised in Lindsay and is the proud son of immigrant farmworking parents who instilled in him the value of hard work, perseverance and the importance of being civically engaged. Soria graduated from UC Berkeley and obtained a Masters in teaching from USC. Returning to Lindsay, he coached youth sports, served as a librarian and taught 3rd and 4th grades. Currently Soria runs a small trucking business with his wife and three kids.
He states on his website, “When elected, I will deliver opportunities for growth in our communities. I will ensure the vulnerable populations have the resources they need to prosper and I will fight for clean water and air. As a servant of the people, I will deliver accountability and transparency. It’s time a blue collar voice sits on the Supervisory Board of Tulare County. My dream is that the county leadership reflects the population as a whole.”
What to expect
The forum will be moderated by Melinda Morales, former Opinion Page Editor for the Visalia Times Delta and current Director of Outreach and Communication for CASA of Tulare County.
Each candidate will have 1.5 minutes to introduce themselves. Candidates will then be asked prepared questions from the Forum Planning Committee, followed by screened questions from the audience. As this is a forum and not a debate, participants are not allowed to refer to a rival candidate when answering the questions.
Ballots for the 2024 primary will be mailed February 5, 2024 and Election Day is March 5, 2024 from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
“Hearing and seeing candidates engage in healthy debates before an election is an important part of our democracy. Candidate debates and forums help us determine which candidates align with our values and which ones we want to support with our votes. Due to our deep roots and long history of nonpartisanship, communities across the country have put their trust in the League to host these events.” League of Women Voters California
The forum will be streaming live on The Valley Voice Facebook page.
This forum is presented by the Tulare County League of Women Voters in collaboration with the Tulare County League of Mexican American Women, the Association of American University Women, the League of United Latin American Citizens, The Visalia Times-Delta and The Valley Voice.
How can one access the archived video recording of the event?