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I've attended several mayoral and other candidate debates and forums in the last several weeks. The Tuesday night event hosted by the and its coalition partners was one of the biggest.

All were invited to attend. There were on the stage inside Xavier University's convocation center — and one in the audience. Frank Scurlock didn't respond to the league in a timely fashion, so he missed the opportunity. He watched, like me and hundreds of others. Some estimate more than 1,000 came out.

As designed, the program included segments with candidate introductions and closings, subject-specific questions, candidate-specific questions and audience questions. Unfortunately, with so many candidates, the program went long. Audience questions were cut.

But I've got the questions.

There were more than 30 questions. That's too many to include here, so I've selected some of the best — and most interesting — questions for your reading pleasure. I didn't include questions I think were answered. I have included some questions that maybe can solicit more clarity. I created the categories, not the league. It's my hope that each candidate will answer each question. While I'd prefer to see a single-source document readers can review, I'd appreciate candidates posting these questions with their answers on their websites and on their social media platforms. I'm sure voters would, too. The questions are from those who attended. I've edited some for accuracy, grammar, spelling and space.

Here are the questions:

FEDERAL-STATE RELATIONS

— We've seen Chicago take action to push back against ICE raids and National Guard presence. What steps will you take to protect our communities?

Do you have a plan to stop the state from taking more revenue from New Orleans?

— New Orleans hosts a lot of festivals and major events, but some say the city isn't benefiting. What will you do to ensure the city receives proper compensation?

PERSONAL/FAMILY AFFILIATIONS-INFLUENCES

— Who, outside of family and close friends, has been the biggest influence on you during the race?

— Please share your party affiliation, your partner's or spouse's name and party affiliation, and whether you or your spouse donated to Donald Trump or MAGA.

HOUSING/INFRASTRUCTURE

— What is your plan to address housing in New Orleans, especially for the working family and the young professional who both rent and want N.O. to be their forever home?

— What policies would you implement to ensure people stay long-term and build their lives, considering affordable housing and career advancement issues?

— If elected, will there be any action to reduce the presence of short-term rentals in the city to help make housing more affordable for locals?

HEALTH

— Katrina left 40% of New Orleans with PTSD, depression or anxiety. Twenty years later, gaps in care persist. As mayor, what's your plan to close them?

— With the Trump administration's attack on vaccines and public health, what will you do to ensure the public health of New Orleans and its children?

EDUCATION

— Do you ever see a day that parents who can will send their kids to public instead of private or parochial schools? How will you strengthen our public education?

— Black men only account for 1.3% of teachers in the country. What efforts would you make to bring more Black men to the classroom?

CITY OPERATIONS

— What is your assessment of our current mayor's performance and leadership? How would you be different in working with others and improving on her tenure?

— As mayor, will you set performance standards for every department director and hold them accountable if they fail to meet expectations?

— What is your plan to make sure that our public buildings — libraries, rec centers and more — do not fall further into disrepair, and how will we pay for this?

— City Hall is terribly understaffed. What will you do to attract and retain committed and talented workers at city departments?

— What is your plan for ensuring our libraries stay open and aren't continually closing for structural repairs and HVAC issues?

With less than three weeks until early voting starts on Sept. 27 and less than a month until Election Day on Oct. 11, if you haven't tuned in to what's going on with New Orleans political campaigns, now is the time to do that. Nearly everyone has questions, too. Ask yours.

Don't wait until three to six months into the next mayor's term to sigh and say, "I wish I had asked that question before voting."

It's not too late. I'd love to know what questions you have. But it's more important for candidates to know your questions. Ask.

Demand answers.