The Cranston Herald and Cranston Public Library will co-sponsor two mayoral debates later this month, providing an opportunity for voters to hear from the candidates for the city’s top elected office ahead of the Sept. 8 primary.

The debates will be streamed live via the Herald’s Facebook page. Out of concern for the safety of the participants and the public during the pandemic, the events will not include a live audience.

The first debate will include the two Republican candidates for mayor, City Council President Michael Farina and Citywide Councilman Ken Hopkins. It will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 19.

The Republican debate will begin at 7 p.m. and will be moderated by Herald editor Daniel Kittredge. It will last one hour and will be held at the Central Library on Sockanosset Cross Road. Only the candidates, the moderator and library staff will be present.

The second debate will include the three Democratic candidates for mayor – Maria Bucci, Adam Carbone and Citywide Councilman Steve Stycos. It will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

The Democratic debate will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be moderated by Kittredge. The other details will be identical to the Republican debate.

In terms of format, the debates will begin with five-minute opening statements from each of the candidates, followed by a series of general questions regarding the campaign and issues facing the city. Each candidate will have two minutes to respond to these questions.

There will also be a short section in which each candidate will receive questions, developed by the moderator, specifically directed to them. The candidate receiving the question will have three minutes to respond, and the other candidates will have the opportunity for a two-minute response.

The debates will conclude with closing statements of five minutes each.

All questions will be developed by the moderator and the Herald’s staff. Suggestions are welcome and may be sent to Kittredge at dan@rhodybeat.com.

The Herald and the library are planning additional forums featuring mayoral and City Council candidates ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. Additional details will be announced in the weeks to come.