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Three televised debates are scheduled for the mayor and City Council candidates in October.

Independent and nonpartisan groups that do not endorse candidates were selected to organize the events.

The schedule includes:

-On Oct. 8, the West End Citizens Association, Rockville Senior Center at 1150 Carnation Drive.

-On Oct. 13, the Rockville Chamber of Commerce, Legacy Hotel and Conference Center at 1775 Rockville Pike.

-On Oct. 20, the Twinbrook Citizens Association, Twinbrook Community Recreation Center at 12920 Twinbrook Parkway.

The debates will be televised on the city's cable station, Channel 11, and will begin at 7 p.m.

Two non-televised debates will also occur. One, sponsored by the community-focused blog Rockville Central, will be held at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 24 at the Thomas Farm Community Center.

The date and time of the second non-televised debate, sponsored by the Woodley Gardens Civic Association, the Plymouth Woods Condominium Association and the College Gardens Civic Association, was not available by Gazette press time Tuesday.

Ten candidates, including two incumbents, will vie for four council seats. Mayor Susan R. Hoffmann will be challenged by Councilwoman Phyllis R. Marcuccio in the mayoral race.

Election Day is Nov. 3.

Marcuccio's campaign proposes debate with Hoffmann

The idea of having two one-on-one debates between the two mayoral candidates, Mayor Susan R. Hoffmann and Councilwoman Phyllis R. Marcuccio, has not gained traction.

Hoffmann said Marcuccio's camp proposes the idea, but Hoffmann preferred to wait until after the other debates were scheduled to decide.

Hoffmann said she has not heard back from the Marcuccio campaign.

"We thought it would be a good idea to have stand-alone mayoral debates because this is a very important election, a very important time for the city and the state," said Joseph Jordan, Marcuccio's campaign manager.

He said Marcuccio would still be interested in having a separate mayoral debate if the opportunity arises.

Registration drive

set for Saturday

Rockville's Human Rights Commission will hold a voter registration drive on Saturday at the Twinbrook Library and Twinbrook Community Recreation Center for anyone not registered to vote in the upcoming mayor and City Council elections.

Registration at the library will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at the recreation center from 1-4 p.m.

Residents can also register through the county Board of Elections.

Anyone already registered to vote in the county can vote in the city election.

The final day to register and still be eligible to vote in this year's election is Oct. 5. Election Day is Nov. 3.