Aug. 7 primary ballots will feature many contested races from Cole County and Mid-Missouri jurisdictions.
Seven of those races will be the subjects of News Tribune forums in which candidates are questioned about their views and experience.
On July 18, a forum at Blair Oaks Middle School will feature Republican candidates for Missouri House District 59: Rik Combs, Rudy Veit, Karen Leydens, Kendra Lane and Randy Dinwiddie.
On July 19, three forums will be held at Jefferson City Hall. One will feature Democratic candidates for Missouri Senate District 6: Bryan Stuebig, Nicole Thompson and Mollie Freebairn.
A second forum will feature Democratic candidates for Missouri House District 60: Sara Michael and Kevin Nelson.
A third forum will feature Republican candidates Missouri House District 60: Jane Beetem, Dave Griffith and Pat Rowe Kerr.
On July 24, the forum at Jefferson City Hall will feature three contested Republican county races. Scheduled to appear at the forum are Mark Richardson and Locke Thompson, Republican candidates for prosecuting attorney; Ralph Bray and Judy Ridgeway, Republican candidates for recorder of deeds; and Cotton Walker and Tim Anderson, Republican candidates for associate circuit judge, Division III.
To keep Mid-Missouri residents informed before they head to the polls Aug. 7, the News Tribune has been profiling the races leading up to Election Day. The newspaper also will publish stories in which candidates are questioned about issues or topics that would affect the office they are seeking.
Those profiles and stories began July 17 and will continue through Election Day, culminating with a voter's guide that will publish the Sunday before the election.