Hear the candidates: Modesto mayoral hopefuls discuss the issues

Seven Modesto mayoral candidates – Kristi Ah You, Ted Brandvold, Rick Countryman, Naramsen Goriel, Doug Ridenour, Erin Sommer Tenorio and Sue Zwahlen – squared off in a debate before The Bee’s Editorial Board on Wednesday night.

The seven, including the incumbent Brandvold, discussed such topics as the city’s approach to enforce COVID-19 rules, the suggested creation of an independent civilian review board for the Modesto Police Department and bringing businesses to Modesto.

The debate was the ninth conducted by The Bee’s Editorial Board in a continuing series that will last throughout the month of September ahead of the Nov. 3 general election.

Ballots will go out the first week of October.

Here’s a list of the debates, along with links to previous Zoom debates:

Monday, Aug. 31 – Stanislaus County supervisor, District 1: Buck Condit and Bill Zoslocki

Tuesday, Sept. 1 –Senate District 5: Susan Talamantes Eggman (D) and Jim Ridenour (R)

Thursday, Sept. 3 – Stanislaus County supervisor, District 5: Channce Condit and Tom Hallinan

Sept. 8 – Ceres mayor: Brett Durossette and Javier Lopez

Sept. 9 – Modesto City Council, District 1: Rosa Escutia-Braaton, Jennifer Hidalgo and Amin Vohra.

Sept. 10 – Modesto City Council, District 3: Jim Applegate, Janice Keating and Chris Ricci.

Sept. 15 – Modesto Irrigation District, Division 1: Larry Byrd* and Suzy Powell Roos.

Sept. 16 – Modesto City Council, District 6: Jessica Gonzalez, Kelsten Obert, Hunter Sauls and David Wright.

Sept. 17 – South Modesto Partnerships/Modesto Bee: Modesto mayoral and Stanislaus Board of Supervisors District 5

Sept. 23 – Modesto mayor: Kristi Ah You, Ted Brandvold*, Rick Countryman, Naramsen Goriel, Doug Ridenour, Erin Sommer Tenorio and Sue Zwahlen.

Sept. 24 – Turlock City Council: Gil Esquer*, Rebecka Monez and Ruben Wegner for District 2, and Pam Franco and Robert Puffer for District 4.

Sept. 30 – Patterson mayor: Dennis McCord, David Keller and Mark Miles.

Also on Sept. 30 we will post a video with Democratic U.S. Rep. Josh Harder of the 10th Congressional District in similar interview format but without challenger Republican Ted Howze, who declined to participate.

This story was originally published September 23, 2020 at 9:31 PM.