A presidential-style debate between Maui County mayoral candidates Elle Cochran and Mike Victorino, sponsored by The Maui News and the King Kekaulike National Honor Society, will be held Oct. 30 at the new King Kekaulike High School Performing Arts Center.

The event, titled “A Debate of Ideas with Mayoral Candidates Elle Cochran and Mike Victorino,” will be held from 5:45 to 7 p.m. Doors will open at 5:15 p.m.

The public is invited to the free event.

A nonpartisan panel of journalists will pose questions to the candidates. The panel includes Brian Perry, city editor of The Maui News; Wendy Osher, news director of Pacific Media Group and mauinow.com; and Chivo Ching-Johnson, director of government access for Akakū Maui Community Media. There also will be a student questioner from the National Honor Society.

Kathy Collins, a Maui News columnist and freelance writer, will serve as debate moderator.

The debate format, patterned after one of the presidential debate styles, will have a journalist asking a question of one of the candidates, a two-minute response from the candidate; a follow-up question from the journalist; and a one-minute response from the candidate. Then, the other candidate may choose to chime in for one minute.

The cycle then continues for the next candidate.

Event sponsors ask attendees to be civil and positive and be good role models to the many high school students who will be in attendance.