"We need a council who can focus on the important issues, make progress, and rebuild the community's confidence."
Cowley said the event would be an important opportunity for voters to eyeball the city's candidates and engage with them afterwards.
"The evening focuses on the mayoral candidates for Tauranga City Council only because the mayor plays a critical leadership role for the council as well as the wider city," he said.
"Electing the mayor will set the council's tone for the next three years."
The evening's format will include a brief introduction from each candidate before they answer questions.
Audience members will be asked to write questions on paper, which will be selected at random.
The mayoral event is one of several initiatives during the chamber's awareness campaign.
The chamber will also survey all candidates on key issues for local business, then collate their answers and publish the responses on its website.
The survey will include all relevant candidates, including the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the Western Bay of Plenty District Council.
"The chamber may also provide a few other surprises for how we engage the candidates, including video interviews published on the chamber's social media pages," Cowley said.
Nominations for local body elections opened on July 19 and close at midday on August 16. Voting papers will be delivered to people's homes between September 20 to 25 before polling day on October 12.
The New Zealand Electoral Commission's enrolment statistics for Tauranga City show 96.19 per cent of the 101,170 people eligible to vote were enrolled as at July 1.
That is a total of 97,316 people in Tauranga City enrolled to vote - 90,227 on the general roll and 7089 on the Māori electoral roll.
Electoral officer Warwick Lampp said it was crucial for people to enrol to vote to ensure they can have their say in this year's local body elections.
"If you aren't enrolled, now is the time," he said.
Local body elections 2019 - Key dates
Now: Check your enrolment to vote. Consider standing for council.
July 19: Candidate nominations open. Electoral rolls open for inspection at council offices.
August 16: Last day to enrol to vote. Candidate nominations close at noon.
August 21: Candidates' names publicised by electoral officers.
September 20-25: Voting papers delivered to homes.
October 12: Polling day – ballot boxes close at noon.
October 17-23: Official results declared.
Source: www.tauranga.govt.nz
Event details:
What: Meet the Mayoral Candidates
When: Wednesday, August 28
Where: Tauranga Art Gallery
Time: 5pm (for 5.30pm start)
Limited to 150 registrations
