BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Mayoral candidates India Walton and Byron Brown will debate at St. Joe’s Collegiate Institute less than a week before Election Day.
Walton, the Democratic nominee, and Brown, the incumbent running a write-in campaign, will be joined on stage by write-in candidate Benjamin Carlisle for the event at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday. The debate is closed to the public, but a live stream will be available on WIVB.com.
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Walton had initially planned to skip the event and stick to just one debate, which was hosted by WUFO Radio and the Buffalo Association of Black Journalists on Sept. 9 (watch the full debate here). She declined an invitation from News 4 to participate in a televised debate against Brown that was planned for Oct. 5.
But St. Joe’s confirmed Friday that Walton is now in for the event, which takes place just six days before the Nov. 2 election. Early voting opens Saturday.
The debate will be moderated by AP Government teacher Ted Lina and questions will be written and asked by St. Joe’s AP Government students and members of the Equity & Justice Club. The private, all-boys school in Kenmore has hosted an annual political debate for more than 30 years.