This year, October means two things: the start of the baseball playoffs, and the launch of the debate season.

Here’s a quick reader’s and viewer’s guide — to the Idaho political debates, at least.

Tuesday

GOP gubernatorial candidate Brad Little and Democratic nominee Paulette Jordan will square off at the College of Idaho in Caldwell.

Organizers are calling the event a “forum,” not a “debate.” The discussion will focus on fiscal issues.

“This is an event that will focus on the important issues that people in the state really care about, not just the stories hyped up in the media,” said College of Idaho professor of political economy Jasper LiCalzi, who will moderate.

The forum will begin at 7:30 p.m. at C of I’s Langroise Center for Performing and Fine Arts. It’s open to the public, but attendees are asked to refrain from bringing campaign materials, such as signs, displays or shirts.

The forum’s sponsors, the C of I and the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy, will stream the event on their Facebook pages.

Check Idaho Education News on Wednesday for coverage.

Oct. 9

Idaho Education News will host a state superintendent candidate’s forum.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. at the Boise State University Special Events Center. The forum is open to the public, and will be streamed live on the Idaho Education News Facebook page. Some questions will come from the audience or from Facebook viewers.

Democratic candidate Cindy Wilson has agreed to participate. Republican incumbent Sherri Ybarra has not responded to repeated invitations over the past several months.

Panelists for the forum include Idaho Education News reporter Clark Corbin; Shay Davis, an elementary administrator at North Star Charter School in Eagle; and John Webb, a student from Wallace High School. Idaho Education News reporter Kevin Richert will moderate.

Check Idaho Education News on Oct. 10 for forum coverage.

Oct. 11-29

Idaho Public Television will air The Idaho Debates, a series spotlighting six statewide and federal races.

Here’s the lineup:

• Oct. 11, 8:30 p.m. MT and PT: secretary of state. Lawerence Denney (Republican, incumbent); Jill Humble (Democrat).
• Oct. 12, 8 p.m. MT and PT: Superintendent of public instruction. This time, Ybarra and Wilson have committed to participate. The journalists’ panel will include two Idaho Education News reporters, Corbin and Richert, and Frankie Barnhill of Boise State Public Radio.
• Oct. 14, 7 p.m. MT and PT: Second Congressional District. Mike Simpson (Republican, incumbent); Aaron Swisher (Democrat).
• Oct. 15, 8 p.m.: governor. Jordan and Little meet again.
• Oct. 17, 8 p.m.: lieutenant governor. Kristin Collum (Democrat); Janice McGeachin (Republican).
• Oct. 29, 8 p.m.: First Congressional District. Russ Fulcher (Republican); Cristina McNeil (Democrat).

In addition, Idaho Public Television’s “Idaho Reports” will take an in-depth look at the two initiatives on the Nov. 6 ballot.

• Oct. 19, 8 p.m. MT and PT: Proposition One, the horse racing initiative.
• Oct. 26, 8 p.m. MT and PT: Proposition Two, the Medicaid expansion initiative.

Check Idaho Education News for debate coverage.

Oct. 23

You can learn more about the Medicaid expansion issue at a City Club of Boise forum. It begins at 11:45 a.m. at the Grove Hotel. (Click here to register.)

Speakers include Fred Birnbaum of the Idaho Freedom Foundation, a group opposing Medicaid expansion; Luke Mayville of Reclaim Idaho, a group supporting the expansion initiative; and Lauren Necochea, director of the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy.

Check Idaho Education News for more coverage of the Medicaid initiative — and its implications for schools.

More reading: Check out (and bookmark) Idaho Education News’ elections page, for coverage leading up to Nov. 6.