As part of its annual Democracy Week, the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College will host two candidate forums for upcoming elections for mayor of Gettysburg and seats on the Gettysburg Area School District Board, organizers announced Sept. 5, 2025.
The forums are intended to educate attendees on the election process and voter engagement. They will take place at Mara Auditorium in Masters Hall on the Gettysburg College campus, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m.
On Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, Gettysburg College Public Policy Chair Dr. Anne S. Douds will moderate a forum featuring the two candidates for mayor — incumbent Rita Frealing and Chad-Alan Carr — along with GASD special election candidates Mark Hopkins and Ryan Kerney.
On Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, veteran journalist Alex Hayes will moderate a forum for four open seats on the GASD Board; invited candidates include Julieta Booz, Dale Brennan, Donna Harrison, Michelle Smyers, Kathleen Pratt, Justine Sieg, David Sites, and Charles Weise.
The forums are part of the Eisenhower Institute’s Democracy Week. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed Proclamation 3151 designating a week in September as Constitution Week to commemorate the historic acts that resulted in the U.S. Constitution, and Constitution Day and Citizenship Day are observed nationwide each year on Sept. 17 to mark the Constitution’s signing in Philadelphia in 1787.
Anne S. Douds, JD, PhD, is chair and associate professor of public policy and co-chair of public health policy at Gettysburg College; she is a retired trial attorney with 20 years of litigation experience, and her research and consulting work focus on program evaluations in justice systems and legal aid organizations, criminal justice policy, social and legal health, specialized courts, victims’ rights, veterans’ issues, and systems analysis.
Alex Hayes is a freelance writer and editor and longtime community coordinator for local organizations; he spent 15 years as a writer and editor for the Gettysburg Times and is a contributing writer for Gettysburg Connection and U.S. News & World Report.
The Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College connects aspiring young leaders with public policy experts to help them discover their passion and tackle society’s most challenging issues; grounded in President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s legacy of leadership, the Institute promotes nonpartisan discourse and critical analysis.
For more information, contact Diane Brennan at dbrennan@gettysburg.edu or 717-337-6825.