We’re finally within 365 days of when District residents head to the polls to choose their next mayor, and what better way to celebrate than an old-fashioned debate?

Yes, tonight marks the official beginning of the 2006 campaign season, and all five officially-announced mayoral candidates will be taking each other on in what promises to be a battle royale over school modernization, taxes, development, crime, and affordable housing.

Ok, it may not be that exciting. After all, all five candidates are Democrats, and what differences they have may be more in style than in actual substance. But those currently serving on the City Council — three of the five — have in the past traded barbs over the stadium, gas prices, and fixing District schools, so there may be room for entertainment. What we can expect is that Council-member Adrian Fenty (D-Ward 4) will play up his populist appeal, while council chair Linda Cropp will stake out the consensus-building ground. Long shots Marie Johns and Michael Brown will most likely use the debate as a chance to introduce themselves to voters, while Council-member Vincent Orange (D-Ward 5) may expose some of the political antics he has recently become famous for. The best we can hope for is that panelists Tom Sherwood, Mark Plotkin, and Jonetta Rose Barras and moderator Colbert King won’t let the candidates get by with just mouthing the usual platitudes on education, housing, crime, and development. We want substance, people!

The details:

Mayoral Debate

Sponsored by the District of Columbia Affairs Section of the District of Columbia Bar, DC Appleseed, the Bar Association of the District of Columbia, UDC David A. Clarke School of Law, DC League of Women Voters, DC Vote, Consortium of Universities, and the ACLU of the National Capital Area.

The University of the District of Columbia
The Windows Lounge – Building 38, 2nd Floor
4200 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
(Doors Open at 6:00 p.m., Program Begins at 6:30 p.m.)

Register by emailing outreach (at) dcbar (dot) org.

If you can’t make it, fear not, DCist will be in attendance. What question would you want to ask the candidates?

Update: The debate has been moved to the University Auditorium, Building 46E.

Filed Under: 365 days, adrian fenty, affairs, affordable housing, bar, city, City Council, Colbert, colbert king, colbertking, connecticut avenue, crime, David, David A, dc vote, dcist, democrats, district, doors open, education, entertainment, housing, jonetta rose barras, jonettarosebarras, law, linda cropp, Marie Johns, mark plotkin, markplotkin, michael brown, michaelbrown, National Capital Area, news, people, politics, polls, rose, Rose Barras, schools, taxes, The University, theuniversity, Tom Sherwood, tomsherwood, udcdavida, university, vincent orange, Women Voters,