Lawrence Public Library, pictured Aug. 20, 2015.

Local candidates vying for spots on the City Commission and Lawrence school board are ticketed to take part in a candidate forum event open to the public on Saturday.

Held at the Lawrence Public Library, City Commission candidates are slated to share the spotlight at 1:30 p.m., followed by the school board forum at 3 p.m.

Organized by the Lawrence NAACP branch’s Political Action Committee, moderator Ursula Minor is tasked with ensuring that candidates strictly adhere to a set of predetermined questions. Political Action Committee chair Lois Orth-Lopes told the Journal-World that audience inquiries are prohibited — adding that candidates will have approximately 30 minutes to engage with attendees and distribute campaign material at the conclusion of each forum.

“The NAACP cannot endorse a candidate, so we’re doing this completely as an education opportunity,” Orth-Lopes said.

Those running for seats in the upcoming Aug. 1 primary election are (for City Commission) Courtney Shipley, Amber Sellers, Brad Finkeldei, Dustin Stumblingbear, Mike Dever, Justine Burton, Joshua Olafson and Chris Flowers. School board candidates are Shannon Kimball, Justine Burton, Ariel Miner and Tierra Teske. As previously reported by the Journal-World, Teske has said she is likely moving from the area and will not campaign for the board seat.