Two former mayors will meet in early October at a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Woodland and the League of Women Voters Davis Area.

Christopher Cabaldon, who once served as mayor of West Sacramento, and Thom Bogue, a former mayor of Dixon and current City Councilmember, will face off at a Thursday, Oct. 3, League-sponsored gathering at the Woodland Community & Senior Center, 2001 East St. The forum gets underway at 6:30 p.m.

State Senate District 3 includes the counties of Napa, Yolo and Solano, and portions of Contra Costa, Sacramento and Sonoma counties.

Bogue is supported by the California Republican Party and has stated that he doesn’t like the way “society is being pushed.” He wants someone in office who supports families and is tough on crime.

Bogue currently owns an automotive repair shop in Dixon. Bogue faced significant challenges after surviving the tragic incidents in 1978 related to Jonestown in Guyana.

More recently, Bogue served on the Dixon City Council and later became the city’s mayor. Through these roles, he provides assistance to young individuals struggling with drug addiction and individuals facing financial challenges.

“I have at one time lived homeless, drug use and recovery in my youth,” he has written. “Only to rise up accomplish owning my own successful business and elected three times to City Council, twice as councilman and once as mayor. I am experienced, honest and determined.”

Cabaldon (Democrat) has degrees in environmental economics from UC Berkeley and public policy and administration from Sacramento State University.

In addition to being West Sacramento’s longest-serving mayor — serving from 1998 to 2020 — Cabaldon has chaired the Yolo County Health Commission and was appointed to serve as California’s representative on the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education. He currently serves as the Hazel Cramer Endowed Chair and professor of public policy and administration at Sacramento State.

If elected, his focus will be on building a stronger economy, building housing and preserving communities, addressing the homeless crisis, protecting the environment, expanding access to education, and keeping communities safe.

Both men are vying to replace Democrat Bill Dodd, who is termed out of office, but is expected to seek a statewide office in the future.

The Senate forum is co-sponsored by the Woodland and Davis Area Leagues, which will focus on candidate qualifications and visions for their respective positions.

Questions will be prepared by League representatives and written questions will be accepted from the audience, but no voice questions or statements will be allowed. No campaign literature or paraphernalia such as signs, T-shirts, hats, buttons, etc., will be allowed inside the meeting room.

Woodland TV, or Channel 21, will be videotaping the events and livestreaming them on their YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/live/PnRXRZkPJM0.

The link to the video will also be available on the League of Women Voters of Woodland website at https://my.lwv.org/california/woodland.

The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan, grassroots, national organization dedicated to local voter education and empowering citizens to shape better communities for more than 100 years. The views of the candidates do not necessarily reflect the views of the League of Women Voters.