Founding Organizations

The following organizations were instrumental in founding the Indiana Debate Commission:

  • Indiana Coalition of Open Government
  • Indiana Associated Press Managing Editors
  • Indianapolis Association of Black Journalists
  • Indiana Associated Press Broadcasters Association
  • Marion County Alliance of Neighborhood Associations
  • Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations
  • Indiana Broadcasters Foundation
  • Indiana Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists
  • League of Women Voters of Indiana
  • The Radio-Television News Directors Association
  • Hoosier State Press Association

Indiana Debate Commission Facts and Figures

  • Founded in 2007 as a 501c3 nonprofit
  • Hosted its first gubernatorial debates with three candidates in 2008
  • Remains the longest serving, independent and non-partisan commission of its kind in the nation
  • Receives all debate questions from the public at large – Putting Voters First
  • Hosts all gubernatorial and U.S. Senate candidates who attain statewide ballot access
  • Provides free audio/video feed to C-SPAN, Indiana newspapers, radio stations, TV stations (public and commercial), and nonprofit news outlets
  • Relies on in-kind and charitable contributions
  • Conducted 24 debates since 2008 for gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races
  • Distributed free tickets to live audiences at 14 public venues, including high schools and colleges

The Indiana Debate Commission is one of only four state-level debate commissions in the United States. We believe Indiana voters make the difference in all statewide elections – and we exist for the voters.

Media can contact us via media (at) indianadebatecommission (dot) com

Indiana Debate Commission Board

Cindi Andrews
IDC President
Senior News Director, IndyStar
Indianapolis

Jill Bond
IDC Secretary
News Director, Herald-Times
Bloomington

Dan Byron
Senior Partner, Dentons
Indianapolis

Thomas Maloney
VP, Radio Operations. Lakeshore Public Media
Crown Point

Mike Wilson
PR Director, Comcast Indiana
Fort Wayne

Cathleen Shrader
IDC Vice President
Attorney, Barrett & McNagny LLP
Fort Wayne

Javonte Anderson
Editor, Capital B Gary
Gary


Shannon Cagle Dawson

Communications Director, Herron Classical Schools
Indianapolis

Thomas Weber
Owner/President, Weber Broadcast Services
Greenwood

W.S. (Bill) Wilson
Retired Executive Editor, Rochester Sentinel
Rochester

Scott Uecker
IDC Treasurer (for donations)
Retired, University of Indianapolis
Franklin

Elizabeth Bennion
Chancellor’s Professor of Political Science
Indiana University South Bend


Max Jones

Editor, Tribune-Star
Terre Haute

Laura Merrifield Wilson
Associate Professor of Political Science, UIndy
Indianapolis