Tallahassee voters got a closer look at the candidates vying for City Commission Seat 5 during a livestreamed candidate forum hosted at 11 a.m. Sept. 28 by the Tallahassee Democrat, the League of Women Voters of Florida and the Capital Region News Collaborative.
The debate at the WFSU studios featured former Tallahassee Mayor and City Commissioner Dot Inman-Johnson and incumbent City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox as they discussed issues facing the city, including growth and development, public safety, affordable housing, infrastructure and the future direction of Tallahassee government.
City Commission Seat 5 candidate forum
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City Commission Seat 5 candidates Dot Inman-Johnson and incumbent Dianne Williams-Cox participate in a forum hosted at WFSU on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. (Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat)
The hour-long forum was livestreamed on Tallahassee.com, the Tallahassee Democrat Facebook page and the Tallahassee Democrat YouTube channel. Voters can also watch a replay of the forum.
The race is one of several city contests on the ballot this fall and may determine if political progressives take control of City Hall.
Learn more about the raceCandidate forum schedule: How to watch
(Links will take you to replays of forums that have already happened or let you sign up to be notified when they are happening.)
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
See Tallahassee mayor hopefuls debate in candidate forum
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Candidates for Tallahassee City Commission Seat 4 (Mayor), Loranne Ausley, Michael Foust, Jeremy Matlow, and Daryl Parks, participate in a forum on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (Sarah Cheatham)
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
3 p.m. to 4 p.m. — Leon County Commission District 5: David T. Hawkins and David O’Keefe (CANCELLED – Hawkins declined the invitation to debate.)
Forums were broadcast live at the Tallahassee Democrat’s Facebook page, the Tallahassee Democrat’s YouTube Channel and on Tallahassee.com. They are also archived on our YouTube page under the playlist “2026 General Election Candidate Forums.”
Media partners also streamed the forums and archived them on their sites. WFSU will be airing replays of the forums on the radio on 88.9 FM.
▶ Have a burning question on a city or county issue you’d like the candidates to address in an upcoming forum? Submit your query to news@tallahassee.com and we’ll consider it in the mix.
More about the candidate forums
This year, we are building on our partnership with the League of Women Voters of Tallahassee and WFSU to broadcast our award-winning candidate forums before the primary and general elections.
We are excited to join the Capital Region News Collaborative, a media consortium made up of TV, radio, newspaper and digital reporters, editors and anchors that will host the forums.
The forums were made possible through the support of Press Forward North Florida, an initiative of the Community Foundation of North Florida. Press Forward brings together journalists, nonprofit leaders, educators, and community stakeholders to identify needs and create sustainable solutions that enhance civic engagement and strengthen trusted local news for years to come.
The Tallahassee Democrat teamed up with the League and Collaborative partners WFSU, WCTV, WTXL, Capital Outlook and Tallahassee Reports to question the candidates.
The Capital Region News Collaborative is a coalition of local newsrooms working together to expand reporting and better serve the region.
Our election guides to the candidates and issues
Our special general election guide will be printed in the paper on Sunday, Oct. 18 ahead of early voting. It will cover all the races – local, state and national – on your ballot and will include an analysis of all the amendments facing voters.
You’ll also be able to access all that information and more at our 2026 online Ultimate Election Guide at tallahassee.com.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: REPLAY: Dot Inman-Johnson, Dianne Williams-Cox debate for City Commission seat