The League of Women Voters of Whidbey Island will host a primary forum for District 1 Island County Commissioner candidates this week.

The forum is scheduled to be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, July 19, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 20103 Highway 525, two miles north of Freeland.

District 1 candidates include incumbent Helen Price Johnson, a Democrat; Jeff Lauderdale and Wayne Morrison, both Republicans; and independents Curt Gordon and Ed Jenkins.

The league is changing its forum rules this year. The big difference is that questions will not be taken from the crowd. Instead, candidates will be quizzed on issues from a list of predetermined questions created by league members.

The other change is that candidates will now get the chance to respond to the answers of other candidates. Each will be given three “challenge” cards to be used at any time during the forum.

The league reminds the public that people can only vote in the district where they live during the primary election. The district lines have moved slightly and voters should check their new voter registration cards to verify which area they are in.

The primary election is Aug. 7, with ballots mailed out several weeks before then.