Missoula Mayoral Forum Scrapped Hours Before Event, Won’t Be Rescheduled

MISSOULA — The final forum in a planned series allowing voters to question mayoral candidates was abruptly cancelled Tuesday morning, just hours before the scheduled 7 p.m. event, raising questions about transparency and voter access in the final weeks before the November election.

The Missoula Office of Neighborhoods and League of Women Voters Missoula cancelled the mayoral candidate forum citing “unforeseen circumstances” in a city email sent at 10 a.m. — nine hours before Mayor Andrea Davis and challenger Shawn Knopp were set to face public questions at City Council Chambers.

The cancellation eliminates the primary opportunity for voters to directly compare the two candidates in a public setting, coming just six days after Western Montana News reported on Davis’s attempts to walk back previous acknowledgments about migrant placement numbers in Missoula.

No Rescheduling Despite Available Time

Organizers stated the forum “will not be rescheduled” because it was “scheduled late in the election cycle,” despite the election still being weeks away and other forums in the four-part series proceeding as planned through mid-October.

The mayoral forum was designed as the capstone event of the candidate series, following successful ward-level forums that allowed residents to question city council candidates throughout September and October.

“These forums are free, open to the public, and a fantastic opportunity to get informed about the upcoming election,” organizers had said when announcing the series in September, calling the election cycle “one of the most competitive local election cycles in recent memory.”

Pattern of Limited Public Engagement

The cancellation follows Davis’s recent efforts to limit public discussion about her administration’s policies. Last week, her office demanded Western Montana News retract reporting about her acknowledgment of migrant placement figures while refusing to provide actual data to verify disputed facts.

Communications Director Ginny Merriam cited vague “safety concerns” about social media comments questioning the mayor’s policy positions, though the mayor’s office provided no concrete examples of threatening behavior.

The cancelled forum represented the main public venue where voters could directly question Davis about her record and policy positions alongside her challenger. Previous forums in the series were broadcast live on Missoula Community Access Television and recorded for later viewing.

Voters Directed to Online Resources

Instead of the live forum format, organizers directed voters to VOTE411.org for information about the mayoral candidates. The online platform provides candidate responses to submitted questions but lacks the dynamic questioning and follow-up opportunities of a live public forum.

The timing of the cancellation — announced the morning of the event — prevented voters from making alternative arrangements to attend what had been promoted as their primary opportunity to evaluate the candidates together.

The League of Women Voters’ nonpartisan format typically allows public questions reviewed by volunteers, with residents able to submit questions in advance or during the event. The format prohibits campaign materials and audience disruptions to maintain focus on candidate responses.

Election Context

Davis faces her first re-election challenge from Knopp in what local observers have characterized as a competitive race. The mayor was elected in 2023 and is seeking her first full four-year term.

The cancellation leaves voters with limited opportunities to see the candidates interact directly before the November election, with organizers providing no timeline for any alternative public engagement opportunities.

“Information about the two mayoral candidates is available on the nonpartisan online voter guide, VOTE411.org,” the cancellation notice stated, thanking participants in the completed city council candidate forums.