The Cambridge Ward 6 Democratic Committee will hold its biennial Progressive Democrats City Council Candidates Forums at 5 and 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. All 22 of the announced candidates have been invited and are expected to attend.

Organizers are handling the large number of candidates by splitting the forum into two panels divided by a short break and refreshments. Other than ensuring that there will be as equal a mix as possible of incumbents and challengers in each panel, the assignment of candidates will be determined randomly, they said.

The format is called similar to that established by the Progressive Democrats of Cambridge in 2005, and sponsored variously through the 2017 election cycle by PDC, Progressive Democrats of America, the Ward 6 Democratic Committee and the Cambridge Democratic City Committee: After prepared opening statements, candidates will respond to questions submitted by forum attendees; time permitting, candidates may be offered an opportunity to question each other.

Cambridge Community Television plans to tape the forum for subsequent broadcast on CCTV stations, as well as to livestream it. All are welcome to attend and to propose questions for candidates.