SHREVEPORT, La. — The Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce has launched its 2026 Election Education Initiative, offering recorded candidate interviews and a series of televised mayoral forums ahead of the fall elections.
The nonpartisan initiative includes candidates seeking offices that represent Shreveport and Caddo Parish, including Shreveport mayor, First Judicial District attorney, Shreveport City Council, Caddo Parish School Board and Louisiana Public Service Commission. The chamber said all candidates in the five groups were invited to participate in recorded interviews.
Candidates for each office were asked the same set of 12 questions, allowing voters to compare responses on individual issues.
Topics vary by office. Mayoral candidates were questioned about managing an operating budget of roughly $700 million, water and sewer obligations and the proposed Interstate 49 Inner-City Connector. District attorney candidates addressed violent crime, juvenile offenses, diversion programs, fraud and cybercrime.
School board candidates discussed student achievement, career and technical education, teacher retention and artificial intelligence in classrooms. Public Service Commission candidates addressed electric grid resilience, data centers and utility rates, while City Council candidates discussed blight, permitting and balancing district and citywide priorities.
The chamber, which does not endorse candidates, said the initiative is intended to give businesses and other voters opportunities to hear directly from people seeking public office.
The organization also plans three televised Shreveport mayoral forums on consecutive nights in October. A public safety forum presented with KTAL is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13 at Southern University. An economic development forum with KSLA is scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 14 at Centenary College. An infrastructure forum with KTBS is scheduled for 9 p.m. Oct. 15 at Louisiana State University Shreveport. The chamber’s event listing confirms the dates, locations and topics.
Admission to the forums is free, but registration is required because seating is limited. Doors will close 15 minutes before each forum begins.
Louisiana’s Nov. 3 election will include state and local contests, with early voting scheduled for Oct. 20-27, excluding Oct. 25. The deadline to register through the state’s online GeauxVote system is Oct. 13. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, according to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office.