FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 11, 2025

WTVP PBS
Jenn Gordon, CEO & President
Jenn.gordon@wtvp.org 

League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria
Roberta Parks
Robertaparks7513@gmail.com 

March 19 Broadcast of Peoria Mayoral Forum Cancelled

Peoria, IL – The 2025 Peoria Mayoral Forum between Mayor Rita Ali and City Council member John Kelly that was scheduled to be recorded at WTVP’s studios next week is being cancelled because Kelly, citing an unspecified conflict, is backing out.  

The event, sponsored by WTVP, WCBU, the League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria, and the NAACP Peoria Branch, was to be recorded on Monday, March 17. Given the proximity to Election Day on April 1 and several previously scheduled events at WTVP’s studio, the forum cannot be rescheduled. 

Kelly and Ali agreed in December to take part in the event, and both previously participated in a forum at WTVP on January 23 ahead of Peoria’s February 25 primary election. 

Kelly initially reconfirmed his intentions to appear to Roberta Parks of the LOWV by email on Saturday but followed up with Parks on Monday to say he would not be participating. “It’s disappointing,” Parks said. “When candidates don’t make time to talk to wide swaths of voters simultaneously, everyone loses.”

The primary election forum can still be viewed on wtvp.org, and YouTube and Facebook pages of all presenting sponsors.

Media inquiries may be referred to the candidates’ respective campaigns. 

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Illinois Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation (WTVP PBS) is a nonprofit, community-owned public media source dedicated to empowering and connecting our community through quality content that educates, informs and inspires. WTVP serves as the primary PBS affiliate station for 17 counties in central Illinois, annually broadcasting over 46,000 hours of commercial-free content across five unique channels. Learn more at www.wtvp.org. 

The League of Women Voters of GreaterPeoria encourages informed and active participation in government and works to influence public policy through education and advocacy. The LWV is nonpartisan and neither supports nor opposes candidates for elected office but does act on issues after member study and consensus. Any person, 16 or older, male or female, may join. Learn more at www.lwvgp.org 

NAACP Peoria is a local unit of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination. Learn more at www.peorianaacp.com 

WCBU, Peoria Public Radio and part of the NPR Network, is the public radio station licensed to Bradley University and operated by Illinois State University's WGLT.  WCBU serves Greater Peoria as a public service from its newsroom on the Bradley campus, providing local news plus national and international news via the NPR Network. Learn more at www.wcbu.org