Five nonpartisan candidate forums will give Sarasota County voters a direct look at local candidates before the Nov. 3 general election.

The League of Women Voters of Sarasota County and Suncoast Searchlight are co-hosting the series, which covers races for city commissions, city council and a state Senate seat. All forums will be held via Zoom, livestreamed and recorded for later viewing on the LWV Sarasota County YouTube channel. Viewers do not need to register to watch.

The forum series began Tuesday, Sept. 15, with candidates for Florida House District 72, according to Suncoast Searchlight.

Next up is a forum for Florida Senate District 22 on Wednesday, Sept. 16, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Democrat Lew Wasserman and Martin Hyde, who has no party affiliation, are set to participate. Republican James Buchanan was invited but is unable to attend, according to Suncoast Searchlight. The outlet's executive editor-in-chief, Emily Le Coz, is scheduled to moderate.

Three more Sarasota County forums follow in October. Sarasota City Commission candidates will appear on Wednesday, Oct. 7. North Port City Commission candidates are scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15. Venice City Council candidates close the announced schedule on Friday, Oct. 23.

The forums give candidates equal time to answer the same questions, according to Suncoast Searchlight. The format is designed to let voters hear from candidates outside of campaign advertising.

The league said additional forums could be added if at least two candidates in each race agree to participate, ABC7 Sarasota reported. ABC7 reported five total forums are planned, though only four races have been publicly identified so far.

Start times for the three October forums have not been announced. The full schedule is posted at lwvsrq.org. Early voting in Sarasota County is scheduled to begin Monday, Oct. 19, according to the forum schedule.