Richard Neal

SPRINGFIELD — Organizers have rescheduled “Democracy Starts Here: First District Congressional Forum” for 5 to 8 p.m., Aug. 11 at 52 Sumner, the performing arts venue at 52 Sumner Ave. in Springfield.

This forum will take place whether incumbent U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield attends or not, said Wes Weidemann, coordinator for Gray Matters/PACT — one of the 40 participating organizations.

Neal does not plan to attend, according to a campaign spokesman.

A previously scheduled forum was canceled after Neal declined to participate and the event lost its moderator.

The candidate Q&A will be moderated by G. Michael Dobbs, retired executive editor of The Reminder, where he served for more than 20 years in that role. He continues working at Focus Springfield Community Television, where he hosts a program “Government Matters.”

The Community Conversations portion of the event will kick off the night and will give attendees an opportunity to meet community organizations at staffed tables with the candidate Q and A beginning at 6 p.m.

Nadia Milleron, running as an Independent in the November election, and Jeromie Whalen, a candidate in the Democratic primary, have both RSVPed in attendance.